Prepare to be en-trawled
Over 25 years ago, completely exhausted and nursing the unyielding pain of two broken ribs, Irish backpacker, Eoin Ryan lay and contemplated suicide in the gally of an Australian prawn trawler.
He had lied about his fishing experience in order to become a crew member, so desperate was he to take his adventure to the next level. That lie almost cost him his life.
Now, a successful author, entrepreneur, and wellness coach, Ryan has taken his first steps into theatre with his one-man-show, ‘Trawled’, a raw retelling of his harrowing experience out on the Coral Sea somewhere between Australia and Papua New Guinea.
Written, produced, and acted by Ryan, ‘Trawled’ was first published as a book in 2019. In 2022, he performed the story as a TEDx talk. His motivation for bringing his story to the stage and touring it around Ireland is to share the important universal message: “to ask for help”.
Having got into a ‘play’ fight with the ship’s skipper, Ryan wound up with two broken ribs and the victim of severe bullying and exclusion by the ship’s crew. Unable to properly carry out his tasks due to the pain, and with over two weeks still left on the fishing expedition, he quickly slipped into the depths of a dark and crushing despair, not helped by his refusal to back down from the men.
The play is a raw distillation of life where unforeseen circumstances, fragile relationships, and shifting motivations create an unbearable “perfect storm” for the protagonist. Infused with the irrepressible spirit of Irish humour, it invites audiences to join Ryan on a voyage of discovery, where every twist and turn of fate brings them closer to the heart of his remarkable story.
Set against a meticulously crafted backdrop, ‘Trawled’ is a sixty-minute tour de force of storytelling.
As part of an Irish tour, Eoin Ryan’s ‘Trawled’ is coming to the Cork Arts Theatre on 7 and 8 February, with showings at 8pm on both days.Tickets cost €18 and €15 concessions, not including booking fees. For booking, visit corkartstheatre.com.
Audience members are advised that the play is strictly for people aged 16 and over and contains distressing or potentially triggering themes, strong language/swearing, and mentions of suicidal ideation.