By Conor O’Neill
Photography courtesy of Ciaran Dunbar
Described as a play that ‘explores the fragility of love’, Kabosh Theatre Company’s Before You Go first played online during the pandemic. Now we’re back to something approaching normality, the show is to finish its run at Belfast’s Lyric Theatre from April 5 – April 7, 2022. The tour begins on March 22 and stretches all over the north from Cushendun to Castleblaney, Armagh to Newry and more.
For full tour dates simply go to http://www.kabosh.net/production/before-you-go
Set in contemporary Carlingford the play follows 22-year-old Sorcha O’Hagan (Elmear Fearon) as she prepares to leave for a new life in Australia. Her bags are packed but before she departs a long, overdue conversation with her father Brendan (James Doran) must occur. Sorcha’s life has never been easy. Her mother (Lisa Duffy) died when she was 18-moths-old, with only her father and the family to bring her up.
The long relationship with her father was strong, but he was prone to periods of absenteeism, a topic neve before talked about. The clock is ticking and the conversation must be had.
Quite a loaded starting off point to be sure, and one I can’t wait to see being realised.
Director Paula McFetridge said: “We initially presented Before You Go online, right in the middle of the pandemic. The regulations at the time meant we had to rehearse via Zoom, and record in a ventilated studio in the middle of winter, with filming taking place remotely – we just has three actors in the room. Despite the regulations, the power of Laurence’s words and our cast’s performance remained a full force.
“A year later we can’t wait to take this wonderful piece on tour across the country, and for audiences to experience the power of live theatre once again.”
Playwright Laurence McKeown added: “Before You Go looks at the difficulties of communicating with those who are closest to us and the consequences of not saying what we should while there is still time. I have two daughters who are around the same age as Sorcha so I understand the need for intrafamily and cross-generational dialogue.
“Everyone has a past and I believe that the only way we ever move forward, whether as a family, in a relationship, or as a society, is by people being prepared to speak openly about their past and other people being prepared to listen.
“Memory is, by its very nature, subjective and we may never know the full truth of the past. We have to accept that. Only then will we be able to live in the moment, while letting the past exist.”
The full tour dates and venues are as follows:
The Old Church Centre, Cushendun, Tuesday March 22
Strule Arts Centre, Omagh, Thursday March 24
Iontas Arts, Theatre & Community Centre, Castleblaney, Friday March 25
Riverside Theatre, Coleraine, Saturday March 26
The Ardhowen, Enniskillen, Tuesday March 29
Playhouse, Derry, Thursday March 31
The Marketplace, Armagh, Friday April 1
Garage Theatre, Monaghan, Saturday April 2
Longstone GAC, Newry, Sunday April 3
Lyric Theatre, Belfast, Tuesday 5 – Thursday 7
http://www.kabosh.net/production/before-you-go
ENDS
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