In the early 1970s, Dorothy’s rise through Ireland’s theatre scene takes a dramatic turn, from winning the Best Actress award while secretly pregnant, to stepping into the professional stage.

But what follows is far from ordinary.

Cast in The Shadow of a Gunman by Sean O’Casey, she finds herself performing in Dún Laoghaire during one of the most tense moments in Irish history- the Dublin and Monaghan bombings.

After a bombing devastates the city, the production is shaken again by chilling threats. Phone calls warn that the theatre will be blown up if the show continues.

The cast must make a choice: walk away, or step onto the stage not knowing what might happen next.

Dorothy goes on.
With her family sitting in the front row.