West Of Ireland theatre company Blue Teapot will debut their co production with Abbey Theatre Into the Dark Woods this Wednesday in Galway.
Written by debut playwright Charlene Kelly, Into The Dark Woods is a story told through the lens of intellectual disability, drawing on archetypes found in fairytale and nature and features an inclusive cast.
lue Teapot have worked towards a strategic ambition to stage a theatre production written by an artist from within the company.
Charlene Kelly’s play emerged from a series of creative writing initiatives with dramaturg Eileen Gibbons, leading to collaboration with the Abbey Theatre, Ireland’s national theatre, as co-producer.
Directed by Petal Pilley, the play tells the story of a Prince tired of being controlled by his father. Heartbroken he runs away, into the woods. Cold and alone he calls out for help.
A girl, also lost, is charmed into leaving a safe and familiar path. Hunted by darkness, their way out is uncertain.
Into The Dark Woods runs from Wednesday 14 to Saturday 17 of September in the Black Box Theatre, Galway.
The play will take play at 8pm each evening, with additional day time shows on Friday, September 16 at 11am, and Saturday, September 17 at 3pm. The show is suitable for adults and children aged 10+ years.
A Galway 2020 European Capital of Culture Commission. Tickets for Into The Dark Woods are available online via www.tht.ie and from Town Hall Theatre Box Office 091 569777.
The play will be supported by a Touch Tour, which is a first for this work. Touch Tours can be very beneficial to theatre patrons who are blind, visually impaired, on the autistic spectrum, non-verbal or have intellectual difficulties.
It enables those audiences a better theatre going experience and helps contextualise the stage and Charlene Kelly’s debut play, which is visually descriptive in written narrative.
Speaking about what patrons can expect, Mo Harte explained, “A Touch Tour is not only for visually impaired patrons but can also be beneficial for those who process differently.”
“It is a tactile exploration of the geography of a theatre space, the stage, selected props, costumes and furniture”.
Ahead of this tour, Mo Harte will prepare programme notes to describe the set and costumes, which will be available to read and listen to via Blue Teapot’s social media channels from Friday, September 16.
