Down Bottle Alley is based on the book, My Wretched Alcoholism: This Damn Puppeteer, by Brian Charles Harding. Brian began drinking at the age of ten, was an alcoholic by fifteen, and forty-five years later is still struggling with the demons of alcoholism.

There will be a book launch of the play script as well as a relaunch of of the original book along with a performance of the play. Admission free!

Dates:
Tue 23 Mar@ 2pm & 8pm @ London Irish Centre, Camden Square, NW1 9XB
Fri 2 Apr @ 2pm @ The White Rock Hotel, Hastings

Bottle Alley is an area in Hastings where vagrant alcoholics – like Brian - congregate, but there are similar places – and similar people - in every town.

Brian Charles Harding published his autobiography two years ago and was approached by Irish playwright Tom O’Brien to turn the book into a play. Harding, who lives with his wife is a self-confessed street-drinker who admits to being known to the police, having spent time in prison, psychiatric units and drying-out clinics.

“My first drink was in 1953 at the Coronation. I still drink, make no mistake of that, but I don’t beg, shoplift or anything like that.” Says Harding.

“The play is a warning to the younger people about the dangers, that drinking is so powerful if it gets a grip on you,” continues Harding. “I’ve lost wives, jobs and it’s sent me to prison.”

Tom O’Brien  adds: “I bought a copy of the book and I think it deserves a wider audience. There are lots of people like Brian and there’s a Bottle Alley everywhere.”

Although not a particularly Irish story, Down Battle Alley will resonate with a number of Irish themes and concerns.  “London and elsewhere is littered with Irish lives wasted by the demon drink,” says Dunne, “and if this play will do anything, it will raise awareness of a vital issue" 


John Dunne adds: Down Bottle Alley is an uncomfortable play in that it portrays lives that many would cross the road to avoid. However uncomfortable the piece is, it is still a play about real people who are living real lives and people like Brian, Big Tone and the women in Brian's life (especially Sally) still deserve to have their voices heard.

Down Bottle Alley needs more bookings to get the message across and because it's not a mainstream show needs funding in order to take it out and offer it to support groups and professionals working in the field.