Theatre
Interview
Backstage Pass: The Secrets of Primrose Square – Claudia Carroll
Claudia Carroll’s ‘The Secrets of Primrose Square’ are revealed in the Gaiety Theatre, Dublin from 9 – 13 September 2025.
Welcome to Primrose Square, where life is like a cross between ‘The Valley of the Squinting Windows’ and ‘The Good Life’. All human life is here; love and heartbreak, tragedy and loss, sex, lies and not forgetting outdoor Pilates classes on the Square, followed by chai lattes to go.
Starring Clelia Murphy (Fair City, Conversations After Sex, Light A Penny Candle), Marion O’Dwyer (The Quare Fellow, Agnes Browne, The Dry, Dancing at Lughnasa) and Leia Murphy (Video Nasty, Big Story), The Secrets of Primrose Square is three interwoven stories based on a simple quote.
We met up with author and playwright Claudia Carroll, in the stalls of the Gaiety Theatre to talk about her journey from actor to author, and bringing The Secrets of Primrose Square from page to stage.
Can you introduce yourself?
My name is Claudia Carroll, and I’m thrilled beyond description, to be opening my play The Secrets of Primrose Square here in the Gaiety Theatre. Look at it. It’s just stunning. Oh my gosh. It’s one of these moments I have to pinch myself, you know?
Tell us about The Secrets of Primrose Square.
Well, all I’ll say is that it’s about secrets, so I can’t give away too much, but I’ll just say that secrets become revealed as the show goes on. But if you like to laugh, and if you like to cry as well, I just think this is the show for you.
As a long-established author, how was the challenge of adapting your novel for the stage?
I’m asked that a lot! I was doing a radio show, to promote the book when it was published in 2013, and I came out of the studio, down Digges Lane, all delighted with myself, when Pat Moylan, the producer, rang me. She said, “I heard your radio interview, did you ever think of writing a play?” And I hadn’t. And I thought, “God”, like, “why did she ask me?” And then I thought, “Why not me?” You know, because I’ve been doing theatre all my life, but I just went with it. And that’s how fourteen drafts later, fourteen drafts, we’re here with the final show. I hope people really enjoy it.
You wrote these parts with Clelia Murphy and Marion O’Dwyer in mind, what was that experience like?
It was just stunning, because they’re just such good actresses, really brilliant. And I just gave them the parts, and they effortlessly took to it, ducks to water. But the part of Kelly’s daughter is played by Leia Murphy, who’s stunning. She’s utterly stunning in it, absolutely unbelievable.
Have you ever considered writing a role for yourself?
No, I haven’t actually. Pat Moylan was saying to me; “No, I don’t think you should be in it.” I’d never think playwrights should be in a show. And I’m glad I wasn’t, actually, because I’d be too close to it, you know. But I never thought of it. I think maybe I would think of it down the line, maybe in another year.
You previously acted alongside Clelia Murphy on Fair City, how is it working with her again?
It’s amazing, absolutely stunning to be working with her again. I can’t describe it to you. It’s just magic, you know. I’m not in rehearsals this week because we go to Cork tomorrow. But I’m just so excited about it, and I’m very nervous about it, but mostly excited.
Speaking of Fair City, you began writing your first novel while acting on the show, how did you find the transition from performing to writing?
It was all very complimentary. You know, because they’re two skills; acting and writing. They’re two skills that lend themselves to each other, I think. It was actually pretty smooth, in some ways, and in other ways very rough, because I was acting for years, and I do it in my sleep and all that. But all of a sudden, here was this fresh challenge, you know, to sit down and write a story. When I had just started it, Anita, the late great Anita Notaro, was directing Fair City at the time, and she had just published her first book to great acclaim. I remember she said to me; “Just give me three chapters and a synopsis. That’s all I need. That’s all I’m asking you for and we’ll go from there.” So I did, and she sent it to her agent, who’s been my agent to this day.
Your novel The Secrets of Primrose Square took on a second life during the pandemic, what about the work do you think resonated with readers during that time?
I don’t know. Actually, I’m often asked that, and I don’t know. I don’t know is the answer. But I think it did resonate with… well, I’ll tell you the story: In Britain, for one week only, only a week, it was the most downloaded book. So you know, that was amazing, and I was just saying it to Pat one day, and Pat went, “What? That’s amazing.” So we had to write it, and I’m so glad I did.
You have said that the seed of The Secrets of Primrose Square came from an Eleanor Roosevelt quote, what is the quote and what does it mean to you?
She famously said, “A woman is like a tea bag. You can’t tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water.” So I have three characters, and they are really dipped in hot water. They keep secrets from each other, keep secrets to themselves, but they’re all revealed at the end. What can I say, if you like to laugh and you like to cry, come along to the show.
How would you describe The Secrets of Primrose Square in three words?
Oh! Three words to describe the play. Let me think… It’s passionate, very passionate and truthful, and, I hope, honest. If that makes any sense.
