Eimear Tunney
Actress
Theatre Teacher
Director
n e w p r o j e c t "FIELD"
The true story of Eimear's Grandfather who escaped prison by digging a tunnel and her grandmother who was a spy. Stories of her family passed on by her Mother, Breda Quirke, from 100 years ago - the Irish war of Independence of 1921. Told with humour, song, stories among other surprises.
"I can't keep count of the "thank you Eimear"s and the "will we see Eimear again next year ?"s Emmanuelle Juan, Teacher in Jean Ferrat Primary School,
Longpoint Sur Orge 2021
SHOWS
Mad Mary
Musical comedy about a singer songwriter.
Battersea Arts Centre 2020
Cabaret
An evening of poetry, stories, music and theatre presented at Radio Golden Bar in Conegliano, Italy. A show case of the talented folk from the surrounding villages and hamlets. Curated and presented by Eimear.
FIELD -
Work In Progress
This play tells the true story of Eimear's Grandfather who dug a hole to escape prison along with thirty four other prisoners of war - The Irish War of Independence in 1921. And the untold true stories of her grandmother who was a spy. The show is inspired by the many conversations she had with her Mother, Breda Quirke, without whom the stories would be forgotten. She also interviewed family members, local historians and did archival research. With humour, song, poetry and stories Eimear opens a window onto a world where the price of freedom was your life. The strangest parts of this story really did happen...
The Trout
The story of Eimear's fishing trip with her cousin Mick when they were eight years old and what it taught her about life - a mixture of puppetry, magic, music and origami.
TEACHING AND DIRECTING
Workshops for Adults
Games, complicity, pleasure and using what happens in the moment to make funny and beautiful theatre.
Eimear teaches and directs the 'Coup de Théâtre' theatre company of Pussay, in Essonne.
2024 'Gianni Schicchi' an adaption
2023 'Le Male est dans la Male'
2022 'L'Envers du Decor'
Storytelling Nights
Eimear organises and curates storytelling nights.
True stories told by locals. Convivial moments of connection and humanity.
A way to better know others and one's self.
Generously supported by the Essonne prefecture.
'The Magic Show'
A theatre show about emotions and how to talk about them.
Dance, song, magic, audience participation and a lot of pleasure.
Performed in hundreds of kindergartens in Essonne.
Commissioned by the Académie de Versailles in 2021.
A Very Strange Day
A theatre piece about climate change in english for francophone children. It follows a fisherman and his grandmother on a day's fishing where they are confronted with the rubbish they produce. Puppets, songs, synchronised swimming and humour are used to address this complex subject. The audience are invited to help the fisherman to change. Performed in hundreds of primary schools in Essonne. Commissioned by the Académie de Versailles in 2020.
Biography
Eimear creates and performs theatre with music, characters and magic using autobiographical stories as a starting point. Her path to working in theatre was a winding one but never boring. Among other things she worked in a pork pie factory, later as an optometrist and then diverged to train in visual arts and theatre. Her stories are personal but speak to the universal. They are also funny, touching and a bit mad (not unlike like Eimear herself). She teaches and directs theatre including the 'Coup d'Théâtre' Company and organises international theatre, voice and dance workshops with the best teachers she's known. With the traditional music group in Étampes she sings, plays the tinwhistle and fiddle.
Contact
