As the Everyman Palace Theatre prepares to close its doors for the month of August in order to allow it to undergo refurbishments, it does so on the back of a new production, Rita Dunne, written and directed by the theatre's de-facto head-honcho Pat Talbot.

As the theatres Artistic Director, Talbot has been responsible for bringing some of the best and most ambitious productions to the city over the years, including the recent adaptation of Flan O'Briens The Third Policeman and the world premier of Wrecks, starring Ed Harris in 2005, to name but two.

In addition to this, Talbot has also taken on the role of director for the vast majority of the venues three annual productions during his seven year tenure, chief among them the premiere of Conor McPherson's critically acclaimed Dublin Carol, as well as overseeing a number of exciting initiatives such as the experimental Dark Week during Corks tenure as the European Capital of Culture, and the recent publication of Dan Donovan, An Everyman Life, which focused on the life of the Corkman and Everyman co-founder.

However, with Rita Dunne, Talbot has stepped further into the limelight with this his first effort at writing. That he should choose the political realm within which to base the story's basic plot is both a bold and a brave move. Irish theatre and political treachery, despite the countries fondness and indeed talent for both, do not so often intertwine. Sebastian Barry's Hinterland, a barely disguised portrait of Charlie Haughey's fall from grace, elicited hateful reviews and a mini media storm after its run at the bastion of Irish theatre, the Abbey.

Rita Dunne has, like Barry's Hinterland, an unmistakable air of familiarity about it. As allegations over financial irregularities mount at a Tribunal, a Taoiseach is forced into hiding. He seeks solace at the home of his estranged wife, whose own identity has always been defined by her relationship with Ireland's most high-profile figure. When the Cork Independent caught up with Pat ahead of the shows run at the Everyman, we began with the most obvious of questions – is Rita Dunne based on Bertie and Miriam Ahern?

"Rita Dunne, the play, is an act of the imagination," said the productions writer. "Rita herself, William Dunne and Aileen their daughter are fictitious creations. But the public dimension to William Dunne the Taoiseach mirrors the public career of Bertie Ahearn…he has won three elections, presided over a very successful economy etc and is having his financial affairs investigated by a tribunal. I did this to give the play an immediacy and a topicality that would allow the audience to jump right in and identify right away with the core plot points. This has certainly worked with audiences in Dublin who have been extremely engaged. But it is not an impersonation of Bertie. There are no physical or vocal similarities."

How does, say, the Willie Dunne character differ from Bertie Ahern then for example?

"The Mahon Tribunal is a backdrop for the play. Events in it, particularly one revelation, are catalysts for moving the story forward. The play unfolds over the course of three days when the exact nature of this new revelation and its possible consequences are trying to be addressed. But the particular revelation and the response of the three characters is of course entirely fictitious.

"The play began for me with a mental image," Pat said continuing. "A Taoiseach under siege going to visit his ex wife late at night and telling her that he is running out of places where he can be himself. One of the constant themes of the play is the blurring of the public and the private personas. And William Dunne has reached a level of confused self identity. But the play is delivered from Rita's perspective and the play primarily examines how the fall out from very public political controversy is dealt with privately by her and her daughter and how shifting public and political realities can impact hugely on private relationships."