Trinity’s drama society, DU Players has a long standing, renowned history of talent and passion. Each year sees a new Chair take up the heavy mantle and produce yet another wonderful array of productions, and this year’s Chair will be no different. Radius Editor, Saskia McDonogh Mooney, sat down with the Chair, Malachi Drew, to give those familiar and unfamiliar with Players a glimpse into the heart of the society.
SM: Tell me a little bit about Players, for people who are new to Trinity.
MD: DU Players is Europe’s largest and most active drama society. We are a community where you can learn and gain experience in all aspects of theatre, by taking classes and following pathways that lead to putting on productions where you can inhibit any role that a theatre’s cast or crew could possibly offer. Our society allows you to have fun and experiment creatively, all with the support of your fellow members and the encouragement from our committee. If you are interested in theatre from a purely audience perspective, then come see our incredible shows of all different genres and scales, or attend our weekly events. There is a place for you in Players. Just come say hi, hang out in our front of house social area, and enjoy!
SM: What drew you to the society?
MD: I was introduced to the society by a friend on the first day of my fresher’s week and I have not left since. What makes this society so special is the strong community aspect. Players is a found family of sorts with new people coming into the society every day, with an enthusiasm to work with others and have fun. The energy in our building is always at a high, and the excitement is always contagious. I have made lifelong friends in this place, and an infinite amount of irreplaceable memories here. I have grown and learned so much from this place and the people. Whether it be in terms of theatre and art, or general life skills, this place has made me who I am, and I am forever grateful to have had the beautiful opportunity to experience this society. Players is a wonderful world of human creativity and passion for art, full of the most motivating and inspiring members. Players will continue to be a place I can find solace, and a boost in spirit throughout my final year at this college. I will forever miss it when I leave.
SM: What are some of your favorite productions you’ve been involved in?
MD: A standout production I have to mention is the annual tradition called “Co-Op”. This is a show that takes place every Michaelmas 1 for the past several decades. It is a different story every year but the same structure and it is a whole lot of fun. This production always brings together a huge group of people to have fun and work together to form this show as a collective. The production casts a large number of people that are new to acting in our society, and by Week 6, they all perform every night. I acted in the “Co-Op” of my first year in college, produced it in my second year, and was one of the directors last year. I cannot wait to see what they cook up for this year. Auditions for “Co-Op” and our four other shows this half term are on throughout freshers week!!!
Some other shows that I will always look back on fondly were the production of Mark Harvey Levine’s “Shades”, as well as the original play “It Never Entered My Mind”, both of which won many awards at the Irish Society Drama Awards the past two years. I also had the honour of writing and directing my own show that will forever have a special place in my heart. I am so proud of these shows, along with so many other amazing pieces I have contributed to in my time. Working on a Players show is always a fun and eventful time!
SM: What sort of things do you have planned for the upcoming year? Including Freshers’ Week.
MD: There are so many fun things coming up over the next year that we are all so excited about! Throughout this Freshers’ Week, we have an abundance of activities such as auditions for our freshers’ shows, sign ups for our programmes, an event every single night, multiple workshops, building tours, a showcase of some previous Players’ productions, and more! We have so much you can get involved with throughout this week to kick off the year.
Going from that we have an event every Wednesday night, we have a couple more festivals in the planning, we have five new shows during Michaelmas Week 4, 5, and 6, followed by submissions for the shows at the end of this term. We have many exciting things to take part in, just keep an eye out on our socials especially our instagram @duplayers and sign up to be a member to receive a weekly email!!!
SM: How can people get involved?
MD: The wonderful thing about this society is that there is something for everyone in Players and there are a multitude of ways to get involved. Whether you have zero experience or are a well seasoned theatre lover, there is something for you. To those that want to take lessons in any theatre role, from directing, writing, management, acting, lighting, sound, costume, set, publicity, and so much more, then take Players’ Introductory Programme (PiPs) which leads up to a showcase week! If you don’t have the time to commit, then take a This Is How We Crew It class and work as general crew on a show to get to know our theatre better, or look into our several other programmes we have running. If you have an idea for a piece you want to try out, put it on during one of our many festival weeks, or if you are up for a full-scale performance, submit it when our submissions open each half term. If you want to get to know the place and the people, then sign up to our subcommittees and help set up for our events each week. On top of all of this, there are so many more ways to get involved in our society, with shows and events every week, we will find you a place to get involved and dip your toe into all aspects of theatre. Feel free to reach out to me with any questions by email at chair@duplayers.com or pop into our building and go from there!
SM: How can people make the most of the theatre scene at Trinity?
MD: That is a very good question. I think the way you can get the most out of theatre in general is by putting yourself out there, not being afraid to ask others for help, and by talking to people about your creativity, passion, and ideas. If you have even the smallest of an idea for something you want to create, get to talking to others about it! Even just one supportive person can encourage you to go from an idea to a fully fledged production of some kind. If you are not the type of person to lead projects within theatre, I still cannot emphasise enough about how important it is to talk to like-minded people. Very quickly you will find others who are working on something where you can join the team in some way. There is always a space somewhere for your skills and if you have zero experience and want to try out new things get to chatting as well. Especially in a place like our society, there are always people around who are willing to help you find your place in the realm of theatre. If you want to make the most of the theatre scene, join our society and get to talking to other members about their projects, experiences, and interests, and you’ll soon find out how you would want to get involved with theatre.
SM: And then just a parting message – what do you want people to know about Players?
MD: If everyone could know just one thing about Players, I would have to say that it is, at the heart of it, a society made for having fun. For a place full of the most talented individuals who are constantly and excitedly creating, learning, and teaching, it is overall one large group of friendly people having the best time together. So remember, the door is always open, the kettle is always on, pop your head in and stay for a while. Make the most of your time in college, it flies by. Players will always be here for you to “Come and Play!”
