Shakespeare says that "All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players". Jaques (pro Jakes), in As You Like It, outlines the parts men play as they cycle through the seven stages and ages in their lives - Infancy, The Whining School-boy, The Lover, The Soldier, The Justice, The Lean and Slippered Pantaloon, and eventually into Second Childishness. I’m sure, however, that there’s a body of feminist scholarship to suggest that some men graduate slowly from Stage 1 to Stage 2 and progress no further! … but perhaps that’s a conversation for another day!

Back in 2004, RTÉ Drama On One invited writers Maeve Binchy, Aidan Mathews, Mannix Flynn, Patrick McCabe and John Banville to respond to the Seven Ages of Man.

We continue those reflections with Paula Meehan’s take on The Lover. Lisa Lambe plays Sinta, a teenager grappling with the Siamese twin emotions of love and grief. This play contains themes listeners may find challenging

Fresh from her appearance on Leaving Cert English Paper 2, Paula Meehan introduces The Lover

Lisa Lambe played Sinta in The Lover by Paula Meehan.

Produced by Daniel Reardon

If you've been affected by any issues raised in this play, help is available at www.rte.ie/helplines