Red Army prepares to take over Limerick's Lime Tree Theatre

THE WRITERS of the upcoming production of the Munster Rugby saga Red Army are warning the public to get ready to stand up and fight for tickets as the show is set to be a sell-out.

Helena Close and Marie Boylan have seen their play move from pen to stage after five years since they began the project.

The production had to be postponed twice due to the Coivid-19 pandemic but the two are now over the moon that the project will be hitting the stage on Saturday, October 22.

"This has taken years to write, I mean how long did it take Homer to write the Iliad, because it's taken us exactly that long," Marie laughed.

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Red Army is a celebration of women as pundits and fans and a homage to the late Anthony ‘Axel’ Foley.

The play centres around four women, all friends and "diehard" Munster Rugby fans.

Helena and Marie got the inspiration for the play as they themselves are diehard Munster fans.

"We wanted to highlight women in sport but particularly middle-aged women and the commitment they have to the game, I mean you never see women portrayed like that," Helena said.

"Sport up until recently was a man's world and that's changing and it's great that it's changing," Helena added.

The four Munster women are in Paris for the Red Army's first match of the season.

When team manager, Anthony Foley, dies hours before kick- off, it acts as a catalyst for honesty in their friendships as they are shadowed from Paris back home to a grieving Limerick.

"Even though the play is a homage to Anthony Foley and some of it is quite poignant and sad, it's fun as well. It has to be, it reflects life," Helena said.

Recorded afew days before the country went into lockdown 1!! 7.5 months pregnant. Cannot wait to finally see this play:) https://t.co/v8yOeXVEAb

— Jean Wallace (@jeanwallace17) October 10, 2022

Red Army marks the first time in the Lime Tree’s decade-long history that they are producing their own in-house play.

"It's such an honour and I think it's really exciting for Limerick," Helena said.

Marie also feels honoured: "We're home producing new plays now in Limerick and it's written by two women which is really important. It's also about women and I think that's exciting to have on stage."

Tickets for the play are on sale via the Lime Tree website.