At the centre of Thomas Kilroy's powerful new play is the figure of Nell Jeffrey, one of the more remarkable creations of contemporary Irish theatre.

An artist and mother, at once capable of great evil and great sensitivity, unscrupulous and passionate, highly intelligent and given to outbursts of obscenity, she casts a large shadow over everyone about her. Her relationship with her two daughters, Judith, who remains by her side, and Grace, who disappears, forms the core of the play. While The Shape of Metal is a stimulating exploration of the nature of art it is, essentially, an intimate and moving portrayal of three women in one family.

Kilroy's characters are beautifully drawn; pragmatic, realistic, without a hint of hysteria . . . Rich, thoughtful and achingly human, this is another gem in Kilroy's portfolio.
          — Karina Buckley, The Irish Times

Nothing is resolved in his play; the audience is left to answer for itself the ethical questions that society asks artists and vice versa. It's fascinating, stimulating, and disturbing. And it is, of course, beautifully constructed.
                                                                                        — Emer O'Kelly, The Sunday Independent

Click on book for information