SLIPPERY WHEN WET
By Leanne Devlin
At The Pearse Centre, Dublin
9-14 September 2023 6:30pm
“I didn’t expect Love to show up at my dreary new job. Clean-up in aisle four!”
Slippery When Wet follows the journey of an aspiring actor who, having returned to her hometown to work in a supermarket, is forced to face her complicated relationship with her hometown when she falls madly in love with a colleague. We follow this bawdy young woman through drunken nights, embarrassing encounters and ‘bad feminism’, as she debates abandoning her theatrical city dreams for Love (with a capital L).
Slippery When Wet, written and performed by Leanne Devlin (Ireland), and directed by Emma Copland (UK), premiers at Barons Court Theatre, before travelling to Dublin Fringe this summer. Drawing on personal experiences of small towns, big dreams and being a bad feminist, Slippery When Wet, mocks the multiplicity of expectations we dump on our young people and tensions between the fantasies we sell them and the realities of life.
Told through eclectic story-telling theatre, this one-woman show is a bawdy, heart-breaking and hilarious exploration of youthful passions and societal cynicism. Described after a rehearsed reading as ‘cheeky and irreverent’, and with a ‘gorgeously wry sense of humour throughout’, Slippery When Wet is a reminder that you can only really jump into love when you have both your feet firmly planted on the ground.
Creative team:
Leanne Devlin (Writer and performer)
Emma Copland (Director)
The show lasts 60 minutes without an interval.
Reviews from London run at Barons Court Theatre 2023:
“an engaging story … fall out of your seat funny” ★★★★ – London Pub Theatres
“infections…radiating sharp wit…watch Leanne navigate this comedic minefield with finesse” ★★★★ – West End Evenings
“Direction by Emma Copland is incredibly creative” ★★★★ – All That Dazzles
“it is the relatability of this character which Devlin brings to life superbly” ★★★1/2 – The Reviews Hub
Leanne Devlin is a writer-performer who trained at the Gaiety School of Acting and the Guildford School of Acting. Her theatre writing credits include: One Step Forward, Two Sips Back (Limbo Theatre Company), What Do We Know? (Guildford School of Acting), The Best Day of your Life? (Gaiety School of Acting). Her acting: Leah in Two Fingers Up (SkelpieLimmer Productions, Lyric Theatre Belfast, Summerhall Edinburgh & Irish Cultural Centre London), Sandra in One Step Forward, Two Sips Back (Echo Echo), Norman in Be My Baby (Guildford School of Acting). Leanne is represented by Nova Artists.
Emma Copland is a theatre director who trained at The Shakespeare Institute, Queen’s University Belfast & Lyric Drama Studio. Her theatre credits as Director: Cooking With Carrie (Drayton Arms), Failing Better, Belmont Road (site-specific), Winter Tales (Barons Court Theatre), Faster than the Flies (Black Box Theatre), Entra, Silvio! (Ulster Hall Group Space), I Left My Heart (Hampden Park), Much Ado (Crescent Arts Centre), Two Gents (Crescent Arts Centre) and several youth theatre productions including Shady Business (Prissian Theatre) Emilia (Prissian Theatre), The Wolves of Willoughby Chase (Prissian Theatre) Second Person Narrative (Prissian Theatre), Tristan & Yseult (Prissian Theatre) and The Boy Preference (JAGS Studio Theatre). As Assistant Director: Romeo & Juliet (Lyric Belfast), Teechers (touring), The Border Game (touring), Iyalode of Eti (Arcola Theatre), Titans (Titanic Belfast), A Better Boy (MV Confiance Barge) 1 in 5 (Limavady Workhouse) and Perfect (Brian Friel Theatre).
Performance Dates Preview Saturday 9th September 6:30pm, Shows Sunday 10 – Thursday 14th September 6:30pm
Venue The Pearse Centre, 27 Pearse St, Dublin, D02 K037, Ireland
Ticket Price €14.00 [Full Price], €12.00 [Concessions]
Box Office Dublin Fringe Festival https://www.fringefest.com/festival/whats-on/slippery-when-wet
Age Recommendation & Content Warnings Recommended 15+. This show contains explicit language, explores themes of a sexual nature.
Social Media @slipperywhenwetplay
