The Adventures of Shay Mouse: The Mouse from Longford
| By: | Patrick McCabe, Margot McCabe |
| Publisher: | New Island Books |
| Published: | September 1994 |
| Pages: | 64 |
| Categories: | Language |
| Language: | English |
| Available as: | Paperback |
| On sale at: |
An engrossing children's tale. When you consider the work of Pat McCabe, you tend to think of darkness, violence and delusion. It is easy to forget that his first book, published in 1985, was a children's story about a mouse from Longford. The Adventures of Shay Mouse was adapted into a play and performed at The Abbey Theatre in 1995. It featured the late Sean Rocks, whose recent passing came as a huge shock to the Irish theatre community. With this new adaptation, McCabe reunites with frequent collaborator Padraic McIntyre, who is the current venue manager of the Ramor Theatre and Cavan Town Hall. The pair have worked together on numerous productions with Livin' Dred Theatre Company, now run by artistic director Aaron Monaghan. The play follows protagonist 'Shay Mouse' who is ousted from his blissful home in Bornacoola Wood by a pack of sinister rats. Left to travel the Irish countryside alone, he eventually arrives in the big smoke, where he forms an unlikely bond with a Jack Russell. Together, they plot to return to Shay's homeland, and conquer the evil rats once and for all.