Cork Arts Theatre

Cork International Poetry Festival 2025
2025-05-14 - 2025-05-17 | Cork Arts Theatre, Carroll's Quay, Cork, T23 X72D, Ireland
Wednesday 14th – Saturday 17th May 2025
Cork International Poetry Festival

The Cork International Poetry Festival is Ireland’s biggest annual poetry festival. It celebrates Cork as a vibrant poetry scene with international connections. Every year major Irish and international poets gather for four days of readings, discussions, workshops and film.
The programme of readings taking place this year at the Cork Arts Theatre is as follows:

Wednesday 14th May @ 7pm
Pat Boran and Rosemary Jenkinson
Details and Booking

Wednesday 14th May @ 8.30pm
John McAuliffe and Thomas McCarthy
Details and Booking

Wednesday 14th May @ 10pm
Frank McGuinness and Maurice Riordan
Details and Booking

Thursday 15th May @ 7pm
Susannah Dickey and Jaki McCarrick
Details and Booking

Thursday 15th May @ 8.30pm
Ciaran Berry and James Harpur
Details and Booking

Thursday 15th May @ 10pm
Jane Clarke and Pádraig Ó Tuama
Details and Booking

Friday 16th May @ 7pm
Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill

Details and Booking

Friday 16th May @ 8.30pm
Leeanne Quinn and Richard Scott
Details and Booking

Friday 16th May @ 10pm
Nick Makoha and Nisrine Mbarki
Details and Booking

Saturday 17th May @ 3pm
Fool for Poetry & Gregory O’Donoghue Prize Readings
Details and Booking

Saturday 17th May @ 4.30pm
Spléachadh ar Aneas
Details and Booking

Saturday 17th May @ 7pm
Fiona Benson and Traci Brimhall

Details and Booking

Saturday 17th May @ 8.30pm
Theresa Muñoz and Mary O’Malley
Details and Booking

Saturday 17th May @ 10pm
Marie Howe and Krisztina Tóth
Details and Booking

Notice Box
2025-05-07
Wednesday 7th May @ 8pm
The Irish Creative Collective presents

Notice Box

by Simon Hennessy

A concept comedy show about life on our phones, from the most chronically online of creatures – the internet comedian.
Notice Box is internet sensation Simon Hennessy’s sophomore solo show, embarking on a UK, Ireland and beyond tour in 2025 following a sold out run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and the Dublin Fringe Festival in 2024. Combining songs, sketches, and stand-up, it’s an hour that blends farcical and sharp humour with honest introspection on the allure and anxieties of the digital world. Through the use of music and multimedia reminiscent of a Bo Burnham special and with a narrative style similar to his compatriot Aisling Bea, Hennessy explores the online worlds we carry in our pockets and spend (be honest) most of our lives.
Writer, creator, and performer Simon Hennessy is an Irish comedian and actor who rose to prominence via his satirical social media sketches and viral characters such as Remy and Adam from Bumble, seeing him amass 396,000 followers and over 300 million views. His first solo hour, Afters, completed a sellout tour of the UK and Ireland in 2023, and he has featured in TV series on RTE and Virgin Media. Notice Box premiered with a 30 minute preview at the work-in-progress Scene + Heard festival in February 2024.
The Irish Creative Collective (established in April 2022 by president Joe O’Neill) is a network for Irish creatives established in London to showcase the best of emerging Irish talent in the UK and Ireland across a range of disciplines including comedy, theatre, and more, hosting monthly events and frequently collaborating with the Irish Embassy and London Irish Centre.
★★★★★ “Creative, hilarious and memorable” – Lovin Dublin
“Excellent” – Foil, Arms & Hog
“Deserves every bit of attention he gets” – Hank Green
Run time: 1 hour
Suitable for 16 and older.
Tickets: €20
*Booking fees apply.

The Bold Ensemble Improv Thingimabob
2025-05-06
Tuesday 6th May @ 8pm
The Bold Ensemble Improv Thingimabob

THE BOLD ENSEMBLE IMPROV THINGIMABOB IS BACK!!!
Due to popular demand after their sellout show in 2024, The Bold Ensemble return to Cork Arts Theatre for one night only with their Improv Thingimabob.

A HILARIOUS NIGHT OF COMEDY SKETCHES BASED ON AUDIENCE SUGGESTIONS.
Come and see how a neglected child fights off a blood thirsty bear that turns into Cate Blanchett! Help unmask the dastardly killer of Paddington Bear, or soak up the wisdom of the 3 Headed Oracle.
These are just a few examples from their last show at CAT of the hundreds of totally original madcap scenes that The Bold Ensemble have been delighting Cork audiences with for over 10 years.
Come along to this great fun night and see your suggestions, however zany, played out for you on the spot.
Dave Ramseyer, Orla Burke, Mark Cosgrave, Micheál Roche, Sheila Kelleher, Ivy Favier & Aiden O’Brien… We Are The Bold Ensemble.
Not suitable for under 16s.
Running time approximately 1hr 30/45 mins including interval.

Tickets: €15, €12.50 (concessions)
*Booking fees apply.

Heavy Weather
2025-05-02 - 2025-05-03
Friday 2nd and Saturday 3rd May @ 7.30pm
plus Matinee Friday 3rd @ 2.30pm

Montfort College of Performing Arts ​presents

Heavy Weather

by Lizzie Nunnery

In September 2022 the Montfort College of Performing Arts established a company drama class under the direction of Sinéad Crowley. The work of the students culminates in a fully staged play which allows them to put to use all the skills developed over the course of the year. Following on from their hugely successful inaugural production in 2023 of ‘The Boy Preference’ and ‘Old Times’ in 2024 the students are delighted to present ‘Heavy Weather’ in 2025.
Lizzie Nunnery’s ‘Heavy Weather’ is a powerful, timely play featuring songs, about one girl’s journey through a world teetering on the brink.
Mona is a young woman on the edge. All she sees is the Earth falling apart, but no one really seems to care. Amidst the chaos of competing and contradictory voices, she sets off on a kaleidoscopic journey to find solutions for the planet – and the truth about her family – in the hope that everything might start to make sense again.
‘Wonderful… a lovely piece of theatre with great characters for young actors to get their teeth into, familiar issues and situations and lots of humour that still treats the issues very seriously… well worth a look for any teenage youth-theatre group’ – British Theatre Guide
‘A fascinating challenge, with an intriguing role for the ensemble and lots of scope for a compelling visual translation… a young, brilliant director could do wonders with this’ – Broadway World
‘Thrums with life and urgency’ – BritishTheatre.com
Director: Sinéad Crowley
Tickets: €15, €12 concession for students
*Booking fees apply.

A Grand Night for Singing
2025-04-28 - 2025-04-30
Monday 28th to Wednesday 30th April @ 7.30pm
plus 5.30pm show Weds. 30th

Montfort College of Performing Arts ​presents

A Grand Night for Singing

The Montfort College of Performing Arts are proud to present ‘A Grand Night For Singing’.
Join us for a glorious evening of songs from Broadway to the West End! The singing students from the Montfort College under the guidance of Emma Nash, Naomi Ryan, Muireann Slattery and Luke Condon will perform a wide and varied repertoire with songs from Matilda, Singing in the Rain, Oliver, The Secret Garden, Anastasia and many, many more!
Accompanist – Ronan Holohan
Tickets: €15
*Booking fees apply.

On Wings of Song
2025-04-25 - 2025-04-27
Friday 25th – Sunday 27th April 2025
Friday and Saturday @ 7.30pm; Sunday @ 2.30pm
Leeside Voices ​presents

On Wings Of Song

The voices blend together with the piano in solos, duets and trios in an eclectic mix of favourite hits from Broadway shows, such as Kiss me Kate (Wunderbar), Calamity Jane (My Secret Love), and Paint Your Wagon (I Talk to the Trees), together with a variety of well-known songs. The show revolves around the many and varied emotions which are well expressed when “said with music”.
Leeside Voices are:
Anne Bermingham – Soprano
Denis Lane – Baritone
Noel Somers – Tenor
Accompanist: Tom Doyle
Musical Director: Aileen Scriven
Narrator: Eithne Horgan

Tickets: €18
*Booking fees apply.

JUMP!?
2025-04-22 - 2025-04-23
Tuesday 22nd and Wednesday 23rd April @ 8.00pm
(Two shows only)

JUMP!?
A Middle-Aged, Coming-Of-Age play.
Hilarious, Hor-mental, Taboo Busting Comedy.

Written and performed by Pauline O’Driscoll

Monica is on the edge, literally! She’s had enough, of being nice and reasonable and sensible, not to mention her temperamental fffing washing machine. She wants to scream and shout. She wants more… including but not limited to the perfect cocktail… of hormones! A bold, truthful and delightfully comic leapfrog through all the taboo minefields of female hormones and sexuality from menstruation to menopause and everything in between.
“Something has to change… to jump or not to jump that is the question!”
What audiences are saying about JUMP!?
“An extraordinary piece and an extraordinary performance of it. An acting masterclass.”
“Absolutely incredible! Full of energy, antics and stories of life and love and hormones.”
“Side-splittingly funny. Passionate, courageous and athletic! I can’t recommend JUMP!? enough.”
Directed by Karen Minihan
Set Design by Hannah Bethan Lane
Projection + Sound Design by Cormac O’Connor
Lighting Design by Jamie Feehily
This production was created as part of the Creative Empowerment Award, supported by Cork Arts Theatre and The Community Foundation of Ireland.
Recommended age 16+. Adult Themes & Sexual References.
Tickets: €20, Group Rate Ticket – 6 Tickets for €108 (€18 each)
*Booking fees apply.

The Cure
2025-04-09 - 2025-04-19
Wednesday 9th – Saturday 19th April @ 8pm
BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND AFTER A SOLD OUT RUN IN 2024!

Hiya Fella Productions proudly presents

The Cure

by Cónal Creedon

It’s a sleepy Saturday mornin’ in Cork, a man stands on Half Moon Street and just around the corner Christmas. The hangover fear is starting to dawn. He is waiting for a pub, any pub, to open so he can get “the cure”. As he waits, he thinks, thinks and waits, as he stands there his past walks towards him, a Christian Brother, the Christian brother, Brother Keenan. How will he deal with this encounter, he asks himself? We travel back to his childhood spent in a Cork city, redolent with the smell of slaughter-houses, pubs and sweet-makers.
Starring Ciaran Bermingham (Sexy Laundry, Game of Thrones, The Young Offenders), directed by Al Dalton (At The Moment, Everything Is Missing & Tall Tail) and written by award-winning novelist, playwright and documentary film maker Cónal Creedon, The Cure is not to be missed.
“brilliantly balanced enactment of poignant comedy” ☆☆☆☆ The Irish Times
Performed by Ciaran Bermingham
Directed by Al Dalton
Set Design – Davy Dummigan
Lighting Design – Hanan Sheedy
Sound Design – Conor Clancy
Production image photographer – Zé Bateira
Tickets: €18, €15 (Concession)
*Booking fees apply.

Unmasked '25
2025-03-31 - 2025-04-05
Monday 31st March to Saturday 5th April @ 7pm
CADA Performing Arts ​presents

Unmasked ’25

Unmasked, what does it mean? Taking the original mask off and being able to replace it with a mask of the actor’s choice creating a character, a situation, an experience of drama.
CADA Performing Arts students will take to the stage to present Unmasked ’25 at the Cork Arts Theatre from Monday 31st March.
Unmasked ’25, presents drama pieces from Babies Revenge, The Wizard Chamber, Dumped in the Swamp and many more interesting pieces of dram, melodrama, experimental drama to comedy. The performers who take their original mask off range in age from 3 to 20 years plus.
This is definitely one of Cork’s finest drama weeks performed by our future amazing actors. Every aspect of Unmasked ’25 is interesting and unique, creating great memories for actors and audience.
Mon 31st March – 7pm
1. Mouse Makeover; Sat 1.00 Glanmire
2. The Orphanage; Sat 11.15 Pine St
3. Scared Scarecrows; Sat 9.30 Glanmire
4. Let there be Light; Sat 11.00 Glanmire
5. The Wizard’s Chamber; Fri 7.30
6 . Ten Pages; Mon 6.00
Tue 1st April – 7pm
1. The Waterhole Adventure; Sat 10.00 Pine St
2. Munchkinland; Sat 12.45 Pine St
3. Babies Revenge; Mon 4.30
4. Popular; Sat 2.30 Glanmire
5. Manger Mystery; Sat 4.15 Glanmire
6. Dumped in the Swamp; Sat 2.15 Pine St
Wed 2nd April – 7pm
1. Mouse Makeover; Sat 1.00 Glanmire
2. The Orphanage; Sat 11.15 Pine St
3. Let there be Light; Sat 11.00 Glanmire
4. Scared Scarecrows; Sat 9.30 Glanmire
5. Ten Pages; Mon 6.00
6. The Wizard’s Chamber; Fri 7.30
Thur 3rd April – 7pm
1. The Waterhole Adventure; Sat 10.00 Pine St
2. Munchkinland; Sat 12.45 Pine St
3. Babies Revenge; Mon 4.30
4. Popular; Sat 2.30 Glanmire
5. Manger Mystery; Sat 4.15 Glanmire
6. Dumped in the Swamp; Sat 2.15 Pine St
Fri 4th April – 7pm
1. Mouse Makeover; Sat 1.00 Glanmire
2. The Orphanage; Sat 11.15 Pine St
3. Scared Scarecrows; Sat 9.30 Glanmire
4. Dumped in the Swamp; Sat 2.15 Pine St
5. The Wizard’s Chamber; Fri 7.30
6. Let there be Light; Sat 11.00 Glanmire
Sat 5th April – 7pm
1. The Waterhole Adventure; Sat 10.00 Pine St
2. Munchkinland; Sat 12.45 Pine St
3. Manger Mystery; Sat 4.15 Glanmire
4. Babies Revenge; Mon 4.30
5. Popular; Sat 2.30 Glanmire
6. Ten Pages; Mon 6.00
Artistic Director: Catherine Mahon-Buckley
Directors: Fionula Linehan, Moyra O’Hare and Megan O’Mahony
Tickets are €20*
*Booking fees apply.

REMOTE
2025-03-28 - 2025-03-29
Friday 28th to Saturday 29th March @ 7.30pm
Montfort College of Performing Arts ​presents

REMOTE

by Stef Smith

Directed by Sinéad Crowley

‘You know back in the day there would have been wolves here. And that’s us. We’re the wolves now. And it’s important people know that’.
A girl called Antler steps out of her front door and throws her phone on the ground. She stamps on it. She then climbs the tallest tree in the park. She doesn’t want to be found, not by anyone. Seven teenagers’ lives all intertwine over the course of a single evening as they make their way through the park on a seemingly normal Autumn’s night. Remote is a play about protest, power and protecting yourself.
******
In September 2022 the Montfort College of Performing Arts established a Senior company drama class under the direction of Sinéad Crowley. The work of the students culminates in a fully staged play which allows them to put to use all the skills developed over the course of the year. The students have appeared in two acclaimed pieces to date; ‘The Boy Preference’ (2023) and ‘Old Times’ in (2024).
This year we are delighted to present the inaugural production from our newly formed Intermediate company drama class, directed by Sinéad Crowley.
Tickets are €15, €12 concessions.
*Booking fees apply.

Broadway Kidz
2025-03-24 - 2025-03-26
Monday 24th to Wednesday 26th March @ 7.30pm
Montfort College of Performing Arts ​presents

Broadway Kidz

The Montfort College of Performing Arts is proud to present ‘Broadway Kidz’ – a musical revue celebrating its 63rd year of showcasing the best of Cork talent. The students of the Montfort Youth Choir whose ages range from 9 – 18 years will transport you to the stages of Broadway and the West End as they beguile you with familiar standards from the world’s greatest musicals including Wicked, Chicago, A Little Night Music, School of Rock & Annie and also a sprinkle of some new contemporary classics such as Amelie, Spring Awakening & Songs for a New World. A first class night of musical theatre for all the family is guaranteed.
Musical Director: Robbie Pender
Choreographers: Laurie O’ Driscoll & Karen Walsh
Tickets are €15, €12 concessions.
*Booking fees apply.

Philadelphia, Here I Come!
2025-03-19 - 2025-03-22
Wednesday 19th – Saturday 22nd March 2025 @ 8pm

LongStory Theatre Group presents

Philadelphia, Here I Come!

by Brian Friel

Frustrated with his humdrum smalltown life in 1960s rural Ireland, Gar O’Donnell has made up his mind to emigrate to Philadelphia. Or, at least, he thinks he has. On the eve of his departure, life goes on as usual for everyone else. His untalkative father hardly seems to acknowledge that they will never meet again. Gar’s memory keeps straying to his one missed chance at love. And in the ‘survival shelter’ of his bedroom, his only real company on this long last night is the voice inside his head: Gar’s one constant playfellow, the confident man he yearns to be, but also, above all, his stinging conscience.
Friel’s masterful study of rural Irish society, the lure of distant shores, the inner world of the mind, and the life of unexpressed emotion, speaks as clearly to today’s audiences as it did to the theatregoers of 1964. In this production, Friel’s ingenious original idea — representing Public and Private Gar as separate characters — will be given a unique twist: the actors of Public and Private Gar will swap roles every night of the run.
Directed by Cian Morey and Jack Widger
*This amateur production of “Philadelphia, Here I Come!” is presented by arrangement with
Concord Theatricals Ltd. on behalf of Samuel French Ltd. www.concordtheatricals.co.uk.
Tickets: €18, €15 (concessions)
*Booking fees apply.

Seven Ages of Mam
2025-03-11 - 2025-03-15
Tuesday 11th to Saturday 15th March @ 8.00pm

Pauline O’Driscoll Productions presents
Seven Ages of Mam
Fresh from a SELL OUT run at The Civic in Tallaght, Cork Arts Theatre is delighted to host this laugh-out-loud funny yet poignant one woman show that has garnered rave reviews, and was nominated BEST NEW PLAY at Brighton Fringe Festival in 2019.
A contemporary reimagining of Shakespeare’s most famous soliloquy – but from a Mam’s point of view!
Her hilarious take on motherhood, sexuality, grief, infidelity, ageing, love, lust and loneliness.
Starring Pauline O’Driscoll (The Tourist, The Dry, Borderline, Smalltown, The Young Offenders) and directed by Tom Kibbe.
“MUST SEE SHOW wondrously inventive exploration of motherhood, grief, lust, heartbreak and joy… hilariously detailed….consummately acted…. wholly believable. What O’Driscoll is master of is pause and sudden tangent. The surprise monologue, the hilariously detailed aside, the squirm of embarrassment, and the language of love and forgiveness and letting go. The most original riff on the Seven Ages I’ve seen, and so beautifully subsumed you might not notice it at all … See it.” – Simon Jenner, FringeReview
Albeit a female centric piece about what it means to be a woman and a mother, Seven Ages of MAM resonates with anyone who is a mam, knows a mam or ever had a mam…. in other words everyone!
The creative team behind Seven Ages of MAM:
Pauline O’Driscoll (performer, producer & co -writer)
Mark Evans (co-writer)
Tom Kibbe (director)
Jamie Feehily (Lighting design)

Tickets: €20. Special opening night price of €18 on Tuesday 11th.
*Booking fees apply.

Cancelled - VERA&SON
2025-03-05 - 2025-03-15
This production has, unfortunately, been cancelled
VERA&SON

A new play by Patrick Talbot

featuring Fionula Linehan and Michael Sands

A mother. A son. The mother passes away and spends a night back in her old house. After family, friends and neighbours disperse the son finds himself alone with the coffin. What does he do? What else can he do? He chats to his mother. But some of what he says should perhaps have been said a long time ago.
VERA&SON looks at the unique relationship between a mother and son over a number of decades, set against the Ireland of the 1960s and 70s and beyond. Inspired by the playwright’s own mother it is a funny and moving portrait of a larger than life woman whose resourcefulness and quick humour are utterly integral to the welfare and survival of the family around her.
VERA&SON tells a story that so many of us will identify with.
Previous titles by Patrick Talbot include God Bless the Child (Everyman Theatre Cork, Cork Opera House, Gaiety Theatre Dublin, Lyric Theatre Belfast and two national tours); A Great Arrangement (Everyman Theatre Cork, Gaiety Theatre Dublin, MAC Belfast and national tour); Intimacies and Elephants (Everyman Theatre) and Two Lord Mayors (co-written with James McKeon) (Everyman Theatre audio broadcast).
Directed by Patrick Talbot
Set Design by Jim Queally
Lighting by Jamie Feehily
Sound and Projection by Cormac O’Connor
Costumes by Jessica Healy
Produced by Patrick Talbot Productions

Same Time Next Year
2025-02-19 - 2025-03-01
Wednesday 19th February – Saturday 1st March 2025 @ 8pm
Matinees: Saturday 22nd February and 1st March @ 2.30pm

Same Time Next Year

by Bernard Slade

George is happily married, Doris is happily married – but not to each other.
She is on her annual Retreat, George is a successful accountant on his way to a client. One fateful Spring night they happen to meet in the same Travel Lodge and the chemistry is too much to resist. They fall madly in love. Unwilling to cause disruption to their happy home lives and unknown to their respective spouses they agree to meet for one weekend at the same time, in the same place, every year for more than 25 years.

Two of Cork’s finest actors, Rachel Sarah Murphy and Michael Murphy are perfectly paired in this delightful comedy. We chart their unconventional love affair which begins in 1951 and continues through to 1975. Same Time Next year is a funny, emotional and engaging comedy; a perfect choice of theatre for the month of Valentine!
Director Mary Curtin
Set Design by Jim Queally
Tickets: €20
*Booking fees apply.

'Natural Woman' - Fiona Kennedy
2025-02-15
Saturday 15th February @8pm

Natural Woman

by Fiona Kennedy
After a sold -out run in 2024, Natural Woman returns to The Cork Arts Theatre on Saturday the 15th of February. This exceptional show is about ordinary women who have done extraordinary things and was hugely popular with the audience who filled the house each night on its debut performance.
Created by singer-songwriter Fiona Kennedy, the show is a combination of songs, stories, readings & projections that will lift your heart and give you a new appreciation for the inspirational women in your own life.
IRMA award nominee Kennedy will be joined by some of Cork’s finest musicians, and narrator Ethel Crowley, for this unique and uplifting show. The accompanying projections are by the award-winning Cormac O’Connor.
“Fiona Kennedy is a gifted songwriter… an exceptional show” – Clodagh Finn, Irish Examiner
“A brilliant, creative show” – Cllr Kieran McCarthy, ex-Lord Mayor of Cork.
Tickets: €20
*Booking fees apply.

A Night of Music Madness - CADA
2025-02-10 - 2025-02-12
Monday 10th to Wednesday 12th February @ 7pm
CADA Performing Arts ​presents

A Night of Music Madness

Music, songs and a blend of great voices give us entertainment, love, energy and a great sense of well-being plus a feel good factor.
This year’s concert will showcase a journey of many great songs and music featuring the talented students of the Academy.
The students unique voices on this Musical Madness scene carving out their own style and sound and if you close your eyes,
you will be carried away to a place of your dreams.
Producer Catherine Mahon-Buckley says Musical Madness replays the past memories, awakens our forgotten world and makes our mind travel.
Directed by Jessica O’Connell – Boyle, together with musical directors Sioma Marron, Andrew Lane, Zoe Allman-Walsh and Nessa O’Callaghan.
Tickets are €20* and sure to sell out fast for this spectacular event.
*Booking fees apply.

TRAWLED
2025-02-07 - 2025-02-08
Friday 7th – Saturday 8th February 2025 @ 8pm

TRAWLED
What begins as a thrilling adventure soon spirals into a harrowing tale of survival against all odds. Trawled is a one-man biographical drama set on a prawn trawler. Twenty-five years after his life-changing experience, Eoin Ryan brings the wild waves of the Coral Sea, Australia to life in this authentic story about surviving suicide.

Eoin Ryan’s narrative unfolds as he recounts his twenty-five-year-old brush with destiny, delving deep into the heart of his battle for survival against the spectre of suicide. From his audacious bid to join the trawler crew to the harsh realities of life at sea—rife with backbreaking toil, rugged sailors, and the ever-present threat of danger—Ryan’s story is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit.
Set against the meticulously crafted backdrop of a realistic stage, Trawled is a sixty-minute tour de force of storytelling that unfolds with the cinematic intensity of a blockbuster film.
‘Trawled – When Adventure becomes Survival is a story of epic proportions. And it’s true’ – Theatre Thoughts.
Written, produced, and acted by Eoin Ryan, Trawled was first published as a book in 2019. In 2022 Eoin performed the story as a TEDx talk. Eoin’s motivation for going on stage and touring is to share the important universal message ‘to ask for help’. ‘Having never done anything in theatre before 2022, I still felt compelled to bring this play and message to life’.
Trawled is a raw distillation of life where unforeseen circumstances, fragile relationships and shifting motivations create an unbearable ‘perfect storm’ for the protagonist. Infused with the irrepressible spirit of Irish humour, it invites audiences to join Eoin on a voyage of discovery, where every twist and turn of fate brings them closer to the heart of his remarkable story.
Are you ready to come on board?…
☆☆☆☆☆ Theatre Thoughts ‘ a story of epic proportions’
☆☆☆☆☆ Morish TV ‘a must see’
Age suitability: 16+
Warnings: Contains distressing or potentially triggering themes, strong language/swearing, and mentions of suicidal ideation.

Tickets: €18, €15 (concessions)
*Booking fees apply.

Pakie O'Callaghan celebrates the Storytelling of Eamon Kelly
2025-01-30 - 2025-02-01
Thursday 30th January @1pm
Friday 31st January @ 1pm and 8pm
Saturday 1st February @ 8pm

Pakie O’Callaghan celebrates the Storytelling of Eamon Kelly
Eamon Kelly has been one of Pakie O’Callaghan’s theatrical heroes since his teenage years and he fondly remembers listening with his father to Kelly on Dinjo’s “Take the floor” which went out for many years on Sunday nights on Radio Eireann and later on to Kelly’s own programme “The Rambling House”. O’Callaghan remembers being transfixed by Kellys performances in his one man shows “In my Fathers Time”, “Bless me Father” and “Stonemad” which were performed to packed houses at The Everyman Theatre and which won widespread acclaim both in Ireland and internationally. This show will be a trip down memory lane for many but O’Callaghan is hoping to also develop a new audience for these stories which he describes as universal and timeless and always very, very funny. O’Callaghan does not seek to mimic Eamon Kelly, and while staying true to the wonderful writing “Pakie O’Callaghan celebrates the storytelling of Eamonn Kelly” is his own interpretation of the work of Ireland’s greatest storyteller .
Written and performed by Pakie O’Callaghan
Directed by Marion Wyatt (Sunbeam Girls, Dockers, Katty Barry, Queen of the Coal Quay, and recent hit The Echo Boys)
Duration- 75mins approx
In a long career Pakie O’Callaghan has worked on stage, TV and radio.
In the mid-nineties Pakie featured in the RTE radio sketch series Shortt Circuit and subsequently played a lead role in the TV series Bull Island playing, among other characters, the then minister for Finance Charlie McCreevey. In 2004 Pakie joined Joe Duffy’s Funny Friday Show as a writer/performer and has been there ever since. With the late and much lamented Frank Twomey, Pakie co-wrote and starred in the hit stage show Santa Ponsa or Bust which spawned two follow up shows, Surviving Santa Ponsa and Life after Santa Ponsa. Following sell out shows at the Everyman, Frank and Pakie toured the Santa Ponsa Trilogy to every corner of Ireland.
Pakie has written and performed three one man shows, In the National Interest, The Last Brown Envelope and No more Brown Envelopes, all of which toured nationally.
Tickets: €18
*Booking fees apply.

Amhráin na Mara - Songs of the Sea
2025-01-28
Tuesday 28th January 2025 @ 7.30pm

Amhráin na Mara

Songs of the Sea

le hÉamonn, Wike, Aisling, Aoife agus Arin

Turas amhránaíochta “trasna na dtonnta” ó Chorcaigh go dtí an Ghailís is ea Amhráin na Mara.
Amhráin na Mara is a sing-along voyage “trasna na dtonnta” from Cork to Galicia.
Oíche thaitneamhach a bheidh ann le amhráin mhara as Gaeilge, Béarla agus Galego. Bainfidh tú sult as a bheith ag canadh i dteannta le hÉamonn, Wike, Aisling, Aoife agus Arin. Canfaidh siad roinnt amhráin atá ann leis na blianta, chomh maith le roinnt amhráin nuachumtha. Cuirfear na liricí ar fáil ar an oíche.
An enjoyable night of singing maritime songs in Irish, English and Galician. You will enjoy singing along with Éamonn, Wike, Aisling, Aoife and Arin. They will sing a range of songs that have been around for many moons and a number of new compositions. The lyrics will be provided on the night.
Bíonn sé de nós ag Wike Schippers, Aisling Wharton, Aoife Conroy, Arin Harper agus Éamonn Ó Ceallaigh canadh agus casadh ina n-aonar agus lena chéile ag imeachtaí éagsúla i gCorcaigh agus Cúige Mumhan.
Wike Schippers, Aisling Wharton, Aoife Conroy, Arin Harper and Éamonn Ó Ceallaigh, perform individually and collaboratively at various events in Cork and Munster.
Tá Éamonn ag comhoibriú faoi láthair le Meitheal Mara, Community Boatyard Cork d’fhonn Amhráin na Mara agus Rabhcáin Mharaí a chanadh i measc mhuintir Chorcaí agus na Gailíse.
Éamonn is currently collaborating with Meitheal Mara, Community Boatyard Cork to sing Amhráin na Mara and Sea Shanties with the people of Cork and Galicia.
Tickets: €15, €12.50 (concessions)
*Booking fees apply.

Zeitgeist Jukebox by Little John Nee
2025-01-22 - 2025-01-25
Wednesday 22nd – Saturday 25th January 2025 @ 8pm

Zeitgeist Jukebox by Little John Nee

“A thing of delicate beauty, I wept the whole way through” – The Bell Harbour Bullhorn
On a night such as this, some folk meet up at an old warehouse in response to a notice on a lamppost. An invitation to join the oddest band that ever was, in the making of the greatest album of the twenty-first century. Primitive recording equipment sits ready for use; the clock ticks …it’s now or never.
Zeitgeist Jukebox is an immersive theatre experience framed by Little John Nee’s masterful storytelling; a soulful antidote to the disconnection of our times, and a testament to the healing power of music.
Sit back, relax and laugh. Should the music move you, jump up and join the band.
Little John Nee is a prolific writer and performer based in the west of Ireland he has developed a singular style of musical storytelling theatre he describes as gentle punk. His most recent work “Nettle Horse” toured extensively in 2024 including performances at the Irish Cultural Centre London, after first premiering at Cork Arts Theatre in January 24..
Tickets: €18, €15 (concessions)
*Booking fees apply.

Little Gem
2025-01-15 - 2025-01-18
Wednesday 15th – Saturday 18th January 2025 @ 8pm

Little Gem

by Elaine Murphy

Directed by Philip O’ Byrne
with: Emma Ní Bhroin, Aoife O Keeffe, Margaret Moore, Angela Lehane & Shirley Madden.
One year can bring extraordinary change; just ask Amber, Lorraine and Kay, three generations of North Dublin women who find themselves suddenly facing the unexpected. Young Amber’s case of indigestion – or perhaps it’s a brutal hangover? – grows into something more, while her mother Lorraine discovers salsa dancing after an incident at work leads to therapist-suggested self-care and her first real date in over 20 years. Grandmother Kay, “on the wrong side of sixty, but not dead yet,” struggles to adjust to life as a caretaker for her beloved Gem and a visit to Ann Somers doesn’t really help the situation. As the year moves forward, the women confront their individual challenges with courage and humour, finding strength in one another and discovering the beauty and complexity of family.
Hilarious and poignant, Irish playwright Elaine Murphy’s debut play, Little Gem, premiered at the Dublin Fringe Festival in 2008 where it won the Fishamble New Writing Award. It then transferred to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, where it won the Carol Tambor Best of Edinburgh Award, the festival’s top prize. Little Gem made its acclaimed US premiere in January of 2010 at the Flea Theatre. Now Cork based Hunters Moon Theatre brings Little Gem directed by Philip O’ Byrne to Cork Arts Theatre for 4 nights in Mid January.
About Hunters Moon Theatre
Founded in 2018 by Philip O Byrne, Cork based Hunter’s Moon Theatre has been promoting and performing the classic Irish plays throughout Munster. These venues include The Inkwell Theatre, Miinane Bridge, Carnegie Arts Centre Kenmare, St. Johns Theatre Listowel, Ringaskiddy Community Centre and The Everyman Theatre.
Tickets: €18
*Booking fees apply.

Cú Chulainn agus an Chocolate Factory
2024-12-11 - 2024-12-21
Wednesday 11th – Saturday 21st December
Cois Laoi Productions proudly presents
Cú Chulainn agus an Chocolate Factory

An Irish Language Bilingual Pantomime Le hAntóin Ó Dúllaing
Stiúrtha ag Aisling Nic Cárthaigh
Tagaigí go Cork Arts Theatre an Nollaig seo chun seó spraíúil a fheiscint a bhfuil cos amháin sa traidisiún agus aghaidh ar an dtodhchaí ann. Guíonn Geppetta ar réalta reatha oíche amháin agus faigheann sí a achainí. Buachaill beag óg déanta as adhmad. Is buachaill ceart é Setanta anois! Tar ar an aistear seo le Setanta atá ag iarraidh spota a dh’fháilt ar fhoireann iománaíochta Chorcaí. Tá sé idir dhá thine Bhealtaine áfach, tá seans aige Chocolate Factory a bhuachaint leis! Ná éiríg róchompordach ámh, bhris Na Twisters Daoirse & Saoirse amach as príosún le déanaí agus teastaíonn uathu An Chocolate Factory a ghoid freisin! An mbeidh an seacláideoir Culann in ann an duine ceart a roghnú An Chocolate Factory a rith? Agus an roghnóidh Setanta saol an iománaí agus a mháthair a shásamh nó saol an tseacládóra agus an caidream eatarthu a chur i mbaol?!
Seó spleodrach é Cú Chulainn agus An Chocolate Factory le hAntóin Ó Dúllaing, atá oiriúnach don teaghlach ar fad. Léirithe ag Cois Laoi Productions, le maoiniú ó Fhoras na Gaeilge agus Comhairle Cathrach Chorcaí.
“Is sinne na cumadóirí ceoil, agus is sinne aislingigh na naislingí.” – Arthur O’ Shaughnessy (Aistrithe ag Antóin Ó Dúllaing)
Cork City’s only Irish language bilingual panto is back! Come to Cork Arts Theatre this Christmas to see a fun-filled show that has elements of tales both past and present. One night Geppetta wishes upon a shooting star and her dreams come true. A young boy made from wood. Setanta is a real boy now! Come on Setanta’s journey who’s trying to snag a spot on the Cork Hurling Team. He finds himself conflicted, when the chance arises to win a Chocolate Factory. But don’t get too comfortable, The Twisters Daoirse & Saoirse have recently broken out of prison and also have eyes on the Chocolate Factory! Will the chocolatier Culann be able to choose the correct person to run his Chocolate Factory? And will Setanta choose the path of a hurler and keep his mother happy or the path of the chocolatier and put their relationship in jeopardy?!
Cú Chulainn agus An Chocolate Factory by Antóin Ó Dúllaing promises to be an exciting display suitable for the whole family. Produced by Cois Laoi Productions, with funding from Foras na Gaeilge and Cork City Council.
“We are the music-makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams.” – Arthur O’ Shaughnessy
*For school-bookings please contact the box office directly on 021-4505624.
Tickets: €18, €12 (concessions)
*Booking fees apply.

Fun Size
2024-12-08
Sunday 8th December, 2024 @ 12.30pm

Suzanne Jones Drama Studio presents
Fun Size

Senior students perform scenes of comedy, tragedy and all that lies between! 🎭
A pre Christmas lunchtime delight on Sunday the 8th of December at 12:30 p.m.
Tickets: €12 each or a group of 4 for €44

Note for Online Bookings: Once your booking is complete, please either print your tickets at home and bring them with you, or present them on your phone on arrival.

10 x 10 Minute Play Event
2024-12-03 - 2024-12-07
Tuesday 3rd to Saturday 7th December @ 8pm
10 x 10 Minute Play Event

Our very popular, annual 10 x 10 Minute Play Event is back with ten brand new short plays for you to enjoy.
The event has proved a great hit with audiences and performers alike over the years and, once again, we will have ten mini-plays each evening with something to suit all tastes. Audiences will also get to vote for their favourite play of the evening which adds to the sense of occasion.
This event, established in 2010, has grown from its humble beginnings to become one of the most popular shows in our annual programme. Our panel of readers are currently hard at work poring over all the entries and will eventually whittle these down to the final 10 plays to be staged. As in previous years, we are sure that the final ten plays will prove to be wonderful examples of what can be achieved on stage in a short space of time with a well-crafted script.
The event is an important fund-raiser for the Cork Arts Theatre and it wouldn’t be possible without everyone giving of their time so generously. Our audiences, too, deserve our sincere thanks as, each year, they attend the event in great numbers, with most performances selling out!
We are looking forward to another week of great theatre with a wealth of fabulous Cork talent at, what we like to call, ‘The Little Theatre with a Big Heart’.”
The 10 plays to be performed are:

ACT 1

– ‘Carma’ by Jessica Walsh and Patrick O’Mahony
– ‘Casualty 462’ by Noel King
– ‘Selkie’ by Áine King
– ‘Welcome To Your New Upgrade’ by Miriam Needham
– ‘Stealing a Kiss’ by Alan McCormick

ACT 2

– ‘Step Five’ by Theresa Ryder
– ‘Prose and Cons’ by Barry Wood
– ‘Life’s A Beach’ by Dominic Cogan
– ‘Sh!t’ by Jennifer Lipinski
– ‘9mm Pizza’ by Fintan Ógie Harmon

Tickets: €15
*Booking fees apply.

Twelfth Night
2024-11-28 - 2024-11-30
Thursday 28th – Saturday 30th November @ 8pm
plus Matinee Saturday 30th @ 2pm

The Cork Shakespearean Company presents

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE’S

Twelfth Night

or What You Will

Shakespeare’s comedy of gender confusion, in which a girl disguises herself as a man to be near the Count she adores, only to be pursued by the woman he loves.
After being separated from her twin brother Sebastian in a shipwreck, Viola disguises herself as a boy and finds employment with the Duke of Orsino, who uses her as a go-between in his attempted wooing of the Lady Olivia. Meanwhile, Olivia’s pompous steward, Malvolio, falls prey to a cruel deception on the part of Feste the Jester and the wassailing, ne’er-do-well, Toby Belch.
Tickets: €18, €15 (concessions)
*Booking fees apply.

The Bold Ensemble Improv Thingimabob
2024-11-26
Tuesday 26th November @ 8pm
The Bold Ensemble Improv Thingimabob

Hot on the heels of their sellout show at the Kinsale Arts Weekend, The Bold Ensemble bring their Improv Thingimabob to Cork Arts Theatre.
A HILARIOUS NIGHT OF COMEDY SKETCHES BASED ON AUDIENCE SUGGESTIONS.
Have you ever wondered what would happen when a retired couple turns up at Cork Airport for their trip of a lifetime to find they have been booked on a space rocket to the moon? How about when a clown is dumped by his boyfriend after an argument, but all without a word being uttered?!
These are just two examples of the hundreds of totally original madcap scenes that The Bold Ensemble have been delighting Cork audiences with for over 10 years.
Come along to this great fun night and see your suggestions, however zany, played out for you on the spot.
Dave Ramseyer, Orla Burke, Mark Cosgrave, Micheál Roche, Sheila Kelleher, Ivy Favier & Aiden O’Brien. We Are The Bold Ensemble.
This show is for ONE NIGHT ONLY, book early to avoid disappointment.
Not suitable for under 16s.
Running time approximately 1hr 30mins including interval.
Tickets: €15, €12.50 (concessions)
*Booking fees apply.

SUGAR
2024-11-19 - 2024-11-23
Tuesday 19th – Saturday 23rd November @ 8pm
SUGAR
From the same team who brought you, SEAN MOYLAN, AN IRISH REVOLUTIONARY, SUGAR is written and performed by Michael Patric (AN CAILÍN CIÚIN, SMOTHER, FRONTIER) and directed by Geoff Gould. A comedy with a big heart set in Mallow sugar factory prior to its closure.
Danyl Sweetnam describes his last days as an Irish Sugar employee. As much as he tries to stay on topic, he can’t help veering off towards “the craic” and taking us on a journey of hilarious shenanigans.
“You must have the craic. I don’t trust any fella who can’t have d’aul craic.”
It’s 2006 and Danyl is finding the going tough. His marriage is falling apart, his job is in jeopardy and then there’s a family bereavement. Rather than letting it all defeat him though, Danyl decides to laugh his way through it. Contrary to the stereotypical Irish male who finds it difficult to talk about his problems, Danyl will tell it all to anyone, anywhere, anytime. His fear, his grief, his family and even his sex life.
He has a deep love and respect for his work colleagues. They have taught him the value of laughing at the serious stuff. He will tell us with pride how they fought against the company to win a fair redundancy settlement in the Labour Court. Indeed, this fight mirrors his own personal fight with tragedy and loss. “If you can keep smiling at all, you have hope.”
Tickets: €20, €15 (concessions)
*Booking fees apply.

Portal-Ooh
2024-11-13 - 2024-11-16
Wednesday 13th – Saturday 16th November @ 8pm

LINC Drama presents

PORTAL-OOH
Come, take a leap through the Portal-ooh, and experience a romp through time like never before.
Step into the world of Olly, the mad inventor, and her extraordinary creation: the Portal-ooh. This fantastical machine unveils seven pivotal moments in time, each a vivid exploration of the human experience. From the futuristic halls of an assisted living facility in 2125 to the poignant struggles of fertility, Olly’s journey is an odyssey through time.
Portal-Ooh: A Romp through time, is an imaginative and unexpected adventure that transcends the ordinary. Join us as we traverse the space time continuum, venturing into realms where few women have boldly gone before. These eight interconnected plays, each a unique vignette, break barriers and explore the complexities of gender, sexuality, and the enigmatic fabric of the universe itself.
Prepare to touch on every emotion as you witness stories that will make you laugh, cry, and reflect deeply on the human condition. From the harrowing reality of assault to the mind-bending possibilities of alternate universes, these themes of an adult nature resonate with the raw, unfiltered essence of life.
Come, take a leap through the Portal-ooh, and experience a romp through time like never before.
PORTAL-OOH is written, performed and directed by LINC Drama.
Age guide: 18+. Contains themes of mental health struggles, fertility struggles, sex, sexual assault and strong language/swearing.
Tickets: €15
*Booking fees apply.

ABOUT LINC DRAMA
LINC Drama is funded and supported by LINC. Linc Drama was 2013 to give women in the lesbian/bisexual community a forum to express themselves, learn new skills and improve confidence and self-esteem.
The drama group is a mixed bunch, different ages, experiences and nationalities. Some have been part of the lesbian community in Cork for decades while others have recently moved to Cork or are engaging with the community for the first time. Some have drama training and experience, while others are new to it all.
Previous sell out shows include Ordinary Love, The LWorld, Tales from the Queerside, Heroes, hoes, killins and villains, Queer Code and Eve N Eve.
ABOUT LINC
LINC is the only community development organisation working exclusively with Lesbian and Bisexual women (Trans & Non-binary inclusive) in the Republic of Ireland. For more details see https://www.linc.ie/

The Cure
2024-10-22 - 2024-10-26
Tuesday 22nd – Saturday 26th October @ 8pm
Hiya Fella Productions presents

The Cure

by Cónal Creedon

It’s a sleepy Saturday mornin’ in Cork, a man stands on Half Moon Street and just around the corner Christmas. The hangover fear is starting to dawn. He is waiting for a pub, any pub, to open so he can get “the cure”. As he waits, he thinks, thinks and waits, as he stands there his past walks towards him, a Christian Brother, the Christian brother, Brother Keenan. How will he deal with this encounter, he asks himself? We travel back to his childhood spent in a Cork city, redolent with the smell of slaughter-houses, pubs and sweet-makers.
Starring Ciaran Bermingham (Sexy Laundry, Game of Thrones, The Young Offenders), directed by Al Dalton (At The Moment, Everything Is Missing & Tall Tail) and written by award-winning novelist, playwright and documentary film maker Cónal Creedon, The Cure is not to be missed.
Tickets: €18, €15 (Concession)
*Booking fees apply.
