A celebration of the power and magic of storytelling, GrandSlam Champion Storyteller and TikTok sensation Mary Kate O’Flanagan brings her one-woman show to the Civic, this October 22nd-25th.
MAKING A SHOW OF MYSELF will run in our Studio Theatre at 8.15pm, with a 1pm Lunchtime Performance on Wednesday, October 23rd.
Get to know a bit more about writer & performer Mary Kate O’Flanagan here:
Can you tell us a bit about yourself? Where did you grow up?
I grew up in a family of six sisters – there wasn’t a lot of money to spare but there was a lot of love going round. My parents enthusiastically communicated their passion for books and movies to us. We lived in different parts of Dublin till I was 13 then we moved to Copenhagen where I went to an international school till I was 18. I learnt in those years that shared stories transcend cultures, connect people and are a great way to underscore our common experiences.
When did you first become interested in performing and writing?
I’ve always been a writer in one way or another – a journalist and a short story writer and then a screenwriter. I’ve written lots of things that have never seen the light of day but about ten years ago I impulsively got up and told a story at The Dublin Story Slam and to my surprise and delight, I won. I’ve been entering story slams ever since and eventually I had enough material and enough courage to do a whole show of my material. I’ve found my medium.
Can you tell us about some of your proudest moments, as an artist, so far?
– Standing on the main stage of the Abbey Theatre and telling a story to an audience that included a lot of the people I love was a highlight of my life.
– Winning The Moth Grand Slam on a stage in Los Angeles. I felt like I did Ireland proud.
– Being one of several women on Culture Night 2024 telling our stories at an event for The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre. I was proud of all of us, not just surviving but thriving.
Where did this show come from?
My sisters kept encouraging me to put a show together that included some of my winning stories. I am evangelical about the magical transformative power of stories so I wanted to communicate that to wider audiences but I was daunted. But it was when my nieces told me one of my stories had gone viral on TikTok that I felt like I had to do it.
And what can audiences expect?
Audiences can expect to cry – that seems to be the number one reaction the show gets. They’re tears of relief and release though so I hope you’ll feel washed by your tears, renewed in your faith in life. And you can expect a few good giggles on the way. Lastly, I love to tell people that it’s mercifully brief at c.80 minutes long.
Tell us one random fact about yourself.
I love nuns. I stalk them.
If people enjoy the show, where else can they enjoy or hear more about your work?
Follow us on Instagram (@makingashowofmyself) and keep coming to The Dublin Story Slams* to hear other storytellers and become one, too.
*Dublin Story Slam are coming to the Civic on November 12th – FIND OUT MORE HERE.
