Meet Me In The Gallery A year has passed since Peggy and her art collection narrowly escaped being captured by the Nazis in France. She has opened a new gallery to house her collection, ‘Art of This Century,’ in Manhattan. It is her hope to give her latest discovery, Jackson Pollock, his first exhibition there. She waits on an old friend to talk about the rapid changes in her life since escaping Europe and parting from her lover, the Irish writer, Samuel Beckett and falling into the arms of German artist, Max Ernst.

Maria is an award winning actress and writer from Belfast. With support from the ACNI, Maria created Meet Me in the Gallery as a way to connect with people, through the arts, who were suffering from insomnia during lockdown. Maria was invited to perform the piece to the women at Hydebank Women’s Prison.  She is thrilled to be performing at Mountshannon.

‘Elegant, thrilling and moving in equal measure.’ Nuala McKeever
‘More than fascinating, it was intoxicating as Maria became Peggy herself for half an hour.’Simon Fallaha

Maria was born in Belfast. She trained at The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London 1991-1994. At Central she received The Kenneth Branagh Renaissance Award. She was awarded an Irish Times Best Actress nomination for her performance in ‘Problem Child’ for Prime Cut Productions.  Maria’s play ‘Conversations With Angels’ premiered in August this year as part of Feile An Phobail, produced by Brassneck Theatre Company, to sold out audiences.  Maria was awarded last year the Aisling Award for Arts and Culture for creating and performing the show ‘The Broads’ which she has taken to thousands of people living in isolation. Maria was also recently awarded a National Lottery Portrait of the People for her work in continuing to bring the arts to isolated and vulnerable communities during lockdown.  Maria performed internationally the solo show ‘Two Sore Legs’ by Brenda Murphy for Green Shoot Productions.  She performed Two Sore Legs in New York at the Cuala Festival and was chosen to perform in Brussels by The Arts Council representing NI’s best of the arts in the EU. She performed at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2015 where she was Lorna Diamond’s (The Scotsman) pick of the festival. Maria works extensively in theatre in Northern Ireland and is looking forward to collaborating again with Tinderbox Theatre Company on their new production this Autumn.