Festival of great theatre grips Mitchelstown

IT was founded by ‘Blood in the Alley Theatre Productions in 2009 and has since established itself as a twice-yearly theatre festival in Cork.

The Fit-up Theatre Festival is back for its spring run in the Blackwater region, and it looks set to continue its reputation for reviving the practice of professional theatre companies bringing shows to rural towns and villages in the county.

The 2020 Blackwater Fit-up Theatre Festival has begun and will continue in the weeks ahead, with a different programme offered on each of those weeks.

Artistic Director Geoff Gould has curated this year’s run, which is made up of 25 nights’ theatre, eight plays, and five venues. It got underway last week with a performance of ‘Crowman’ by Jon Kenny at Mitchelstown Town Hall. It continued at the same venue yesterday with a new play at by Bairbe Ní Chaoimh and Yvonne Quinn – ‘Maura Laverty, This Was Your Life’ – which formed a double-bill with the acclaimed Carol Moore’s ‘ The Experience of Being’.

Next up for Mitchelstown is a February 5 appointment with ‘Before’, presented by ‘ Fishamble: the New Play Company’.

Aside from rave reviews from a number of Irish newspapers, the play was also winner of the Herald Archangel Award at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. It gets underway at the Town Hall at 8pm.

Also on the line-up for Mitchelstown is ‘Indigestion’ at 8pm on February 12, doubling up with ‘ The Man from Moogaga’; and ‘ Appropriate’ on February 19 at 8pm, which forms a double bill with ‘Spliced’, written and performed by Timmy Creed.

“Arts and theatre have a strong tradition in Cork County, and nurturing this love of theatre is crucially important for current and future generations,” said Mayor of County Cork Cllr Christopher O’Sullivan.

“With the support of Cork County Council and the Arts Council, the Blackwater Fit Up Theatre Festival brings new and established talent into smaller rural communities that perhaps may not have the opportunity to access otherwise.

“The programme shows a vast array of talent and genres; I am sure there is something there for everyone and hope it will continue for many years to come.”

Further information is available at www.fit-uptheatrefestival. com.

In Yvonne Quinn and Bairbre Ni Chaoímh’s new play, ‘Maura Laverty, This Was Your Life’ the multi-talented broadcaster, cookery expert, agony aunt and controversial writer, who was a household name in Ireland for three decades, is spirited back from the dead to face a live and online audience on a surreal TV show.