Graham Tugwell

Theatrical and Live Productions

The Risky Proximity Players

What would become the Risky Proximity Players had its genesis in the postgraduate writing group of Trinity College, established in the summer of 2010 by Alex Runchman over drinks in Kennedy’s Bar, Burgh Quay, and meeting on Tuesday every week upstairs in Foster Place. It was here that many stories that the RPP would later perform were first read out to a discerning audience of literary titans.

Having already tested the waters with a successful reading of his own poetry, it was suggested by Alex that a public reading of my work would be something our fellow postgrads would like to see.The first of these shows, named Everyone Drinks the Water Here after a line in ‘I Arrive’, one of the earliest stories written, took place in November of 2010 in the Postgraduate Common Room of Trinity College. I was joined by Kate Ellen Roddy in the reading of five short stories.

The reading was a success and well attended, and whetted my appetite for more performances. One little touch I really enjoyed was hiding a teabag in the water jug. Steadily it turned the water a filthy brown as the show went on. It was very effective.

Well done me.

The second of these shows was titled Sweet Smoke & Cruelty (I fear the origin of this phrase is lost to the ages) and was also performed in the Common Room at Trinity College on April 1st 2011. This was the show that set the model of what was to follow: four performers reading the stories, arrayed in chairs, each with their own book to read from. The stage was lit with a plethora of lamps to create a rather pleasing scene.

It also saw the introduction of what would become the Risky Proximity costume– white shirt, black trousers, black tie and uncongrous shoes, individually chosen by each member of the troupe. Around the right arm, at the elbow, were bands of black material (socks, expertly stitched into loops– just remember to tuck the heel away behind the loop!)

This was the first show to feature Dave Rudden, whom I had met at the end of the first show and it was his suggestion to use to the ‘Risky Proximity’ on the poster as a name for the troupe. It was a good name. It stuck.

Dave and I were joined by Alex Runchman and Clare Hayes-Brady in reading the stories. It went well. I remember an excited gent in the audience thought the show particularly ace and joined in with loud emissions of ‘Oh no!’ and ‘Christ!’  Thanks anonymous man, you helped to make it a fantastic show.

The next performance by the RPP took place in Drumcondra at the Cat & Cage on the 12th of July 2011, as part of a Wurm and Apfel event curated by Kit Fryatt. Reading at this event and togged out in traditional RPP black and white were myself, Dave, Sarah Byrne and Dylan McDonough. This would be the classic set, perhaps the purist expression of the RPP aesthetic, each story landing like a body blow, ending on a triumphant rendition of ‘On Tuesdays We Wear Sexy Hats.’ We shared the bill with miss Sarah Griffin, a poet of renown, who would join the Players for future performances.

With this show RPP were fairly launched on the waters of the Dublin literary scene, and we began looking for places to perform outside of Trinity college. Subsequently the Players made appearances across the city, reading at events such as the Milk & Cookies storytelling events.

Two shows took place in Rob Brown’s Loft bookshop, formerly upstairs in the Twisted Pepper cafe on Middle Abbey Street. The first of these shows took place on the 7th of September 2011 and featured myself, Dave, Sarah Griffin and Sarah Byrne. Emerging to the sound of Nik Kershaw’s Wouldn’t it Be Good? and proud in our black and white, we performed a selection of short stories for an eager audience. The night went so well that we returned a few months later.

This second show took place on the 2nd of November performed by myself, Dave, Sarah Griffin and for the first time Deidre O’Sullivan.

I was battling bronchitis at the time and I list it as one of my greatest personal achievements not to have died on stage.

Something of a hiatus followed that last show. There were many smaller, low-key performances, mostly by myself or with one other performer. Sinead O’Brien performed ‘One Tadpole Silver’ at Milk & Cookies, while I performed at Tonguebox and as part of the Spoke series of live readings at the Irish Writer’s Centre in April 2012. I would return to the IWC to perform a story for Culture Night in September 2012.

HIGH FIVE, DANNY O’C!

February 2013 saw the Risky Proximity Players return for three nights with a full scale theatrical adaptation of High Five, Danny O’C! as part of the Collaborations Festival, starring Dave Rudden, Sinead O’Brien and Graham Tugwell. The show was performed with aplomb and panache in Smock Alley Theatre.

LOVE, WRONG LOVE

The Risky Proximity Players returned in July 2o13 with Love, Wrong Love as part of the 10 Days in Dublin festival, performed in the New Theatre in Temple Bar

In this Town strangeness abides.
Something came down in the rain and brought Story with it. Tales of love and loss, horror and hate:
The lonely girl.
The lovers.
The monsters, good and bad.
All trapped.
The Risky Proximity Players bring the truth—
Where there is no God, where the universe is malign…
The Love may be wrong, but it’s love nonetheless.

Featuring theatrical adaptations of the stories Francie and Dennis are In Tonight, One Tadpole Silver and ‘You’re the Bomb, You Twisty Plonker!’

The programme designed by Graham for the event. Look how much effort went into this!

THREE HOLES, I LOVE YOU

The Risky Proximity Players returned with Three Holes, I Love You performed in Bewley’s Theatre in March 2014 as a three-part collaboration with two other shorts pieces. It received our best reviews, and also the most befuddling. (Why didn’t our cast force themselves to age by forty years in preparation for the show?)

It wasn’t supposed to be like this.
Boy should meet girl.
Girl should meet boy.
But sometimes even the greatest love story needs a little push.
His parents are coming home for Christmas.
He can’t wait to introduce them to his new love, Imelda.
But Imelda doesn’t smile.
And Imelda doesn’t move.
And always she is dressed in red.
Something has gone horribly, horribly wrong.
Three Holes
(I love you)

DnD at Deptcon

After a period focussing upon the creation of Down Below The Reservoir (Ireland’s Least Popular Podcast) many of the Risky Proximity Players would return to the stage again as part of Deptcon, the Young Adult Literary Festival curated by Eason’s Dept 51. Appearing at Deptcon 4 in 2018 at the Pavillion Theatre, Gamesmaster Graham Tugwell was joined by Deirdre Sullivan, Dave Rudden, Sarah Griff and Moïra Fowley, all of whom piloted characters of wild variety in an adventure of aggressive stupidity. It was probably the greatest thing I have ever done on stage.

DnD at Deptcon returned in 2019 to the Liberty Hall theatre for Deptcon 5. Again Graham served as Gamesmaster, while Deirdre Sullivan, Dave Rudden, Moïra Fowley and Melinda Salisbury embarked on a magical quest. The rules were specially written for the occasion by Graham, where any injury instantly leads to death, only mitigated if the player makes a randomly determined death bed confession which utterly changes their character for the rest of the event…

A DANCE IN THE DARK

In 2019, members of the Players appeared as part of WorldCon, the 77th World Science Fiction Convention held at the Convention Centre in Dublin. Graham acted as Gamesmaster again, leading the group through a specially created live roleplaying event based on the world of Down Below The Reservoir. (Basically, magical teens ouy wandering country roads) A Dance in the Dark featured a cast of Dave Rudden, Sarah Griff, Deirdre Sullivan and special guest Charlie Jane Anders.