The TV pilot Natural Born Strugglers will premier for cast and crew on 11th March.
Written and directed by Rita-Marie Lawlor, the pilot tells the story of three women who share a house in Dublin. Ali, is a documentary filmmaker from California who became homeless shortly after graduating from college. Unable to find a home in expensive Dublin, until eventually meeting up with her two former media student friends: Mel, a photo journalist covering the arts and is aiming to be the next Jo Whiley, and Josie, a singer songwriter with her musical partner and guitarist Ronnie, they gig at small venues and promote themselves on local radio.
With rent soaring as well as their ambitions, the ladies do what they can to survive. Josie works in a shop by day and for most part cleans up dog mess from outside. Ali relies on grants and part-time freelance work to get by while Mel gets to photograph and highlight a man who is claiming to be the son of Irish rock legend Phil Lynott.
From their twisted jobs and stranger clients, to a mix of ex’s and newbies re-appearing, Mel can’t find anyone so she snogs her new media boss instead while Josie’s on/off fella Mick is as slick as they come and Ali’s fella Jon shares his apartment with his stunning Russian ex-girlfriend, but insists to Ali that she is just a friend who he is helping out by paying her to do his cooking and laundry.
Natural Born Strugglers is dark comedy with twists of real life turmoil, tackling issues such as homelessness and mental health while also throwing in some quirky situations that the ladies find themselves in.
The main cast is Justine O’Rourke (Josie) Rita-Marie Lawlor (Mel) and Ashlie Christie (Ali). Other cast members in Episode one include stand up comedian Eric Lalor, DJ Robbie Kane, Brian Gallagher, Bernie Fitzgerald, Leah Carruth, Oksana Lobanova, Teri Fitzgerald, Barry John Kinsella, Michele Burton, Gerry Wade, Steve Hartland, Sharon Skerritt, Andrew Keeling. Future episodes will see Fair City actor Tommy O’Neill and more names to be added onto the list.
