Temporary Life A Death at Merrion Square
This play was written by the Ukrainian Women’s Group: Tatiana, Olga, Lesia, Katyrna, Alona, Nikole, Nataliia, Elvira, Lora and Tanya at Daughters of Charity, Henrietta Street, Dublin over the course of three workshops in May 2026.
Characters:
Maria, 34, has one boy and one girl, got divorced recently, works as a part-time barista.
Galya, 50, is a spinster, loves to gossip, has two cats, loves to enjoy nice things.
Petro, 56, attractive man, heart trouble, masseuse, he likes Chinese medicine,
Lyuda, Ukrainian woman.
Valya, Ukrainian woman.
Irina, Ukrainian woman.
Katya, Ukrainian woman.
Two young children.
House Cleaner.
Scene One
Ukrainian Hub, Merrion Square, Dublin. Summer of 2023.
Maria
Galya, could you come to the fridge with me?
Galya
Yes, I don’t mind.
Maria
Would you open the fridge door for me?
Galya opens the fridge door and it hits Maria on the forehead.
Maria
Do you see my ice cream in there?
Galya
Am I here to look at your ice cream?
Maria
I bought it yesterday and you saw it.
Galya
I was just taking out my sausages and I didn’t see what you put in it.
Maria
I saw you looking at my ice cream.
Galya
It probably just melted.
Maria
Yes, in your mouth,
Galya looks astonished.
Maria
I bought it for my children to enjoy.
Galya
You bought it yesterday and you want to give it to them only today?
Maria
So you decided to save their lives but not the ice cream.
Galya
I know how much they enjoy their life.
Maria
You don’t know anything about life because you don’t have children. Mark told me that you gave his meat balls to your cats.
Galya
I did not know that you and Mark had such a strong relationship.
Maria blushes.
Maria
Don’t put your nose in my personal business.
Galya
Your personal business is too small for my beautiful nose.
Maria
What about you going to have massages every Thursday with that handsome man.
Galya
Why not? I enjoy my life fully. I’m a free woman. Maybe that’s hard for you to understand?
Maria (screams)
Just admit you ate my ice cream!
Mark walks in with the children.
Children
Mama mama, we ate the ice cream.
Galya
Maybe next time before you assume that I took your ice cream, give it a second thought.
Children
Mark helped us with our homework.
Petro
Galya, it’s time for your massage, the room is ready!
Galya
Maybe next time I’ll invite Mark to eat your ice cream with me.
Children
He is very good at doing difficult tasks and he likes eating ice cream!
Maria (to Mark)
Did you eat my ice cream?
Galya walks out to get her massage.
Scene Two
One week later. Breakfast room at the tables. We hear an ambulance outside.
Galya
Did anyone see Petro, I tried to call him for my massage today and he didn’t show up?
Lyuda
He had very high blood pressure yesterday. Maybe you exhausted him.
Maria
I heard that a man died.
Galya (Panics)
Oh my god that’s what the ambulance is for. Who is going to give me a massage in the future?
Maria
You always only think about your life. Petro had a disability with his heart and you did not even know.
Galya
What about my heart, my heart is broken.
Maria
We will need to make a collection to support the funeral.
Galya takes some money from her bra. She collects money from everyone in a jar.
Maria
I will write into the group chat and everyone can make a donation.
A group of women that meet up outside.
Galya
RIP Petro.
Irina
Oh my God what happened?
Katya
When was the last time you saw him?
Galya
I saw him last week and he said his heart was feeling weak.
Maria
It didn’t stop you from having your massage.
Katya
It is not appropriate to speak like this about the dead!
Maria
We will need to make a collection for Petro’s funeral and life celebration.
Katya
Who will buy the flowers, what flowers did he like?
Irina
Where do I send the money?
Galya
Who will tell his family?
Irina
We will go to the church and organise his funeral.
Maria
What religion was he?
Katya
How will we get his remains back to the Ukraine?
Irina
Who will get his room?
Galya
Well I have the cats so I think I should get it!
Maria
Why you? I have two kids!
Galya
I know the room, I’m the one who knew him and the one who has been there before. I have the right to inherit it.
Maria
Do you think he will come to you as a ghost in the night and give you a massage?
Galya
I’ll be the first person to tell you if his ghost is there!
A man can be seen moving around at the back of the stage.
Petro
You buried me faster than it took for an Irish ambulance to come and save my life. Is all of this money for me?
We see the responses on the faces of all the women.
House Cleaner (that has being listening in to the conversation)
Funny thing . . . that you only realise you are alive when people have already buried you!
