Twinkletoes
(Three Monologues, Abbey Theatre, 2022)

Twinkletoes is a striking monologue by Jennifer Johnston, presented as part of Three Monologues on the Peacock Stage at the Abbey Theatre, alongside Mustn't Forget High Noon and Christine. The piece offers an evocative portrait of an ordinary woman shaped by the Troubles in Northern Ireland, blending dry humour and poignant social reflection. In this intimate staging, Twinkletoes completes the triptych and was directed by Laura Sheeran.

Team

• Writer: Jennifer Johnston

• Director (Twinkletoes): Laura Sheeran

• Lead Artist & Designer: Maree Kearns

• Directors of the other monologues: Gea Gojak, Claire O’Reilly

• Sound Design: Carl Kennedy

• Lighting Design: Eamon Fox

• Voice Director: Andrea Ainsworth

• Casting Director: Sarah Jones

Cast (Twinkletoes)

• Karen: Aoibhéann McCann

Venue: Peacock Stage, Abbey Theatre, Dublin

Dates: 18 February – 12 March 2022 (with previews)

Production Notes

This production was part of an Abbey Theatre season staging Three Monologues by Jennifer Johnston, an intimate series of solo pieces tracing individual lives influenced by political and personal turmoil. Each segment was directed by a different resident director, with Twinkletoes under Laura Sheeran’s direction.

Review Excerpts

★★★★ “Twinkletoes … completes the triptych with a vibrancy and repressed energy that makes the story unforgettable.” — The Irish Times

“Under Sheeran’s direction, Aoibhéann McCann uses every inch of stage with ease, bringing text and character alive.” — The Arts Review