Exciting New Play Explores 100 Years of Living on the Border
Today, Lyric Theatre revealed The Border Game, a co-production of exciting new work with award winning theatre company Prime Cut Productions, which will premiere at the 59th Annual Belfast International Arts Festival. The Border Game is a timely and powerful reflection on 100 years of the border and how it has impacted those who live along it.
Inspired by over 50 testimonies collected by the writers with real people living across the 300-miles of the border; The Border Game is a new play from award-winning writers Michael Patrick & Oisín Kearney (My Left Nutand The Alternative), and Irish Times Theatre Award-winning director Emma Jordan (Redand A Streetcar Named Desire).
On a farm on the border, a fence needs repair after being destroyed by vandals. When Sinead finds Henry hungover in her field, she ropes him in to help. But re-building a fence is more complicated than it seems. What begins as a simple task soon turns to talk of their past, a reliving of old memories, and a relentless competition to come out on top.
Jimmy Fay, Executive Producer, Lyric Theatre, commented:
“It is a pleasure to be working with Prime Cut productions and Emma Jordan again on The Border Game. Prime Cut are one of our most respected and influential independent theatre companies. Emma’s directorial flare will really suit this poignant and at times humorous play by the powerhouse writing duo, Michael Patrick and Oisín Kearney. We are delighted to be co-producing this play based on the real life testimonies from the length of the border. Theatre has always been a safe space in which we can explore important and of the moment themes and we hope to create some interesting dialogues around the show.”
Emma Jordan, Artistic Director, Prime Cut Productions and Director of The Border Game, added:
‘Prime Cut are so excited to be co-producing The Border Game with the Lyric Theatre by two of our brightest young playwrights Oisín Kearney and Michael Patrick. In the year of the centenary of the establishment of the state this play opens gives a funny and often moving insight into the lived reality of life on the border based on over 50 interviews with people of all ages and experience.”
Caoileann Curry-Thompson, Arts Development Officer for Literature and Drama, Arts Council of Northern Ireland, said
“A co-production between the Lyric and one of our leading independent theatre companies, Prime Cut, is always something very special; all the more so when it is a new work, and one so completely of this place and time, and so timely. The Arts Council is very proud to support The Border Game, an exciting new play by two up-and-coming playwrights, Michael Patrick and Oisín Kearney, who are really at the top of their game. Michael and Oisín has proven their unique ability to use theatre to scrutinise the state of the nation with The Alternative, which won Fishamble’s A Play for Ireland competition. With The Boarder Game they turn their keen satirical, political and creative eye on the centenary of the border, and give voice to the experience of those who have lived their lives along the fault line. I’m very much looking forward to what I have no doubt will be a milestone production.”
Book now for The Border Game – Wednesday 6 October – Saturday 23 October 2021, with previews 2-5 October.