.. Who’s the fastest? Who’s the winner? Excitable, energetic Hare, or patient, peaceful Tortoise? Ready? Steady? GO!…
Barnstorm is delighted to present Hare & Tortoise in our accessible venue The Bank on the Parade in Kilkenny R95 Y672 from Mon 24 February – Fri 14 March 2025.
Hare & Tortoise by Brendan Murray will ignite imaginations in this charming, award-winning adaptation of Aesop’s fable about friendship, opposites, and growing up.
Beginning in the first bright bloom of spring, journeying through the sunny, spirited summer, the cosy crisp autumn, and ending in the sparkling snow of winter, this enchanting story bursts to life with fun, music and captivating characters.
Booking is now open!
School Shows Register Here or ring Barnstorm +353 567751266
Mon 24 Feb 2025 – Fri 14 March 2025 Weekdays 10 am & 12pm
Sunday 9 March at 1pm & 3pm
Tickets: €10 (One/two teachers free per class) Running time: 40 minutes approx.
Have you ever been “the new kid on the block”? Scary isn’t it?
. . . . Imagine you are just ten years old and starting at a new school.
Set aboard the school bus, the play follows the progress of the new boy as he is faced with the politics of the school bus, where he meets a myriad of characters from which he must distinguish the cool from the not so cool, nerds from dossers, the geeks from the lads. He has to learn where to sit, who to talk to and when to lie low – in short how to survive as one of the gang. Through his eyes, we discover the mischief and mayhem of those bus journeys. Suitable for 6-12 yrs old.
A FREE resource pack for teachers is available for DOWNLOAD HERE.
Printer friendly version DOWNLOAD HERE
The pack provides a focus for exploration and discussion of themes raised through the play and links to a range of curricular areas.
StormFest 24, a captivating week of plays for children and their families, and young adults. Set against the picturesque backdrop of John’s Quay, StormFest promised and delivered laughter, adventure, and heartwarming stories that left audiences of all ages spellbound.
Three renowned productions visited our festival in August with exciting experiences for all; and a world-premiere of a site-specific show in development.
Meet Lynn, a lovable ‘libravian’ minding her own business amongst the bookshelves until Ben the Book Tour guide gets the mumps and suddenly she is doing the one thing she said she’d never do again!
A very special story about an Ant called Amy, her brother Andy and a brown spider. Amy the ant works very hard. When she wins the Employee of the Month Award Amy feels happiness that drives her to work even harder. But with the help of the Brown Spider, Amy finds true happiness by embracing her brother’s memory in the everyday. A story about a busy little ant who learns to slow down.
You’ll See…
Ulysses for Children? Yes. Yes, Ulysses for Children.
James Joyce’s epic story of one day in one city was brought to life in this inventive new show, bringing Ireland’s most notorious book to audiences aged 8 and upwards, and to all those who haven’t got around to reading it yet.Combining live performance, intricate paper design, an original score and Joyce’s odyssey, this is theatre that excited young and old.
Development on our new site-specific performance ‘Home’ by Anna Ní Dhúill. As we prepare for production for summer 2025, this snippet of ‘Home’ brought us closer to the young people of Kilkenny, and the stories they have to tell.
Barnstorm is grateful for the continued support from funders and partners.
StormFest24 is supported by The Arts Council / An Chomhairle Ealaíon, Kilkenny County Council and Kilkenny Arts Festival
Noah Barleywater Runs Away was the world premiere of a truly exciting theatre piece which has been adapted by internationally renowned playwright Mike Kenny from John Boyne’s novel of the same name.
The play explores the world of childhood and the adventures that we can all have there. Noah is running away from his problems, or at least that’s what he thinks, the day he takes the untrodden path through the forest. When he comes across a very unusual toyshop and meets the even more unusual toymaker, he’s not sure what to expect. But the toymaker has a story to tell, a story full of adventure, and wonder and broken promises. And Noah travels with him on a journey that will change his life for ever. This is a thought-provoking fable for our modern world from the author of the bestselling and critically acclaimed Boy in the Striped Pyjamas. School performances for this magical play ran in October 2023.
This is what the children had to say Barnstorm’s Theatre for Young Audiences responses
A captivating production in the enchanted surroundings of the boot factory Padmore and Barnes of Kilkenny from the 30th November to 16th December.
This is a short and caring story about a Christmas gift and based on one of the very few traditional fairy tales with a Christmas theme. The poor shoemakers receive some unexpected help just when they need it most. Based on the Grimms’ fairytale, “The Elves and the Shoemakers” by Mike Kenny is for children aged 4-9 years and tells the tale of two kind elves who help two penniless shoemakers out of their troubles and back on their feet. Presented to small audiences in the intimate surroundings of the Shoemakers’ Shop, this is a delightful introduction to theatre for very young audiences.
A resource pack is available to teachers linked to the SPHE syllabus, for exploration and discussion of themes in the play.
From this skittish fracas an unlikely duet takes shape; one person supporting the other to perform their triumphant finale.
Swansong is a heartfelt and comic exploration of a once in a lifetime encounter between two strangers. This new play for young audiences by Shane O’Reilly playfully and sensitively engages with the mythical notion of the swansong; a final gesture or performance.
For County Kilkenny schools, classes attending a performance can book two workshops in their school, a session on visual literacy in advance of the performance and a second workshop on critical analysis in the days following their visit to the theatre – there is limited availability and will be provided on a ‘first-come’ basis.
A digital resource pack is available to participating teachers. Linked to the SPHE syllabus, the pack provides a focus for exploration and discussion of themes raised through the play.
Shane O’Reilly is an actor and a writer. Swansong is his first time to write for Barnstorm Theatre Company.
Shane’s recent theatre writing work includes: windowpane (The Abbey Theatre; Dear Ireland); Gold in the Water (Coming in 2023); The Water Boys (Equinox Theatre); Näher…closer, nearer, sooner (Liz Roche Company); FOLLOW, FARM and CARE (co-created with WillFredd Theatre); The Matador (Show in a Bag) The Genealogy Project (development showing at The Abbey Theatre, 2017)
Venue Location: R95 NY93
Tickets School Group Rate €10 (Teachers free)
Alice spends virtually all her time in Wolf Wood. You know, the world’s deepest, darkest online game. Why not? Her dad isn’t around, her mother’s gone to Canada to meet a lumberjack and her best friend’s dumped her for a YouTube star. But what happens when the people you meet online come looking for you in real life? Who can you trust, and who is the Big Bad Wolf? This re-telling of the Little Red Riding Hood story is a digital fairy tale that’s deliciously funny and full of dangerously dark twists.
Boy with a Suitcase is the story of a 12 year old war refugee, who undertakes a long and dangerous journey to find asylum in Ireland. He carries with him only a small suitcase and a treasure of stories from his childhood. Like his hero, Sinbad the Sailor, who undertook many perilous voyages in search of his fortune, Naz must travel half-way around the world to reach the safety of his brother in Dublin. Naz teams up with Krysia, a young girl in similar circumstances, who helps him dodge soldiers and find safe passage over mountains, across seas and through the mire of a city slum.
A gripping tale of adventure and stories, Naz’s journey throws a spotlight on the real dangers faced by children in other parts of the world, and the lengths to which they must go to reach safety in the relative security of a country like Ireland.
The Author
Mike Kenny is a teacher, a parent, an actor and an award-winning playwright.
He has written in excess of 50 plays for children of all ages and is included in the list of Britain’s top ten playwrights.
Boy with a Suitcase played at Watergate Theatre, Kilkenny from March 6 -9 2019.
A modern-day adventure for all, Star Chasers sees Billy and Dad heading north with just a tent and a box full of Mam’s memories.
On the way they pitch their tent, conjure Mam’s stories and quarrel as they seek journey’s end and a new beginning.
This is a rich exploration of the relationship between a parent and child and their attempts to come to terms with the shared loss in their lives. A tapestry of music, movement and magical imagery.
The Barn, Kilkenny; Feb & March 2017 for children 4+ years