
Jungle Door
Jungle Door invites its audience to indulge in the joyous, disheartening, and hopeful moments over a year shared by ex-lovers Michelle and Louise as they rekindle their friendship. Challenged by beauty standards and the housing crisis Michelle smiles through the filler and plans her perfect day, unaware her bridesmaid is hiding a dark secret.
Project
Jungle Door
We want to share our beloved piece of Queer theatre with the world, but first stop Edinburgh! We are fundraising for Jungle Door’s international premiere as part of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2022!
Jungle Door invites its audience to indulge in the joyous, disheartening, and hopeful moments over a year shared by ex-lovers Michelle and Louise as they rekindle their friendship. Challenged by beauty standards and the housing crisis Michelle smiles through the filler and plans her perfect day, unaware her bridesmaid is hiding a dark secret. This unique performance featuring original music, drama, and comedy is not be missed!
Why Jungle Door?
Michelle and Louise’s relationship is at the heart of this play, the love that was once shared and the friendship that remains drives both of the characters to grow and change for better or worse. They share a connection that allows them to reveal their true self's to one another while keeping up appearances to the rest of the world. It was very important to Rena while writing the play to present queer characters combating issues unrelated to their sexual orientation. Through this, we aim to destigmatize Queer characters on stage while creating authentic, well-rounded characters undefined by their sexuality.
It was a play that had stuck with us in a very significant way. The team gelled together like a family when bringing the play to Sligo, Kildare and Galway audiences. Each time we felt comfortable in the world of the play knowing it and each other like the back of our hands we were thrown out of our comfort zone with a new take on the work each time. One of the things we love most about theatre is that it is alive and ever-changing. Unlike a movie each time you see your favorite scene in a play it will be slightly different. As the text has developed we've really narrowed in on issues unique to Queer relationships, in this case specifically a relationship between Lesbian and Bisexual characters. How they are treated by society and the Queer community affects not only how they view each other but themselves.
The Team
The team is a small close-knit four who absolutely love this show! Everybody is double or triple or even quadruple jobbing to make it happen!
Playwright / Producer / Cast (Louise)
Rena Bryson is a Galway-based theatre-maker who holds an honors degree and master’s degree in Theatre studies. She co-founded Eva's Echo in 2017 and since then has produced, written, directed, and starred in many of the company's productions.
Rena enjoys creating multimedia work and Queer theatre. She has been acting on stage and on screen for 10 years. Her most recent projects include Latte by Sarah Fahy and Wisp by Dolmen Films
She is currently developing her latest project Stardom as part of Druid theatre company's Druid FUEL.
Director / Lighting Designer / Voice of Darren / Technican
Cornelius Dwyer is a Galway based theatre maker who has been working in theatre for 20 years, during which they have filled every available position they could get their hands on. Cornelius was trained in Drama and Theatre Studies in UCC where they learned devising, directing, stage management, and technical theatre.
They have worked extensively with Eva's Echo in the past as technician and director, most recently on Druid FUEL's Stardom. They had their first foray onto the stage with them as Tom in Sarah Fahy's Latte this month.
They are absolutely delighted to be back making the Queer character focused theatre that they want to see.
Producer / Cast (Michelle)
Hazel Doolan was a graduate of Performing Arts at IT Sligo. She finds herself at home in the works of Wilde, Chekhov and Shakespeare while inspired by the practices of Stella Adler and Stanislavski. Hazel appeared in Sligo’s rustic theatre scene including Bob Kelly’s The Big Wall and Hardy Bucks Season Three.
As Co-founder of Eva’s Echo Theatre Company she wrote, directed and played Caroline in the award-winning Match. Hazel later played Yasmine in The Way It Is by Donna Hoke, and co starred as Michelle in Jungle Door during the Where We Are Now LGBT+ Theatre Festival 2018. This production was revisited during Galway Community Pride 2018.
Costume and Set Design / Stage Management / Voice of Sharon
Before leaving Ireland, Sabrina Kelleher was a regular face at The Theatre Room Galway. Having performed for the first time with them in Jan 2016 and then becoming a member of the committee from 2017-18. She has worked on a performance for the direct provisions in Galway (2016), Culture Night (2017), and the Where We Are Now LGBTQ+ Festival in Sligo (2018). Since moving to UK, she has been involved in many Pantomimes across Yorkshire. She played the Genie in Aladdin (2018) and the evil sidekick Jiggle in Cinderella (2019) - both with Restless Entertainment. She was also part of the Ensemble Cast for Manor Operatic Society’s Dick Whittington (2019-20).
How funding will be spent
- Venue: €1,669.72
- Accommodation: €1,217.82
- Travel: €586.84
- Fringe Registration: €353.21.
- Marketing: €300
- Food: €200
- Design: €160

Previous Jungle Doors
