Project
The play The Bomb is loosely based on the true story of the meeting between Jo Berry and Pat Magee. Pat Magee was responsible for planting the bomb that killed Berry 's father at the Conservative party conference in 1984. Many years after the bombing, Berry and Magee decided to meet in order to explore the possibility of a process of reconciliation between them. In the intervening years, the two have built a friendship and work together to promote peace and reconciliation. The Bomb was commissioned by Action Transport theatre company in 2006 and was written by Kevin Dyer in consultation with Berry and Magee. It is intended as a production for young people and comes with a pack of activities and workshops to accompany the play, including a workshop by Jo Berry herself. The plot follows the story of Elizabeth, a woman whose father was killed by an IRA bomb and her process of meeting the bomber, Ned, for the first time, as well as the difficulty that this causes in her relationship with her teenage daughter. The play also portrays the relationship between a young Elizabeth (Lizzie) and her father, and Ned's complex emotions about planting the bomb and resorting to violence. The Bomb tells the story of the very beginning of their process of reconciliation.
Action Transport specialises in work with, by and for young people and has been recognised both nationally and internationally in this endeavour. The company particularly encourages new writers and has developed a programme for nurturing young playwrights. Although The Bomb was written by a professional, developing writers were encouraged to read and comment on the script through the writing process. This enabled young people to be engaged with and aware of all stages of the writing process for a professionally produced production.
The Bomb will be touring again in autumn 2008 to theatres across the UK. If you are interested in further information on this, or to make a booking, please contact Jessica Egan on 0151 357 2120 or jess@actiontransporttheatre.co.uk
