Tag Archives: Theatre
Barnstorm Bench Tales – The world premiere of three new exciting plays in a series of open-air performances on park benches as part of Kilkenny Arts Festival. Clandestine meetings and chance encounters – the socially-distant audience ‘spied’ on the drama from afar in a unique theatre experience.
Bench Tales – There is Always Tomorrow by Joe Bergin A chance meeting between a young woman and an older man on a park bench may not be all that it seems. Why has she come here and what is she looking for? As she attempts to uncover the truth, is she fully prepared for what she might find?
Bench Tales – Pink Makes the Boys Wink by Julie Sharkey A comic, full of heart story about getting old. How time can creep up on us and take us by surprise. A story about three women. One woman’s compassion. One woman’s fear and one woman’s joy in Hello magazine.
Bench Tales – The Last Trip to Tipp by Gemma Creagh It’s 1994. Lorraine, Emma and Mairead are three friends heading in very different directions. Well not literally. Right now, they are all on their way to Féile – and with a line up like Crowded House, Primal Scream, The Prodigy, The Cranberries, Björk, and Blur – the craic will be fierce. With one mouldy tent, ancient sleeping bags and a fine slab of Lindon Village cans, they wait on a lift from their flaky friend, Suzanne – who’s late as usual.
Event details
| Dates | Mon 14th to Sat 19th Aug 2023 |
| Times | 11:00, 13:00 (lunchtime) & 15:00 |
| Running time | approx. 80 minutes |
| Ticket prices | €20 (€17 concession) |
| Where | 3 locations in Castle Park (check with KAF) |
Following the amazing success of its inaugural lunchtime theatre presentation last summer, Barnstorm has another treat for Kilkenny audiences who will be spellbound by Tennessee William’s classic short play ‘Something Unspoken’ this June
“Williams’ masterpiece, which delves into the depth of forbidden love, is an emotional rollercoaster, and this Kilkenny production has been an absolute pleasure to develop” says Joanne Hennessy who directs. “We chose this piece in response to Pride Month in Kilkenny and we are looking forward to sharing the work with everyone.”
Two stalwarts of local theatre, Mags Whitely and Natasha Murray are set to present the new show in Barnstorm’s studio theatre in a lunchtime offering that should entertain and intrigue audiences. Both actors have a long history in the Kilkenny theatre community, having been part of the Barn Owl Players for many years. This lunchtime performance of ‘Something Unspoken’ will be no exception. Whitely and Murray have already earned the praises of their peers for their professional and committed approach to their craft.
Something Unspoken by Tennessee Williams, is set in Meridian, Louisiana in 1958. In the opening scene we find Cornelia Scott, a southern aristocrat, and her widowed secretary, Grace Lancaster. A new age is approaching the Southern aristocracy, and as a result, Cornelia is struggling to keep up with the changes and how to navigate them.
Grace has been Cornelia’s secretary and companion for 15 years, but lately their relationship has become ambiguous.
Cornelia wants to discuss the truth of their hidden emotions, but tensions build as Grace finds it difficult to express her feelings. She has been holding it all in for far too long, and now she is struggling to face the truth. Cornelia is determined to have an honest conversation with Grace, and to finally address the feelings that have been so carefully hidden away for over a decade.
This one-act play is the perfect way to take a break from the office and enjoy a light lunch while being entertained. The performance lasts only 45 minutes, so our office workers can easily fit it into their lunch break and be back in plenty of time.
Tickets are €17 and includes lunch which is presented by the Home Rule Club.; and can be booked HERE
Dates: Limited run from Mon 19th to Sat 24th June at 1pm daily
Following last year’s successful run of XIV, Barnstorm’s Kilkenny Youth Theatre return to Ionad Dara, Goresbridge with their annual production. This year they bring their version of William Shakespeare’s classic Macbeth to the stage.
Macbeth tells the story of the tragic downfall of the warrior Macbeth, whose ambition causes him to abandon his morals and bring about the near destruction of the kingdom he seeks to rule.
The cast of Macbeth includes Matthew Hickey, Chris Power, Liam O’Neill, Anna Eustace, Diarmuid Maher, Eoin Cleary, Medha Trehan, Nell Snyder, Anna Purcell Duff, Ruby Woods, Matthew Downey, Lara Strauss, Jack Hoyne, Helen Doran, Katie Lawlor, Aoibhne Murphy, Aislin Konings Ferrari, Rionach Brady and Charlotte Lockwood Hutchinson.
Macbeth is running on Friday April 28th and Saturday April 29th at 8pm, with a matinee on Saturday at 3pm, in Ionad Dara, Goresbridge, R95 D654.
Tickets are €12.50 /€10 (Under 18’s) and can be booked online HERE
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.
Teachers’ Resources
A resource pack is available to teachers linked to the SPHE syllabus, for exploration and discussion of themes in the play.