Below is a short excerpt from our recent interview with David McWilliams, published in the current issue of Village, but some of which necessarily got left on the Village cutting room floor for reasons of space .  McWilliams explains the inspiration for his unusual foray into the world of theatre.  The show promises to be interesting at the very least.  See what you think.

MC:  What is the Abbey production going to be about? 

DMcW:  It’s very simple really.  The idea is that in the crisis Ireland splits not so much between rich and poor, or urban and rural or young and old – but between insiders and outsiders.  For instance just looking around here [Dalkey] – my father used to tell me about this church.  My grandparents were Scottish and they were very much outsiders.  There were lots of them – the Nicholsons and others for example.  

MC: They weren’t Catholic when they came?

DMcW: No they weren’t.  There used to be this incessant Fianna Fail propaganda against the Brits and yet a lot of the money collected on the plates at mass would be earned by lads working for the RAF in Wolverhampton.  So we had the Dagenham Yanks thing!

The people who caused the mess in the 50s got stronger.  And the 1980s the people who caused the mess got stronger and the outsiders emigrated.  It’s the same thing happening again now.  But the show is more humorous than it might seem from this!

MC: Is it a characterization of these people?

DMcW:  It’s a combination of things – hopefully it’s humorous.  It’s gentle – I suppose a bit like a stand-up economist – it’s never been done!

MC: Or a ‘rock star economist’ as one Canadian TV chat show host called you!  It sounds very interesting – appropriate for a time when we all have to be our own amateur economists to have some chance of following the plot.  You make economics a bit more accessible than other economists who could be mentioned!

‘OUTSIDERS’ will be showing from the 16th of June on the Peacock Stage at the The Abbey Theatre in Dublin.  Further information at DavidMcWilliams.ie. Bookings on 01 8787222