Eclipsed
the story of the Magdalene Laundries
Eclipsed characterizes four of the penitents within the Magdalene Laundry- young, passionately alive women forgotten by the outside world, eclipsed from the light of life and human connection. Discarded and forgotten by society, these "fallen women" are stripped of their human rights, forced into slave labor and religious conformity. With no hope of being rescued, the women- physically and emotionally abused- fight to keep hope alive amidst songs, stories and playful ideas of marrying Elvis.
Eclipsed was one of the first plays to tell the story of the Magdalene Laundries. After seeing the horrendous goings on in the laundries as a young novitiate, playwright Patricia Burke Brogan decided to highlight the plight of these women. Over 30,000 girls passed through these institutions, the last one closed in 1996.
Produced by Infinite Variety Productions
Written by Patricia Burke Brogan
Subject Matter: dark humor, religion, Irish drama
Production History
2012: the Tank Theatre, New York City. Directed by Bridget Leak. Stage managed by Carina Courtney Don. Featuring Ashley Adelman, Lindsay-Elizabth Hand, Amy Losi, Maria Makenna, Christine Thomson, Ally Tufenkjian, Maria Viteri and Sandra Dianne Wilson.
2012: the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests convention in Washington, DC. Directed by Norma Medina. Stage managed by Carina Courtney Don. Featuring Ashley Adelman, Lindsay-Elizabth Hand, Amy Losi, Maria Makenna, Ally Tufenkjian, Jessica Smith and Sandra Dianne Wilson.
IVP's production of Eclipsed was supported by Justice for the Magdalenes, the Adoption Rights Alliance and SNAP.The run included a talkback with Mari Steed, the daughter of a Magdalene survivor, adopted to the U.S. from Ireland in 1960 and mother to a daughter relinquished to adoption in the U.S. in 1978.
