‘We Like It Here’ is an exhilarant play that immerses you in the world of three sisters in the rural town of Ballyarby. Except it all exists within their front room. With their father now missing, the sisters have only themselves and the village guard Thomas to keep the world of Ballyarby alive, even if some of them are beginning to have their doubts.

Jonathan M. Daley’s writing demonstrates what it is to be young and isolated in rural Ireland today, playing with our need to pretend as a method of survival; whilst exploring what happens when we fall too far into our imaginations. ‘We Like It Here’ was first produced in June 2018 by Headrush, Ireland and staged in the Naughton Studio, Lyric Theatre Belfast.

Written by Jonathan M. Daley

Adele Gribbon as “One”

Maeve Smyth as “Two”

Mary O’Loan as “Three”

Cailum Carragher as “Thomas”

Directed by Emily Foran

Set Design & Costume by Tracey Lindsay

Lighting Design by Alan Mooney

Sound Design by Conor McGuinness

Stage Management by David Willis

Set Construction by Stephen Dix

Production Management by Conal Clapper

Produced by Headrush, Ireland

To read an extract of the script, click here. To read the whole script, please contact me.

Reviews

“assured and enigmatic writing” - Gareth Russell

“Jonathan M. Daley’s new play ‘We Like It Here’ is… a head melt of a production.” - Alan In Belfast

“We Like It Here is a well-written, well performed drama, wrapped in layers of intrigue. I’m sorry that I only caught its last showing, given the chance, I’d gladly watch it again.” - Lorcan Falls, CAP Arts Centre

“It is a scenario as fascinating and endearing as it is disturbing - the old ‘is it a game or is it real’ adage of the early eighties played out as a psychological character-based thriller where mundanities are amplified” - Simon Fallaha, The Big List NI