Rural Electric
by Little John Nee

Written, performed and directed by Little John Nee. It is the story of one of the last parishes in Donegal to get the ‘electric’ and as such reveals the epic achievements of the brave E.S.B workers as they battle the elements putting up poles and stretching cable across inhospitable hills. READ MORE


Rural Electric, 2004
Commissioned in 2004 by Donegal County Council Public Art Programme and Earagail Arts Festival – premiere in Parochial Hall, Dungloe Friday 9th July 2004. Size: Duration 1 hour 15 minutes (no interval) Medium: Theatre


little John Nee preforming little John Nee preforming little John Nee preforming little John Nee preforming
little John Nee preforming little John Nee preforming

Words from the artist

Little John Nee

Little John Nee was born in Glasgow, spent his summers in Donegal, and returned to his parents hometown Letterkenny at the age of twelve. He performed as Charlie Chaplin in Grafton St. in the early eighties as well as performing regularly with the Grapevine Touring Theatre before joining newly formed Macnas in Galway. He has appeared in films such as Neil Jordan’s “High Spirits” and Barry Levinson’s ‘Everlasting Piece’. In the early nineties he wrote, directed, and performed many children’s theatre shows most notably for the Galway Arts festival.

His one man shows always include original music played live; a C.D. is currently being recorded and will be released in early 2006. Shows include “The Derry Boat” commissioned by Errigal Arts Festival 1998.

Little John Nee has created a theatrical style of storytelling all of his own and his magnetic performances have garnered him an international reputation, he was nominated for a Helen Hayes Award in Washington D.C. for his performance in ‘The Derry Boat’, ‘The Ballad of Jah Kettle’ 2000, ‘Donde Esta Jesus Fahy’ 2001, ‘Country and Irish’ 2002 - the Galway Arts Festival. ‘Salt O The Earth’ commissioned by The Scottish Touring Theatre Consortium and Cumbernauld Theatre - 2003

‘Rural Electric’ commissioned by Errigal Arts Festival 2004 2005 sees Nee writing “The Mental” a commission for Axis Theatre Ballymun, Dublin, and touring with his show “Star of Stage, Screen, and Street Corners”

Contact Little John Nee by phone 00353- 872296482 e-mail ljnee@eircom.net



Further Information


Set in 1959 in Donegal, a tiny rural community watch with eager anticipation as the heroic E.S.B. workers battle against the elements and inhospitable landscape to bring power lines to the village.

A host of characters step forward from the mists of time to inhabit this fictional parish in a truly inventive one-man show that combines physical theatre, comedy, original music....and even a car chase! Using all the elements of modern day storytelling, Rural Electric conjures up a world where “imagination is more important than knowledge” and so the show begins....

Tá an dráma seo Rural Electric nua-coimisiúnta ag Féile Ealaíne an Earagail ó Little John Nee. Scéal cheann de na paróistí dheireanacha i nDún na nGall atá ann ar bhronadh an córas leictreach air. Tá na caractair uilig ann a bheifeá ag súil leo - ón sagart paróiste nach bhfuil ró-siúráilte faoin scéim seo ar cor ar bith chuig oibríthe calma an ESB i mbun a ngnó eipiciúil, ag troid in aghaidh na heilimintí ag tarraingt cábla is eile fríd na cnoic chuig an pobal tuathach, lánsúlach seo. Insítear an scéal i stíl drámatúil, fisiciúil le mórchuid craic, éifeachtaí speisialta, ceol agus amhránaíocht nua-chumtha.

Hailing from Letterkenny, Co. Donegal, Little John has created a theatrical style of storytelling all of his own and his magnetic performances have garnered him an international reputation. His acclaimed producton of The Derry Boat was commissioned by the Earagail Arts Festival in 1998 and went on to tour in America where it was nominated for a Helen Hayes Award.

Rural Electric has been commissioned by the Earagail Arts Festival 2004.

FESTIVAL TOUR DATES:

Fri 9 & Sat 10 Dungloe Parochial Hall
Sun 11 & Mon 12 Church of Ireland Hall Dunfanaghy
Wed 14 Old Meeting House Ramelton
Thur15 BalorTheatreBallybofey
Fri 16 St. Johnston’s & Carrigans Resource Centre
Sat 17 St Mary’s Hall, Clonmany in association with the McGlinchey Summer School