APN | Astrid O'Farrell


Site Links: APN Home Catalogue Index List of playwrights List of plays Search for a play Create a profile/ Submit a play Submit changes to your profile or play or send us a photo Other on-line catalogues: Playwrights Development Centres of Canada The Dramatic Exchange International Centre for Women Playwrights La Ronde - Playwrights Ring Playwrights' Workshop Montreal Playmarket - New Zealand Playwrights Playwrights Guild of Canada Virtual Library & Bookstore Playwrights Canada Press New Theatre Publications (England) Samuel French Catalogue ProPlay (British Columbia) Victorian Drama League (Australia) Dramatists Play Service (USA) Play Bureau (New Zealand) Theatrebooks (Toronto) Playscripts Inc. (USA) Find a play.com (USA)	Astrid O'Farrell Jump to list of plays Astrid O'Farrell's work as a writer has ranged from critic (CBC Radio and Canadian Art Magazine), to satirist (CBC and occasional scripts for Dave Broadfoot), to playwright (CBC and live theatre). She has won awards for her work as a critic and as a playwright and her first mystery novel Only When it Rains (1998) was short-listed for the St. Martin's Press Malice Domestic Award for an Unpublished Novel. Originally trained for the theatre, Astrid O'Farrell has acted and directed in Canada and Europe. While in Europe, several of her plays were translated and produced on European radio, television, and theatre. Astrid has studied creative writing at the Banff School of Fine Arts (Canadian Women s Press Club Scholarship), the Film Institute of Canada, the Saskatchewan School of Fine Arts, and at Fort San (Media Club of Saskatoon Bursary). Praise for her fiction has come from such writers as Jack Hodgins, Leon Rooke, and Carol Shields. Although now principally writing novels, productions of Astrid s plays continue to take place. Her latest dramatic work, Another Way Out, was premiered at Northern Light Theatre, Edmonton in October of 2002. Selected plays In alphabetical order by title: Another Way Out The Curse of the Lost Lemon Mine Goodnight, Mrs. Gibbs The Invitation Ritual To request a copy of any of these plays please contact the playwright directly by via telephone: (403) 243-0280 To inquire about performance rights for any of these plays please contact the playwright directly via telephone: (403) 243-0280 Another Way Out by Astrid O'Farrell Style: One Person Show Number of Acts: One act Length: 30 mins Total actors required: 1 Men: 0 Women: 1 Synopsis: The sight of the man she still loves with his new much younger partner forces a woman to escape into the washroom of an underground nightspot. There she meets up with a mysterious older woman who tells her there is another way out. Production History: Premiered at the Northern Light Theatre in Edmonton, October 2002. Notes: Return to list The Curse of the Lost Lemon Mine by Astrid O'Farrell Style: Drama/Comedy Number of Acts: One act Length: 60 mins Total actors required: 11 Men: 9 Women: 2 Synopsis: This prize-winning play is based on the old Alberta legend of the lost Lemon Gold Mine, The Curse of the Lost Lemon Mine is a dark comedy with music. Although the play has a large, mostly male cast, many of the minor roles can be doubled. Production History: Canmore Opera House in 1968. Notes: The play has been translated into several European languages and has been produced both in Europe and North America. Return to list Goodnight, Mrs. Gibbs by Astrid O'Farrell Style: Drama/Comedy Number of Acts: Three acts Length: 120 mins Total actors required: 7 Men: 3 Women: 4 Synopsis: An old cockney landlady is suspected of murder when one of her lodgers, Michelle, a young Canadian drama student, disappears without a trace. Not an easy person to get along with, Mrs. Gibbs has antagonized her other two lodgers, Mrs. Slowski and her son Jerzy. The Slowskies lose no time in telling the neighbours that Mrs. Gibbs "had words" with Michelle on the night before her disappearance. The rumour of foul play spreads quickly and pretty soon there is a mob out for the blood of Mrs. Gibbs. Production History: Manoel Theatre at Valletta, Malta in December 1973. Notes: The production played to packed houses in its initial run in Malta. Return to list The Invitation by Astrid O'Farrell Style: Comedy Number of Acts: Three acts Length: 120 mins Total actors required: 6 Men: 3 Women: 3 Synopsis: Everyone does it at one time or another - gives out an invitation to come and stay. Sincerely gives it with the comforting notion that there's not the remotest chance of anyone taking it up - or is there? In "The Invitation" Harry Macken finds out! "The Invitation" is a wildly hilarious comedy. Production History: "The Invitation" premiered at the Bearspaw/Glendale Dinner Theatre in 1997. Notes: The play had audiences rolling in the aisles throughout its run at the Bearspaw/Glendale Dinner Theatre. Return to list Ritual by Astrid O'Farrell Style: Drama Number of Acts: One act Length: 60 mins Total actors required: 14 Men: 11 Women: 3 Synopsis: Ritual is based on the story of the betrayal of Christ by Judas and iis set in 20th-century Bolivia. Production History: First produced by the Voice of Women in Calgary in 1981, directed by Astrid O'Farrell. Notes: Ritual was first written as a radio play under the title, "Sufficient Unto the Day," and was short-listed to win a BBC prize. Translated into Maltese the play appeared on Maltese National Television. The Calgary production included a cast of Chilean actors. Return to list

Astrid O'Farrell

Astrid O'Farrell's work as a writer has ranged from critic (CBC Radio and Canadian Art Magazine), to satirist (CBC and occasional scripts for Dave Broadfoot), to playwright (CBC and live theatre). She has won awards for her work as a critic and as a playwright and her first mystery novel Only When it Rains (1998) was short-listed for the St. Martin's Press Malice Domestic Award for an Unpublished Novel.

Originally trained for the theatre, Astrid O'Farrell has acted and directed in Canada and Europe. While in Europe, several of her plays were translated and produced on European radio, television, and theatre.

Astrid has studied creative writing at the Banff School of Fine Arts (Canadian Women s Press Club Scholarship), the Film Institute of Canada, the Saskatchewan School of Fine Arts, and at Fort San (Media Club of Saskatoon Bursary). Praise for her fiction has come from such writers as Jack Hodgins, Leon Rooke, and Carol Shields.

Although now principally writing novels, productions of Astrid s plays continue to take place. Her latest dramatic work, Another Way Out, was premiered at Northern Light Theatre, Edmonton in October of 2002.

Selected plays
In alphabetical order by title:

Another Way Out
The Curse of the Lost Lemon Mine
Goodnight, Mrs. Gibbs
The Invitation
Ritual

To request a copy of any of these plays please contact the playwright directly by via telephone: (403) 243-0280

To inquire about performance rights for any of these plays please contact the playwright directly via telephone: (403) 243-0280

Another Way Out
by Astrid O'Farrell

Style: One Person Show
Number of Acts: One act
Length: 30 mins
Total actors required: 1
Men: 0
Women: 1

Synopsis:
The sight of the man she still loves with his new much younger partner forces a woman to escape into the washroom of an underground nightspot. There she meets up with a mysterious older woman who tells her there is another way out.

Production History:
Premiered at the Northern Light Theatre in Edmonton, October 2002.

Notes:

Return to list

The Curse of the Lost Lemon Mine
by Astrid O'Farrell

Style: Drama/Comedy
Number of Acts: One act
Length: 60 mins
Total actors required: 11
Men: 9
Women: 2

Synopsis:
This prize-winning play is based on the old Alberta legend of the lost Lemon Gold Mine, The Curse of the Lost Lemon Mine is a dark comedy with music. Although the play has a large, mostly male cast, many of the minor roles can be doubled.

Production History:
Canmore Opera House in 1968.

Notes:
The play has been translated into several European languages and has been produced both in Europe and North America.

Return to list

Goodnight, Mrs. Gibbs
by Astrid O'Farrell

Style: Drama/Comedy
Number of Acts: Three acts
Length: 120 mins
Total actors required: 7
Men: 3
Women: 4

Synopsis:
An old cockney landlady is suspected of murder when one of her lodgers, Michelle, a young Canadian drama student, disappears without a trace. Not an easy person to get along with, Mrs. Gibbs has antagonized her other two lodgers, Mrs. Slowski and her son Jerzy. The Slowskies lose no time in telling the neighbours that Mrs. Gibbs "had words" with Michelle on the night before her disappearance. The rumour of foul play spreads quickly and pretty soon there is a mob out for the blood of Mrs. Gibbs.

Production History:
Manoel Theatre at Valletta, Malta in December 1973.

Notes:
The production played to packed houses in its initial run in Malta.

Return to list

The Invitation
by Astrid O'Farrell

Style: Comedy
Number of Acts: Three acts
Length: 120 mins
Total actors required: 6
Men: 3
Women: 3

Synopsis:
Everyone does it at one time or another - gives out an invitation to come and stay. Sincerely gives it with the comforting notion that there's not the remotest chance of anyone taking it up - or is there? In "The Invitation" Harry Macken finds out! "The Invitation" is a wildly hilarious comedy.

Production History:
"The Invitation" premiered at the Bearspaw/Glendale Dinner Theatre in 1997.

Notes:
The play had audiences rolling in the aisles throughout its run at the Bearspaw/Glendale Dinner Theatre.

Return to list

Ritual
by Astrid O'Farrell

Style: Drama
Number of Acts: One act
Length: 60 mins
Total actors required: 14
Men: 11
Women: 3

Synopsis:
Ritual is based on the story of the betrayal of Christ by Judas and iis set in 20th-century Bolivia.

Production History:
First produced by the Voice of Women in Calgary in 1981, directed by Astrid O'Farrell.

Notes:
Ritual was first written as a radio play under the title, "Sufficient Unto the Day," and was short-listed to win a BBC prize. Translated into Maltese the play appeared on Maltese National Television. The Calgary production included a cast of Chilean actors.

Return to list

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Astrid O'Farrell