Summary:
- Say Nothing explores the lives of Dolours and Marian Price, infamous IRA members.
- Lola Petticrew and Maxine Peake portray Dolours at different stages of her life.
- The series highlights intergenerational trauma and the legacy of the Troubles.
- Streaming now on Hulu, the show aims to spark healing conversations.
The FX/Hulu limited series Say Nothing dives into the complex life of Dolours Price, an IRA member known for her radical activism and internal conflicts during the Troubles in Northern Ireland. Actors Lola Petticrew and Maxine Peake discuss their layered portrayals of Dolours, bringing to life her fervent youth and reflective later years.
Dual Performances in Say Nothing
According to The Hollywood Reporter, in Say Nothing, Lola Petticrew portrays Dolours Price during the 1970s, showcasing her as a fiery young revolutionary driven by civil rights injustices. Petticrew noted how her character’s actions were rooted in desperation, stating,
“She felt like she had exhausted every other means to be able to have basic civil rights, to be able to have a future.”
Maxine Peake takes on Dolours later in life, as she grapples with regret and betrayal during the peace talks of the 1990s. Reflecting on this portrayal, Peake explained,
“I didn’t want to play her as sort of cruel because there’s always a sense of dignity about her … but life extinguished a lot of that blaze.”
Both actors discussed the challenges of maintaining continuity while portraying the same character at different stages.
Peake remarked, “I was led by Lola … and then I tried to slip in and continue that.”
Meanwhile, Petticrew emphasized the importance of presenting Dolours as a “complicated, layered person” without oversimplifying her motivations.
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Spotlight on the Troubles and Intergenerational Trauma
The series sheds light on the Price sisters’ significant yet often overlooked roles in the Troubles. While their actions, including the 1973 Old Bailey bombing and a hunger strike, were pivotal, their contributions have not received the same recognition as their male counterparts.
Petticrew commented, “When the 10 men died in hunger strike in ’81, everybody memorized their names. But those men wouldn’t have been allowed to be made martyrs had it not been for what the Price sisters went through.”
Growing up in Belfast, Petticrew shared her personal connection to the series, reflecting on Northern Ireland’s lingering pain.
“…conflict still lives in me, and the trauma of that still very much lives in me,” she said, adding that the project could initiate “healing conversations.”
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Maxine Peake, hailing from England, expressed her discomfort with the English romanticization of the conflict.
She stated, “In England … it was about people’s jobs. It was about livelihoods. A lot of people just said, ‘Oh, this is just about religion.’”
The gripping series Say Nothing is based on Patrick Radden Keefe’s acclaimed book. It is now available for streaming on Hulu
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