Modern dating mores are the means by which Gillian Duffy explores the universality of relationships.
The Irish playwright’s latest comedy Two’s Company is the third in a trilogy (of sorts) that places the search for romance at its core.
Scottish matchmaker
Following on from previous hits The Ghosting Of Rabbie Burns and The Wedding Planners, the uplifting offering follows the trials and tribulations of Maureen Parker, the twice-divorced owner of a Scottish matchmaking agency, played by well-known film and TV actress Carolyn Calder.
Directed by David Goodall, it stops at Dundee’s Gardyne Theatre tomorrow and co-stars Matt Costello – Stevie the Bookie from Still Game – as Maureen’s resurfaced first love Michael. Former High Road regular Una Macnab stars as her mum Beatrice.
Dublin-raised Gillian says audiences at earlier shows on the tour, and at the play’s Edinburgh Fringe run last month, have fed off the unfolding mother-daughter relationship.
“The feeling and the care they have for each other is real,” she explains.
“Beatrice sees that her daughter is going through personal problems with her divorce and her teenage son.
Regret and anger
“Maureen’s a very independent woman but she’s at a point in life where she needs help.
“On both sides there’s regret, anger and a hesitancy to go to the other, but when the help comes they’re open to it.”
The writer says that despite past setbacks, Maureen is moving forward and striving to improve her lot.
“Alongside the comedy there are some very dark moments when her trust has been broken, so that creates a conflict within the character,” adds Gillian.
“Wondering if you can afford to take a second chance is something that we’re all faced with at various times, so there’s a lot of pathos in there, but I don’t want anyone to come away from the play feeling worse off than before they came.
“I’d hope it would lift them a bit, because generally when I sit down to write it’s to uplift myself.”
For its belated Fringe debut following pandemic cancellations Two’s Company had to be cut slightly for timetabling reasons, and that’s the version coming to Dundee.
“People are really enjoying the play and are wanting more of it,” says Gillian.
A sitcom, perhaps?
“The characters are still very fully formed and very interesting, and it’s great as a writer to sit and watch a piece of theatre and actually forget that you’ve written it because you’re so engaged in the actors’ performance.
“Fantastic actors will come to a script and just make it their own, and a lot of people have said it would be great in a TV sitcom format.
“The topic of the piece, certainly, could quite easily be developed, just by the nature of the mother-daughter relationship.”
Gillian says she doesn’t know yet if she’ll pen another rom-com, but says relationships in general will always be central to her writing.
“The interplay between people is what interests me, and that’s always a core element of drama, storytelling and character.
“My next play 2 Girls is like a love letter to friendship. That idea of how we support each other is really important to me, but even in there the two main characters are going through their own situations.”
- Tickets are at gardynetheatre.org.uk
