For his entire life, poet and playwright Tom Mac Intyre has been fighting against the orthodoxy represented by traditional Irish theatre. He sees himself as a rogue cannon to be unleashed upon the establishment.
And his week in residency at Dartmouth as a Montgomery Fellow has been anything but boring.
His residency coincided with the Drama department's production of one of Mac Intyre's recent plays, "Sheep's Milk on the Boil," and his presence at the post-performance discussions last week sparked interest and debate.
In his writing, Mac Intyre puts the world of Irish tradition and mythology at the forefront. While these traditional roots are his starting place, he explores new possibilities and formats for not only Irish theatre, but for theatre in general.
Mac Intyre is prolific in many genres. Not only is he a playwright, but he also writes short stories, poetry and the occasional novel.
Born in rural Ireland, Mac Intyre said storytelling has also had a great influence on him.
"In the Ireland I grew up in, every one tells stories, and some are on Earth to tell stories for the rest of their lives," said Mac Intyre.
Mac Intyre has done much to preserve the threatened Irish language, which he sees as inextricably linked to an interior journey.
Mac Intyre told The Dartmouth that "I can't conceive of being a storyteller without seeking out and embracing the tribal language, the language of the Irish unconscious."
As Mac Intyre speaks, it is evident that he feels a deep connection with this spiritual world. According to Irish mythology, "an dream eille", or "the other world" in Irish, dictates the course of all actions and occurrences.
It is this other world that Mac Intyre describes as being essential to his art, and "even in a play about modern Irish history, sooner or later you'll find the story dipping into the spirit world."
The spirit world Mac Intyre speaks of was evident in "Sheep's Milk on the Boil," where a group of ghosts invade the house of a married Irish couple. Previously only produced at the National Theatre of Ireland in Dublin, this was the play's North American premiere.
Over the last 28 years, Mac Intyre has had at least 25 productions of his plays in theatres all over Ireland. But he said he expressed particular delight when he found out that Dartmouth would tackle his play.
"It's a challenging piece," admitted Mac Intyre, "and lots of Irish companies would not be rushing to do this."
When asked why Irish theatre companies are hesitant produce his plays, Mac Intyre spoke of the conservative nature of Irish theatre.
"If a play is sexy or has a blast of the erotic," explained Mac Intyre, "it is likely to cause withdrawal instead of rapturous welcome."
This Irish reaction is one of the reasons why Mac Intyre welcomes productions such as the Drama department's. Mac Intyre said he felt "grateful, pleased and excited."
Despite public reaction in Ireland, the playwright said he likes being on the fringe even if "in the comfort of the establishment, asphyxiation is a constant threat."
For Mac Intyre, the fringe is where all the excitement is and where "the weather is wilder."
For Mac Intyre one of the goals for his plays has always been to "play around." When asked to elaborate, Mac Intyre offered a story about a meeting with famed Polish director Jerzy Grotowzki. "There was Grotowzki, looking as Polish prophets are supposed to look," said Mac Intyre, "and he said one thing that evening that has always remained with me. You must always be careful to remember the vital connection between the noun "play", as in "we're putting on a play" and the verb "to play". To play."
Mac Intyre is currently working on a production in Ireland, called "The Gallant John Joe." The play was written especially for one of the top Irish actors, Tom Hickely. Within the next six months, Mac Intyre will be working on a companion piece, Don Murphy, which will be exploring many of the themes of Don Quixote.
Along with his theatre work, Mac Intyre is also currently working on a fiction piece titled "The Story of a Girl."
