The Next Chapter is a collaboration between Fighting Words and The Gate Theatre. Through a series of playwriting workshops, participants had the opportunity to develop their storytelling skills, culminating in a showcase in The Gate Theatre in September 2025 where professional actors performed the participants’ work, building their confidence in creative expression. CharactersEric: 25, from Coolock, Dublin. Has OCD, just finished an electrician apprenticeship and is looking for a job. Lives at home with his mother and his partner and their child. He was electrocuted and injured badly at one stage. Deirdre (Dee): 35, has an 8-month-old baby in the pram and two more kids at home. She works for human resources at a company.Lucy: Eric’s partner. Lives in Eric’s mother’s house with him, their child and his mother.Ma: Eric’s motherKatieReceptionistBus driverScene 1The number 27 bus to Tallaght. Dublin, Present Day. It’s raining outside. Dee sits alone downstairs. The bus stops. Eric gets on and walks over to Dee.Eric: You’re in my seat.Dee: Who told you this was your seat?Eric: I get this bus every day and sit in that exact seat.Dee: This isn’t your seat.Eric: I’ve been taking this bus for 15 years.Dee: It’s not your seat today pal.Eric: May I please have that seat.Dee: No. You may not.Eric: Don’t tell me I can’t have that seat. You’re not the boss of me!Dee: I’m not giving you this seat. Do you not hear what I’m saying? Is there something wrong with you?Bus stops. Driver comes in.Driver: Eric, what’s going on here?Eric: She’s in my seat Driver: Eric, we’ve had this problem before. Can you please find another seat. Just for today.Dee: Please get this guy away from meDriver: Eric, you’re going to have to sit somewhere else or get off the bus.Eric gets thrown off the bus. Scene ends.Scene 2Eir company headquarters in Tallaght. Reception area and Dee’s Office. Eric enters soaking wet, umbrella inside out.Receptionist: Welcome. How can I help you?Eric: I have an interview for Eir. I’m an electrician.Receptionist: No worries. Dee is waiting for you. You’re very late. Down the hall. Room on the left. Eric: Ok. Thank you.Eric walks down the hall. Knocks on Dee’s door.Dee: Yes. Come in.Eric: How’s it going? Sorry I’m late. Ah, s**t. Not you.Dee: What do you want?Eric: I’m here for the interview.Dee: Take a seat. Not this one!Eric: I’m sorry for earlier. But that was my seat.Dee: Of all the seats on the bus, why did you want my seat?Eric: I needed that seat. I’m used to sitting there. I have OCD.Dee: Every single person on the planet has OCD these days. Give me a good reason why I should even let you do this interview?Eric: I’ve got bills to pay. I really need this job. I’m after having a baby.Dee: If I let you interview are your manners going to be as bad as they were on the bus?Eric: No. Of course not. I can be professional.Dee: Okay. Let’s see what you’ve got.Lights down. Scene ends.Scene 3Eric’s mother’s house, where he lives with his partner, Lucy, their child, his mother and his older brother. Space is cramped. The baby is crying and Lucy is trying to soothe it. Eric enters.Lucy: Where have you been all day?Eric: Told you I had an interview. Before you ask I definitely didn’t get it. And I got kicked off the bus again. And look at the state of this place!Lucy: The absolute NECKKKKK of you. I’ve been slaving over this house all day long and you come back here jobless. What have you got to say for yourself?Ma: Don’t you talk to my son like that!Eric: I’m going to my room.Lucy: I’m sick to death of this Eric. You’re not going anywhere.Ma: Talk to my son like that again, I’ll burst the head off ya.Eric: What are you sick of?Lucy: You haven’t had a job in six months. You’re constantly going on about the state of the house. That’s the sixth time you’ve been kicked off the bus. (Turns to Ma) I’ll deal with you later.Eric: Okay! So why don’t you go get a job? I’ll look after the baby and the house. And I’ll do a better job of it.Lucy picks up the pot of pasta and throws it at him, narrowly missing his head.Scene 4 Dee’s apartment/house. Dee’s car has broken down. Her ex-husband, John, is there, wearing a fishnet vest, drinking a can, when she walks in with the baby. John: Well, well, the kids are starving, your turn for dinner.Dee: You’re here all day you could have cooked them something!John: Don’t be bringing home your work stress. We have an agreement.Dee: What have you been doing? Sitting on your arse all day!John: Been trying to fix that car you can’t drive.Dee: Can’t drive something that’s not fixed.John: You’re always blaming others. I’m not listening to this.Dee: You’re just a waste of space.John: I’ve been working on that car for hours. You never give anyone a chance.Dee: I’ve given you enough chances. You’ve been sitting there drinking beer wasting time. Where are the kids anyway?John: Upstairs. Doing their homework. They were helping me with your car. Dee: Have you signed those divorce papers yet?John: No way. And I won’t. Not on those terms. This is my house too. And you’re not taking the kids.Dee: Nobody says I was taking them. The court will decide that. Let’s see how this goes in court. They don’t look kindly on alcoholics.John storms out.Scene 5 John and his mistress, Katie, are in Katie’s apartment. John: Me and her just had words again. I’m sick of this.Katie: You said you were going to leave her. You should have left by now.John: It’s too hard with the kids. It’s messy. I’m not leaving her with the house.Katie: I’m not playing second fiddle to her and the kids. So sign the papers and leave her go. Don’t you love me?John: Of course I do. But I love the house too. Katie: So what’s the plan?John: I don’t know. What do you think?Katie: You know what I think. I’ve said it all before. Plug something into that dodgy socket in her room. Poof! Electrical fire. Then report her for being an unfit mother.John: What if the kids get hurt? Katie: Do it when they’re in school and I’ll be your alibi.John: That could work!They kiss. Scene 6 Eric and John standing on stage. Eric’s phone rings.Eric: Hello. Who’s this?John: I got your number off a mate.Eric: What mate?John: Jimmy. Jimmy Jones. The bus driver. I heard you were looking for work.Eric: I’m always looking for work. What do you need done?John: Can you come out and look at a job for me?Eric: Sure. Send me the address. When suits you?John: Can you come over this afternoon? Eric: Not this afternoon. I have an interview. Tomorrow?Scene 7Eric and Dee. Second interview. Eric arrives at the office. Dee is on the phone.Receptionist: Fancy seeing you here again!Eric: I’m surprised to see myself here again.Receptionist: At least you’re on time! Dee’s waiting for you in there.Eric knocks. Dee says, “Sign the papers – I just want you out of my house and out of my life.”Dee: Come in.Eric: Where should I sit?!Dee: Any seat but mine!Rapport is good.Eric: Thanks for having me back.Dee: Anyone can have a bad day. You sparked something in me! Everyone deserves a second chance.Eric: You’ve no idea what this means to me. I’ve got a lot going on at home.Dee (Emotional): I can identify with that.Eric: Are you all right?Dee: Sorry, that’s not very professional of me. I see you have a year and half gap on your resume. What happened?Eric: I was a young apprentice. First year on the job. I suffer from OCD as I said in the first interview. My boss left me unsupervised. I was trying to clean up messy cables. Didn’t know they were still live. I got the shock of my life. Literally. Fast forward two months in a coma and ended up with third degree burns. And this is my first interview since. As Eric speaks we see the action taking place as if it’s present day.Dee: The bus thing. I get it now. You’re doing well. You’re doing really well. Scene 8John‘s house. Eric arrives. Introductions are made. Eric: You weren’t clear on the phone what the job was.John: I heard you were looking for easy money. Would you do a nixer for me?Eric: Lead the way.Eric follows John upstairs. John: There it is. It’s that socket on the back wall. Eric: There’s nothing wrong with it.John: That’s the problem.John winks and leaves the room and Eric sees a large framed photo of Dee & John, has a flashback of being shocked. Eric storms down the stairs sees John and says:Eric: I’m having no part of this.Scene 9Dee’s office.Receptionist: You’re making a habit of this! But I think it could be good news.Eric: I know. I got a call to be here this morning.Dee: Hey Eric. Come on in.Eric: Hi Dee. Thanks for having me back. I appreciate itDee: I’m looking at your test scores. You may have no social skills but it appears you’re an electrical genius. The job is yours.Eric is overcome with emotion – joy then apprehension.Eric: But c’mere. Before I accept, wait til I tell you this ...This play was published in The Irish Times Fighting Words magazine, a collection of stories, poems and essays by young and international writers.Fighting Words and the Gate Theatre would like to thank Adult Literacy for Life, Solas Learning Networks and Irish Gov/EU for supporting this project.The HSE Drugs and Alcohol Helpline provides confidential support, information and referrals to services. Call 1800 459 459 or email helpline@hse.ie