Letters from Tyrone chieftain played out on stage

MEDITATIONS based on real letters from Chieftain Hugh O’Neill has stamped a huge success in Tyrone.

Throughout the last month the musical, poetic production from Dún Uladh, titled ‘Tame Fox’, has sold out venues across the O’Neill heartland and beyond.

Yet the only two actors featured both hail from the county town of Tyrone.

Jenny Young, playing ‘the spy’ and ‘Bozz’ Crossley, playing Hugh O’Neill are both experienced actors, having firm roots in the Omagh Players.

“I’ve learned a lot about Hugh O’Neill,” said Bozz, “I knew a bit about the Flight of the Earls, but after reading letters from Hugh while he was in Rome I found out it is actually really heartbreaking.”

“He knew that he was a pawn in a European game between England and Spain, and he was playing both sides of the fence. Then when Lord Mountjoy came over and obliterated the place, knowing Hugh O’Neill’s work was about the people. He razed all of the farmland so people would lose support for Hugh.

“The piece was written so well – I read it a hundred times and I really got into the character of Hugh O’Neill and Jenny was phenomenal in getting into the role of the spies,” said Bozz.

“The meditations have been written as Hugh reciting his thoughts from his letters, with the spy, played by Jenny, responding to give it context. In a few scenes we’re both on stage but we don’t acknowledge eachother.

“We had a great number in Dungannon and Armagh … with the buzz of it across the country there’s word that we may take this out on the road next year again. The feedback has been excellent, people love the music and the historical lines from Hugh O’Neill himself.

“So hopefully we’ll be looking at Belfast, Derry and beyond next year,” said Bozz.