Today, October 24th, is the 13th Anniversary of the founding of Strive Theatre by Andy Weston and Ciarán MacArtain. While 13 may have been an unlucky number for the Babylonians, for this little theatre company it has been full of gifts and blessings!
This time last year we were gearing up for our work-in-progress sharing of Goll at Obhéal’s Winter Warmer Festival with a week-long residency at The Everyman Theatre. The sharing was a really valuable experience and the warm feedback we received brought us closer to realising our ambitions for the project.
Early in 2025 we received a submission from Carina McNally of her play The Crow’s Old Gold. What a true gift this has turned out to be. We were really stimulated by the script and as it had undergone a period of dramaturgical development with the support of Eadaoín O’Donoghue, we new it wasn’t far away from being production-ready. Following a short period of development, the fifth draft of the script was complete and we agreed to produce it down in Lehanmore Community Centre on the June Bank Holiday weekend. The process of assembling the team, holding auditions and devising the production schedule, led to us having a most special group of artists working on the project. The welcome received from the community in Allihies and Lehanmore during the rehearsal and production process in May is something that will always stay with us, and has established a deep connection between us and that part of the world.
Opening night was the first fully produced performance we had done as a company since 2022 and gave us a great confidence boost, selling out the first show, adding a second date and selling that out as well. The two standing ovations we received sent us off into the summer with pep in our step… Performing a extract from the play at Dursey Island Festival in mid-June, before getting back into the rehearsal room in August to prepare for going out on the road. We toured the show between late August and early October, sharing the work in Listowel, Electric Picnic, Kenmare, Bere Island and then back to Allihies. As it was our first tour for quite a few years, it was really special to be back on the road and we are so thankful for the support we received in each venue, from the staff and technicians, as well as the audiences who came in. It gives us a great impetus to go back out on tour in The Spring and share the play more widely…
In the meantime other gifts were coming our way… Nicki French Davis of Civic Trust House approached us about getting involved in Voices from Popes Quay. The remit was to write, develop and direct a series of monologues based on historical characters connected to the house. The period of research led by Victoria Kingston and supported by Nicki, unearthed fascinating tales and situations from the history of Popes Quay and this house specifically. It was a real honour to represent these characters as a playwright, giving them voice and delving into their psyche. The process was so rich, and has deepened our connection to the Popes Quay area and the building that we are lucky enough to come and work in everyday. The work done by the actors in the relatively brief rehearsal process is a huge credit to all of them. We launched the project on Wednesday last and are delighted to have it out in the world…
These past few weeks have seen us turn our attention back to Goll, which we are looking forwarded to premiering in The Briery Gap in February. It has been a slow-burner of a process, and it really excites us to have it back at the fore-front of the imagination. A collaboration with Cork-band MacBóchra this multi-disciplinary piece is a contemporary representation of stories related to our oldest Seanchaí, shapeshifter and sage, Fintan MacBóchra.
For the opportunities that have come our way this past year we have many people and organisations to thank. Firstly to the bodies that have funded and supported these projects, The Arts Council, The Everyman Theatre, Obhéal, Cork County Council, Creative Places: West Cork Islands, The Heritage Council, St Johns’s Theatre Listowel, The Carnegie Arts Centre Kenmare, Hazelwood/ An Chollchoill, Electric Picnic, The Bere Island Arts Festival and Allihies Autumn School. To the audiences that have come out to engage with the work, in some cases offering valuable feedback to aid a projects development, in others giving great energy to each performance. To the artists who have made the work. It is really humbling to see your dedication and efforts to bring these projects to fruition; your positive attitudes to consistently overcome challenges as they present themselves and to bring the best of yourselves and your talents to each new task, new hurdle, new venture. You are a credit to yourselves and is an honour and privilege to have worked with you this year and to have the opportunity to continue to work with you.
A special word for this team pictured below… (Carina I think you were off busying yourself working for the festival when this was taken / Rab unfortunately wasn’t around for this show…) Carina you have brought so much joy to our lives this year, with your script, but also your work to support the production. You are a hero.
The team here means so much to us, it has been a fantastic journey and one we seek to continue…
Mile Buíochas,
Beir buí
Le gach dea-ghuí
- Strive Theatre
(Left to right. Benjamin Burns, Judith Ryan, Damian Punch, Ciarán MacArtain, Róisín McCabe, Angelique Everitt)
