IN NORTHERN IRELAND THE CONFLICT KNOWN AS THE TROUBLES STRETCHED FOR DECADES.

IT AFFECTED EVERY FAMILY, CATHOLIC AND PROTESTANT ALIKE.

THAT INCLUDES THE ACTOR LAURA DONNELLY WHOSE UNCLE DISAPPEARED.

HIS BODY WAS LATER FOUND BURIED IN A BOG.

JEZ BUTTERWORTH.HE PLAYWRIGHT HE USED THAT TRAGIC STORY AS INSPIRATION FOR HIS LATEST PLAY "THE FERRYMAN," THAT OPENED IN LONDON TO RAVE REVIEWS AND NOW IT'S ON BROADWAY WHERE THE COUPLE SAT DOWN WITH OUR HARI SREENIVASAN.

>> WHAT IS THIS PLAY ABOUT?

>> IT'S ABOUT THREE AND A HALFS.

1981.SET IN NORTHERN IRELAND IN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TROUBLES.

IN THE MIDDLE OF A HUNGER STRIKE ON A FARM WHERE THE HARVEST IS BEING BROUGHT IN.

>> THERE'S DISAPPEARANCE AT THE CENTER OF THIS.

AND THIS IS BASED IN PART ON YOUR FAMILY HISTORY.

IT SEEMS THAT FAMILIES DON'T REALLY TALK ABOUT THAT MUCH.

HOW DID THIS GET INTO THE PLAY?

>> YEAH, THEY DEFINITELY DON'T.

AND THAT WAS PART OF HOW IT DID COME UP WAS BECAUSE WE HAD BEEN WATCHING A DOCUMENTARY ON THE DISAPPEARED IN NORTHERN IRELAND AND MY UNCLE'S FACE APPEARED AT THE END AS THEY PUT THE FACES UP OF ALL THE PEOPLE WHO HAD BEEN DISAPPEARED AND MY UNCLE'S FACE CAME UP.

I, IN THAT MOMENT, IT WAS ONLY THEN THAT THE PENNY REALLY DROPPED THAT HE WAS ONE OF THEM.

I'D ALWAYS KNOWN HIS STORY BUT I TWO TOGETHER EVEN WHILE WATCHING THE DOCUMENTARY.

IT WASN'T UNTIL THE END I SAID THAT'S MY UNCLE.

IT CAME OBVIOUSLY AS A BIGGER SHOCK TO YOU THAN TO ME, BUT I STILL, YEAH, REALIZED AT THAT POINT THAT HAVING KNOWN ABOUT IT, STILL DIDN'T REALLY KNOW.

>> TELL US ABOUT THAT.

WHAT WAS THE STORY WITH THE THE PLAY?O MIGHT NOT HAVE SEENHE >> UNCLE EUGENE SIMONS, MY MOTHER'S BROTHER, WAS DISAPPEARED ON NEW YEAR'S DAY IN 1981.

HIS BODY WAS DISCOVERED THREE AND A BIT YEARS LATER IN A BOG IN COUNTY LOUTH IN IRELAND.

HE WAS DISCOVERED BY ACCIDENT ACTUALLY BUT IT BECAME CLEAR OVER THE COURSE OF DECADES THAT FOLLOWED THAT THERE WERE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE I THINK ABOUT 16 OR 17 PEOPLE IN TOTAL WHO HAD ALSO BEEN DISAPPEARED.

MOSTLY BY THE I.R.A.

AND HAD BEEN SECRETLY BURIED, AND THEIR FAMILIES HADN'T KNOWN WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM.

ON TOP OF THAT, THERE WERE RUMORS SPREAD ABOUT THOSE PEOPLE TO THEIR FAMILIES THAT THEY HAD BEEN SPOTTED YOU KNOW IN OTHER PARTS OF IRELAND OR IN ENGLAND OR EVEN IN AMERICA.

POSSIBILITY OF THEM BEING ALIVER FAMILIES.

SCAB.ING HOPE ALMOST TO PICK THE >> ABSOLUTELY, YEAH.

>> THERE'S A COST TO THIS SILENCE, THE IDEA THAT HER FAMILY DIDN'T DISCUSS IT, THAT YOU TRIED TO MINE OUT AND IT CUTS ACROSS GENERATIONS.

>> AT THE TIME I WAS REALLY SURPRISED THAT IT WAS LIKE COMING INTO LAURA'S CONSCIOUSNESS AS IT WAS COMING INTO MINE.

IT STRUCK ME AS VERY ODD THAT THAT WASN'T A KNOWN FACT IN HER FAMILY AND IT'S ONLY SINCE I'VE GOT TO KNOW HER FAMILY BETTER AND GOT TO KNOW MORE AND MORE ABOUT THE TROUBLES THAT IT'S COMPLETELY NORMAL THAT WOULD NOT FACT AMONGST THE FAMILY.KNOWN >> WHY?

FEAR?

ABOUT SHAME, IS IT ABOUT >> I DON'T REMEMBER THE NAME OF THE SHAME.

THERE'S A LINE IN ONE WHERE HE SAYS WHATEVER YOU SAY SAY >> IT'S SOMETHING THAT JUST PERVADES NORTHERN IRELAND.

IT'S TO DO WITH SELF-PRESERVATION AS MUCH AS IT'S TO DO WITH SHAME AND ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU MENTIONED THERE.

>> OF ALL OF THE RESEARCH THAT I'VE DONE FOR THIS PLAY AND ALL THE EXPERIENCE I'VE HAD WITH LAURA, I FEEL DUMB STRUCK BY WHAT IT IS THEY'VE HAD TO GO THROUGH AND HOW IT'S AFFECTED BOTH FAMILIES, HOW IT'S AFFECTED LAURA'S FAMILY AND THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF FAMILIES.

AND I THINK THAT LAW HAS NORMALIZED THE WHOLE THING.

SHE JUST -- ONE OF THE WAYS IN WHICH HER GENERATION KIND OF SURVIVED THIS IS TO SAY IT'S NO BIG DEAL BUT IT IS A BIG DEAL.

>> DID YOU FEEL A GREATER BECAUSE THIS IS YOUR FAMILY?Y I MEAN, DID YOU HAVE TO FEEL LIKE, WELL, NOW HE'S GOING TO IT, DO I NEED TO GET PLAY OUT OF PERMISSIONING?

>> I FELT A SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY TO MY MOM AND SHE WAS THE ONLY PERSON THAT I REALLY GAVE A LOT OF THOUGHT TO IN THAT MOMENT.

AND I DISCUSSED IT WITH HER, AND SHE WAS VERY HAPPY FOR IT TO GO AHEAD AND SHE'S IMMENSELY PROUD OF THE FACT THAT IT HAS BECOME WHAT IT HAS BECOME.

SO THAT WAS MY MAIN CONCERN.

>> WHAT ABOUT YOU?

JUST AS ACTOR BUT AS A LIFENE PARTNER LIKE I CAN'T SCREW THIS >> THAT WAS ACTUALLY A NIGHTMARE.

I THINK THE PLAY DOESN'T INCLUDE MANY ACTUAL LIKE IDENTIFIABLE DETAILS OF YOUR FAMILY'S EXPERIENCE.

>> NO.

>> YET, WHAT THAT FAMILY WENT THROUGH, HOW THEY RESPONDED, HOW DISAPPEARANCES, VANISHINGS, JUST AS YOU SAY, PICK AT THE SCAB.

DON'T ALLOW NORMAL GRIEVING PROCESSES TO BEGIN ALL OF THAT IS PRECISELY WHAT LAURA'S FAMILY WENT THROUGH.

>> WE HAVE A CLIP TO SET IT UP.

THIS IS A RURAL FAMILY.

RIGHT AROUND HARVEST TIME.

THIS IS A TOAST.

>> THESE 50 ACRES OF YOURS, YOUR FIRST HARVEST IN.

YOUNG AND ALL, I WANT TO YOUMEM.

THAT A MAN WHO TAKES CARE OF HIS FAMILY IS A MAN WHO CAN LOOK HIMSELF IN THE EYE IN THE MORNING.D I HOPE YOU FIND A STRA ROCK AS I HAVE.

TO MARY.

>> AYE, TO MARY.

>> FINALLY ON BEHALF OF THIS ENTIRE CLAN, I'D LIKE TO THANK KAITLAN FOR THIS WONDERFUL FOOD.

TEN YEARS.AMILY OVER THE PAST TO KAITLAN.

>> TO CAUGHT LYNN.

TO KAITLAN.

>> YOU START TO SEE ALL THESE DIFFERENT THEMES IN THAT LITTLE THERE'S A BIT OF JUST A SIMPLE FAMILY STORY.

AND THEN THERE'S A COMPLICATED LOVE STORY.

WHICH ONE AS A DIRECTOR OR A PLAYWRIGHT AND AN ACTOR DO YOU SCENES?

ON WHEN YOU'RE IN THESE >> YOU CAN'T ACT POLITICS.

IN THAT.T -- THERE IS NO ACTION IT'S JUST THE BACKGROUND THAT THEY'RE ALL EXISTING IN, BUT FOR HER, THE LOVE STORY AND THE SUPPRESSION OF THAT LOVE AND THE SECRETS THAT SHE KEEPS ARE WHAT DRIVES HER THROUGH THE ENTIRE THREE ACTS.

IT JUST MAKES SENSE.

IT'S JUST THERE AND IT FEELS LIKE REAL LIFE WHEN YOU READ IT.

SO TO JUST GET UP AND DO IT SEEMS TO BE ENOUGH.

IT RARELY REQUIRES ANY REAL YOU KNOW, CROWBARING A BIT.

>> THERE'S A CLIP WE WANT TO PLAY.

SCENES IF NOT THE FIRST SCENE IN >> YOU'RE ON A SHIP WITH THE ROLLING STONES, THE BEATLES AND LED ZEPPELIN.

IT HITS AN ICEBERG.

THERE'S ONLY ROOM IN THE LIFEBOAT FOR YOU PLUS ONE OF THOSE LEGENDARY COMBOS.

THREE SECONDS, GO.

>> LED ZEPPELIN.

>> YOU HAVE THREE SECONDS.

>> I DON'T NEED THREE SECONDS.

>> JUST SAID I WOULD.ZEPPELIN.

ALL GOING TO DIE.HE STONES ARE >> LATER ON IN THAT SCENE YOU KIND OF START TO SEE THIS INTENSE FLIRTATION HAPPENING, AND YOU KIND OF ARE SAYING, WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?

OUT.RE TRYING TO FIGURE THIS WHEN YOU POSITION THAT SCENE, IT'S ALMOST LIKE THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS REALLY MIDDLE TO END OF PLAY BUT YOU'RE STARTING, YOU'VE GIVEN ME A SOUND BITE, SOMETHING FOR ME TO GRASP ON TO.

IT'S LIKE THIS LATE NIGHT SESSION THAT THESE TWO ARE HAVING.

>> YEAH.

I THINK ABOUT HALF MY PLAYS START AT THE END OF A NIGHT.

JERUSALEM DOES, MOJO DOES THIS DOES WHERE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN UP ALL NIGHT AND THEN THE ACTION BUT I DON'T KNOW WHY THAT IS.

I THINK IT'S AN EXPERIENCE I'VE HAD A LOT.

BUT AND IT GETS INTERESTING WHEN PEOPLE ARE SLEEP DEPRIVED.

>> EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT ALCOHOL, IT'S SORT OF IN A DIFFERENT >> WHEN THEY'VE CROSSED THAT BARRIER, BUT, YEAH, I DID WANT TO START AT THE END AND OF THE PLAY.FIRST FIVE MINUTESH PEOPLE PUT ON BLINDFOLDS AND DANCE AROUND AT THE END OF NOT THE BEGINNING.

> IT'S AN EMOTIONAL ROLLER COASTER RIDE TO WATCH YOU FROM REALLY SCENE ONE UNTIL THE END AND YOU'RE, OH, MY GOSH, SHE'S CARRYING A LOT OF WEIGHT.

AND I WONDERED JUST AS A VIEWER HOW EXHAUSTED YOU MUST BE AT THE END OF EVERY PERFORMANCE TO PUT YOURSELF PHYSICALLY THROUGH THAT >> YEAH, I MEAN, WE WERE JUST DISCUSSING THIS VERY RECENTLY ACTUALLY WHICH I DON'T THINK THAT I WAS AWARE GOING INTO IT WAS GOING TO COST ME HOW MUCH EMOTIONALLY AND PHYSICALLY AND JUST ENERGY LEVELS.

WHEN I HAD DONE THE RUN IN LONDON IN THE WEST END, I WAS PREGNANT THE WHOLE TIME.

PREGNANT.ISHED UP AT SIX MONTHS I PUT MY EXHAUSTION DOWN TO PREGNANCY.

I THOUGHT THAT'S WHAT IT WAS.

IT WASN'T UNTIL I GOT OUT HERE I DON'T THINK THE PREGNANCY HAD.

IT WAS THE PLAY.

THE PLAY IS HUGELY DRAINING.

BUT THE MOST SATISFYING THING THAT I COULD POSSIBLY DO.

I WOULDN'T WANT IT ANY OTHER WAY.

>> WHO IS THE FERRYMAN IN THIS?

IS THERE A HARKENING BACK FROM GREEK MYTHOLOGY AFTERWARDS, SOULS INTO THE AFTER LIFE.NG THE AS I'M SITTING THERE WATCHING THE PLAY, THEY DID CALL IT THE FERRYMAN INTENTIONALLY, RIGHT?

IS THERE -- WHY?

>> WELL, I THINK IT'S -- IT HAS THAT TITLE BECAUSE THAT PASSAGE AROUND 400 LINES INTO BOOK SIX DEALS WITH THE IDEA THAT THE MOST PUNISHED SOULS ARE THOSE THAT ARE FORBIDDEN BURIAL, THAT PASSAGE ACROSS.IED AND HIDDEN AND SO THAT IDEA THAT THAT IS A FORGOTTEN, DESPAIRING, CHRONIC STATE AND THAT IT CURSES THOSE THAT KNEW THE DEAD AS WELL AS THE DEAD THEMSELVES JUST IS AN IDEA THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S THOUSANDS OF YEARS OLD.

IT WILL BE TRUE IN THOUSANDS OF IT'S AN IDEA THAT I'M SURE THAT WHOEVER DREAMT UP THE CAMPAIGN OF VANISHING PEOPLE RATHER THAN DUMPING THEIR BODY INSIDE THE STREET WILL HAVE BEEN AWARE OF.

>> WHAT'S THE RECEPTION BEEN WHO PERHAPS HAVE LONGER MEMORIES OF LIVING THROUGH THIS ERA IF OR IF THEY'VE READ ABOUT IT.LAY >> MOSTLY HUGELY SUPPORTIVE.

THE NATURE OF NORTHERN IRISH FAMILIES WHO HAVE BEEN THROUGH TRAUMAS IS THAT THERE'S A LOT OF LIKE WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE THERE'S A LOT OF SEPARATION.

THERE'S A LOT OF ANGER AND THINGS.

THERE ARE HUGE ELEMENTS, HUGE SECTIONS OF MY FAMILY THAT I HAVE NO CONTACT WITH, AND HAVEN'T DONE ALL MY LIFE.

TO SPEAK TO THE DAMAGE THAT THE POLITICS IN NORTHERN IRELANDTO D FAMILIES.

>> WHY DO YOU THINK THAT RESONATES WITH AN AMERICAN AUDIENCE HERE IN NEW YORK?

SPEC TO NORTHERN IRELAND.IT'S IN IRELAND.

I THINK THAT EVERY FAMILY ONCE IT'S HAD LIKE 20 YOU KNOW HOLIDAYS TO GET THROUGH TOGETHER THERE'S JUST SOME TENSE STANDOFF, ISN'T THERE?

IT GOES BOTH WAYS.

IT'S JUST RIGHT BELOW THE SURFACE FOR ALL THESE ANGERS AND RESENTMENTS AND BEEFS AND THE STUFF PEOPLE HAVE LOVINGLY CURATED OVER DECADES TO PRESENT TO ONE ANOTHER AT CRISIS.

I THINK THAT THAT ELEMENT OF FAMILY LIFE, THE IDEA OF THINGS GOING UNRECOGNIZED THINGS BUBBLING UNDER IS JUST A UNIVERSAL TRUTH.

>> ALSO, JUST A PRODUCTION QUESTION.

YOU'VE GOT A GOOSE, A RABBIT, A REAL BABY, I THINK EVERYONE IN THE CROWD IMMEDIATELY STARTS TO GO OH.

BABY ON THE SET.E THAT'S A REAL HOW DO YOU PULL THAT OFF?

>> I WAS AS SURPRISED AS YOU KNOW, IT'S VERY EASY TOOK.

WRITE HE BRINGS ON A GOAT.

>> RIGHT.

>> BUT THE BABY?

HOW DO YOU KEEP -- AGAIN, STAND-IN BABIES?

>> THAT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST IDEAS THAT I HAD WAS AN IMAGE IN MY HEAD OF LIGHTS GOING UP ON THE STAGE.A BABY BEING ALONE ON FIRST INTERVAL.PUT IT AFTER THE CAN DO TO MAKE PEOPLE FORGET THE THERE'S ALL KINDS OF TRICKS YOU CAN PULL TO MAKE PEOPLE FORGET HOW HARD IT WAS TO GET TO THE THEATER THAT NIGHT AND HOW UNCOMFORTABLE THE SEAT IS, FOR EXAMPLE, OR HOW MUCH THEY HAVE TO FORK OUT FOR THE TICKET.

THERE'S TRICKS THAT DROP YOU INTO BELIEVING SOMETHING IS -- THAT BELIEVING IN THE ILLUSION THAT THEATER IS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO YOU IN THE THEATER THAT AREN'T ON FILM.

I LOVE EXPLOITING THEM.

I LOVE THE FACT THAT IF YOU WALK A LIVE GOOSE ON TO A STAGE, IT'S DIFFERENT TO WATCHING ONE ON FILM.

NO ONE GIVES A MONKEY ON FILM BUT IT REMINDS YOU OF THE REAL AND BUT ALSO AT THE SAME TIME, IS TO WITNESS SOMETHINGTHING IT UNFOLDING ON THE STAGE.

IT ALSO ALLOWS FOR THE SENSE THAT THIS IS GOING TO IMMINENTLY GO VERY WRONG.

AND I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING THINGS YOU CAN EVER WATCH ON THE STAGE.

THAT BABY IS GOING TO MALFUNCTION.

GOOSE IS GOING TO , DOT.

HE'S GOING TO DROP THE RABBIT.

>> THE RABBIT LEAPT FROM HIS HANDS A FEW SHOWS AGO.

>> I LOVE TO HEAR THAT.

THAT'S GREAT.

>> AND HALF THE ACTORS ON THE STAGE WENT WENT OH?

SUDDENLY THE WHOLE SCENE WAS COMPLETELY ELECTRIC.

AS AT AUDIENCE WERE AT THATIME IT WAS BRILLIANT.

>> MARK ONCE SAID TO ME THE WRONG.GE WAS NOTHING COULD GONG IT'S TAKEN ME AGES TO WORK OUT WHAT HE MEANS.

IF THAT GOOSE WERE TO YOU KNOW, FREE ITSELF AND FLAP INTO THE AUDIENCE AND RUN DOWN THE AISLE AND CREATE MAYHEM, THAT WOULD BE WORTH PAYING FOR.

WHAT COULD BE BETTER?

>> JEZ BUTTERWORTH, LAURA DONNEL THANK YOU SO.MUCH.

>> THANK YOU.