Resurgence at the Riverbank

IT IS NOT every day that Newbridge, hosts a theatrical premiere. But next Wednesday, as part of an innovative new scheme by that town's Riverbank Arts Centre, three new plays will be put before the good people of Co Kildare. The oddly named By . . . For . . . With . . . season is the culmination of a two-year process to develop original work by the area's budding writers, writes Donald Clarke

"The scheme is a model of how things should happen in arts centres," Riverbank manager John O'Brien explains. "The idea was brought to me by a local woman, Terry Moore - Christy's sister - who is very involved in local issues. She outlined the structure of a playwriting competition to me right away. It was important that all ages should have access to it."

O'Brien sent the brief out to youth groups and schools, and ended up with about 200 two-page outlines for plays. After the entries were whittled down to manageable size, a distinguished panel, including playwright Eugene O'Brien, helped mentor the writers during their efforts to produce finished scripts.

The winner in the primary school age group was The Murder Machine, by Caoimhe Corbett. Don't Say it Out Loud, by Sarah Darcy, triumphed among teenagers. Over the Top, by John Martin, was the selection from the adult writers. All will receive full productions at the Riverbank.

By . . . For . . . With . . . marks another stage in the arts centre's remarkable resurgence. A shiny modern building on Main Street, the Riverbank opened in 2001, but took some time to win the public's affection. In 2005, the year before O'Brien took over, the centre took in about €90,000 in earned income. Two years later, this has increased to a bracing €247,000.

What's the secret? A glance at the Riverbank's programme suggests that O'Brien, who formerly ran the Crypt Theatre in Dublin Castle and taught acting at the Gaiety School, has resisted the temptation to fall back on hypnotists and tribute bands. Later this month the British National Theatre will bring more new writing to the centre when its New Connections festival hits town. Collaborations with the National Concert Hall and avant-garde dance companies are also planned.

"You have to strike a balance," O'Brien says. "You notice, for example, that there is an insatiable audience for stand-up comedy. We have had sold-out concerts by Jason Byrne, Des Bishop and Colin Murphy. Now, what we make on those nights helps us finance things like the baroque orchestra. We recognise that an arts centre cannot provide the perfect setting for every piece. So we have put the baroque music in the local church, for instance. That creates a level of excitement that feeds back towards the arts centre."

Realising the importance of reaching out beyond the county, O'Brien has arranged for the centre's Riverbank Sessions - weekly music jams - to be posted on YouTube and is establishing an online gallery of local artists' work.

Yet the By . . . For . . . With . . . season sounds like the centre's most extravagant project so far. The playwrights are certainly not short of ambition. Caoimhe Corbett, still only 12 years old, has set out to deliver a dream play addressing contemporary attitudes to the Irish language. Sarah Darcy, representing the teenagers, offers up the story of a young man coming to terms with his confused sexuality. John Martin has written about the experiences of two Irish soldiers during the first World War.

That's a lot of drama to cram into one small auditorium. "Oh, sure," O'Brien agrees. "Matching the right talent to the right pieces was certainly a challenge. But if life didn't have its challenges, it wouldn't be worth living."

The By . . . For . . . With . . . seasons is at the Riverbank Arts Centre from Mar 19 to 22