‘A glittering gem of a show’ – The Irish Times
Pondling was performed in European theatres and in New York City winning The Scotsman Fringe First Award (Edinburgh) and the Stewart Parker Award in 2014, and Best Female Performer for Genevieve Hulme-Beaman at the Dublin Fringe Festival 2013.
A story of love, beauty, chicken-chasing, daisy chains, cat killing, french singing, dress-wearing, ensuite bathrooms and the day at the pond.
Proud she was in the park that day with her shiny black shoes from a shiny green box. As she peddled through the park she took quick glances down to her feet deciding that cream tights were definitely the right choice; they did accentuate her raven black shoes. She was FREE, BRAVE, BEAUTIFUL, and she was ready to go back to school in a week and a half and show Johnno Boyle O’Connor how free and brave she really was.
Reviews
“Pondling is never predictable, and despite Madeleine’s romantic imagination, utterly unsentimental.” The Scotsman
“It’s not often these days that I attend theatre pieces but if there are more as good as this around perhaps I should widen my horizons” One 4 Review
“Toying with rage, comedy, and an innocent childishness…Hulme-Beaman has truly delivered a sterling performance.” The Public Reviews
“The imagination of a lonely little girl is poignant thing — unless that lonely little girl is basically psychotic.” The Irish Theatre Magazine ****
“Pondling is a delightful and entertaining comedy” Dublin Culture
Production Team
Writer and Performer: Genevieve Hulme-Beaman
Director: Paul Meade
Set and Lighting Design: Colm McNally
Sound Design: Osgar Dukes and Denis Clohessy
Stage Manager: Tara Conlon
Collaborator: Jack Hickey
Production Manager: Jack Berrill
Producer Clíona Dukes
Photography: Paul McCarthy and Futoshi Sakauchi
Fashionista: Donncha O’Dea
Programme Design: Karen Lee
A huge thank you to those who helped us reach our Fund:It campaign goal. Your contributions are greatly appreciated and we could not have done it without your support!
Caoimhe Cassidy, Laura White, Aoife Moroney Ward, Shoeburt, Paul Marron, Max Carpio, Lucinda Thomson, Eileen Sheridan, Emily Elphinstone, Manus, Megan Riordan, Amy Dawson, Tara Furlong, John Delaney, Jasper O’Connor, Maree Kearns, Daragh McMahon, Denis Smyth, Eileen Carpio, Helen O’Connor, James Hanley, Zia Holly, Rosie Goan, Denis Clohessy, Stephen Jones, Lorna Quinn, Eoghan Quinn, Clare Monnelly, Sarah Gates, Matthew O’Brien, Fiona McKevitt, Fiachra Kinder, Ian McEvoy, Nicola Lewis, Pauline Shanahan, Tom Hopkins, Eugene McGrath, Tomas Kelly, Paul Clune, Niel Crowley, Sheenagh Gillen, Runcible Spoon Theatre Company, Dan Colley, Felicia Hulme Beaman, Karen Lee, Civic Theatre, Sharyn Hayden, Ryan Meade, Cliona Dukes, Kate Flinter, David Beirne, Ardern Hulme Beaman, Kate O’Sullivan, Kate Daly, Mairead Ni Ghonlaigh, Peter Daly, Muireann D’Arcy, Aaron Lennon Ross, and five anonymous funders.