
Dark Forest Theatre
A Filthy Dirty Rumour
Have you heard? Ruth and Oscar’s marriage is a deeply unhappy one. Filled with things they don’t say to each other. Childless and sexless, they have drifted apart. One evening, Ruth invites Eva in for a drink and when Ruth is comforted by Eva, Ruth’s pious sister Alma misconstrues the situation as something more sexual. Thus begins a chain of events which sees everyone’s life unravel
Set in 1950s Belfast, this production wrote and directed by Nathan Martin was partnered with The Rainbow Project charity premiered during LGBTQIA+ awareness week in 2023 and during its run was a sold out performance. The play sought to highlight mental health issues within the queer community and the turmoil's and complexities of understanding sexual identity, internalised homophobia and the idea of what happiness and love means.
Cast & Crew

Eleanor Shannon as
Eva

Mark O'Kane
Stage Manager
'A powerful piece of theatre'
'Terrifically written and performed'
'An incredible debut of new writing'
'Martins excellent play holds the audiences attention and creates a palpable sense of tension throughout'
'The best play I've ever seen'
‘A Filthy Dirty Rumour’ is a very hard-hitting, tragic production which deals with real-life issues within the LGBTQIA+ community. Although it does include some comedy moments , there is so much to enjoy and admire in this production. My advice is do not resist'