Scissors Sisters and their prison pals could soon be watching a play about...

Caitlin McBride

THE controversial play inspired by Scissors Sisters Linda and Charlotte Mulhall may be staged for the imprisoned women. The sisters, who are in jail for the brutal killing of Farah Swaleh Noor, may get a first-hand viewing of how their acts have been interpreted on stage.

The Herald can reveal that play bosses are in talks to put on the controversial performance -- The Butcher Babes -- following the Absolut Fringe Festival run.

"Even though it may sound exciting and interesting, the Mulhall sisters are in prison for a serious offence and it might encourage a bit of a hoo-hah," said an insider. "It is a rumour right now and while it might be considered, I think they'll see what happens after the run this weekend.

"Nobody wants to incite bad feeling or violence any further and the Mulhalls are in serious situations at it is. It is, at the end of the day, a play and it is art. It is not judging anybody, it's just presenting a situation. At the moment, it's just about this weekend, then it might be considered again in a few weeks time."

The source added that in spite of its heavy material, there has been very little negative reaction to the play, and that there is still public appetite for the sisters who became household names in 2005 when news of the killing broke.

Linda Mulhall (35) received a 15-year-jail sentence for manslaughter while her sister, Charlotte (29), received a life sentence for the murder of Mr Noor whose body was cut up and dumped in the Royal Canal.

"People are interested in how that story could be put on stage, people seem to be intrigued more than anything," the insider continued.

"It's not gruesome by any means, it's just a reimagining of the day before the murder took place, and looking at subjects as people. Everyone involved in the crime, the killers and the victims, were normal people.

"And it's not all that controversial on stage, just the subject matter is. Everyone is fascinated by subject matter and it's good to shake people up a bit -- by showing them something that isn't the standard theatre piece."

A spokesperson for the play declined to comment.

Meanwhile, a senior Dochas source said: "It's highly unlikey that Dochas would entertain that. That's a crazy suggestion. They do bring in different groups to put on different performances, there was a kind of workshop throughout the summer in puppetry some of the ladies in Dochas, but that sort of the thing is insane."

cmcbride@herald.ie