Former Emmerdale actor to bring show to hometown of Tullamore

By Rebekah O'Reilly

Former Emmerdale actor John Nayagam is set to return to his hometown of Tullamore next month with a powerful and deeply personal theatre production.

Nayagam will present Word Against The Word at Esker Arts Centre on March 5, bringing the acclaimed one-man show to Offaly audiences through his new company, Watering Hole Productions.

While he is not performing in the production himself, he is spearheading its presentation and says bringing it home is particularly meaningful.

“It was exciting to learn about Esker, to see the fantastic arts facility and the work it is showing there,” he said.

“It’s always exciting to share a show you’re passionate about. Of course it’s a bit nerve-wracking, live productions always are, but in a different way for me because I’m not acting in this play. I’m really glad to be able to share the work with friends and family from Tullamore."

'Word Against The Word' is written and performed by Keith Dunphy and tells the story of his experience growing up with dyslexia in Waterford in the 1980s. Despite struggling to read, Dunphy discovered a remarkable ability to interpret and perform Shakespeare aloud.

With the backing of his local community, he secured a place at the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London and went on to forge a career as a classical actor.

Nayagam first heard about the show while sharing a dressing room with Dunphy during a production in London. The pair became close friends, and when Dunphy spoke about his one-man play, Nayagam saw an opportunity.

“It’s very important to say that this is Keith’s story,” he said. “We became fast friends and as we were working on something else together, I thought 'why not try and make this happen?'”

He describes Dunphy as “a fantastic performer” who brings both humour and heart to the stage.

“There are proper belly laughs, but it’s also an inspiring story about following your dreams no matter what, and being supported by your community. Some people have said there’s something quintessentially Irish about that aspect.”

The production also opens up the lived experience of dyslexia for audiences who may be unfamiliar with it, an hopes to leave audiences seeing learning differences in a new light.

As part of the show’s visit to Tullamore, a Shakespeare workshop will be delivered to a local school. Nayagam believes providing visible pathways into the arts is crucial for young people.

“You’re far more likely to follow a route if there’s a visible path along which you can move,” he said.

“Shakespeare can be like a key into a creative world. There’s an argument to say it’s at the core of modern drama, through those characters you can explore all human emotions.”

For Nayagam, the return to Tullamore also prompts reflection on his own upbringing.

He remembers a childhood of open back doors, neighbours dropping in and children playing freely from house to house, football under the sodium lights in winter and long summer evenings outdoors.

When he was a student, he recalls little visible opportunity in drama locally, apart from an influential sixth-class teacher, Larry Fleming, who encouraged pupils to write and perform short plays each week.

“I’m sure most of them were terrible,” he said “but we had such fun. It was something outside academic subjects.”

The presence of Esker Arts now, he says, represents a major shift.

“The very fact that there is an arts centre providing a consistent focal point where artists share their work is something that didn’t exist when I was a teenager.”

After years working in television and theatre, including his role in Emmerdale, Nayagam recently established Watering Hole Productions with the aim of ensuring meaningful plays make it to the stage.

“Theatre can be powerful, but it can also serve as a safe mirror to reality,” he said.

“So many plays don’t get staged for practical reasons: organisation, finances, planning. I wanted to lean in and reduce the likelihood of this play and others not being staged.”

Two further productions are already in development, and he hopes this marks the beginning of a lasting relationship with Esker Arts and the wider community.

“Tullamore gave me so much,” he said. “Anything I can contribute back, I will. It’s all about relationships.”

Tickets for Word Against The Word are priced at €25 for adults, and €20 for students, and can be purchased at https://eskerarts.ie/events/word-against-word