First Light

by Dónal Gallagher and Medb Lambert

In June 2024 we were only delighted to bring our unique brand of community theatre to Carlow Arts Festival

First Light was an immersive adventure - part street theatre, part spectacle, part circus show - specially created with and for the people of Carlow

First Light is an immersive spectacle - part street theatre, part adventure, part circus show - specially created with and for the people of Carlow.

In an alternate universe, in the town of Wolrac, the townsfolk are ready for Capacity connection, for the coming of the First Light. But the powers that be have other ideas.

In the 1950's, Ireland embarked on the largest social enterprise in our history - Rural Electrification. This is not that story.

Well, not really . . .

As Ireland faces the challenge of grid decarbonisation, Asylum Productions explores how we’ve done it all before.

Bringing their unique brand of collaborative theatre to create this lo-fi, electrifying journey to another dimension - all unplugged and powered by the people of Carlow and other renewable sources.

The show happens both indoors and outdoors - dress for Irish weather. The route is approximately half a km long, is wheelchair accessible, and starts outside Carlow Town Hall, Haymarket. If you would like to receive a social story in advance of the performance this will be made available on the 6th of June on this event page.

Please arrive for the show at 9pm for a 9.15pm start.

FIRST LIGHT PREVIEW SHOW TICKETS ADDED DUE TO POPULAR DEMAND

Age recommendation 8+

"Immersive theatre at its very best"

Irish Independent

This show is a culmination of Imagination Generation Station, a community engagement project led by Asylum Productions for ASSEMBLY.

Cast and Creative Team

Oak - Adam Byrne

Mrs Mac - Aisling O’Halloran

Ash - Anne Barry

Helen Watt - Aoife

Ash - Béibhinn Thorsch

Darragh - Ben Nunan

Canis Kirke - Bernard Jennings

Ash - Bernie Brennan

Choir - Carlow Community Choir

Cliodhna Nolan - Cara Armstrong

Siobhan Kavanagh - Charlotte Crowson

Mr Nox Power - Cian Kinsella

Pat Watt - Ciarán Dunphy

Darragh - Danny Kelly

Mary - Deirdre Colhoun

Abhainn - Deirdre Flemming

Delilah - Hog

Mrs Blath Lawlor - Edwina Hopkinson

Moll - Elizabeth O’Brien

Cliath Watt - Emily Rose Brophy

Mary - Emma Kinsella

Joe - Evan McCormack

Joe - Harry Shorthose

Ash - Kate O’Connor

Cait Byrne- Kayla Nolan

John-Joe - Kevin Tynan

Joe - Liam Dalton

The Hound - Mark O’Brien

Singer - Maksym Lozovyi

Mary - Megan Dempsey

Murphy - Michael Somers

Máire Farrell - Mollie Finn

Power’s Driver - Pat Bramley Snr

Mayor Vincent - Shane Byrne

Jean Mullins - Shannon O’Doherty

Janice de Bróithe- Co-Director

Donal Gallagher - Co-Director / Writer

Medb Lambert - Designer / Writer

Maura O’Keefe - Producer

Sadhbh Barrett - Coakley Producer

Joe Murphy- Line Producer

John Grubb- Production Management

Liz Honan- Production Management

Mary Amond O’Brien - Musical Director

Imelda Andrews- Choral Director

Jonah McGreevy- Stunt Coordinator

Conor McGague- Fabricator and Counterweighter

Deirdre Griffin- Aerialist - stunt double

Aoife Lyons- Costume Manager

Diarmuid Woods- Stage Manager

Abbie Nolan- Assistant Stage Manager

Róisín Kerin - Assistant Stage Manager

Irina - Accompanist

Ollie Henessy- Sound Recording

Shaun Hennessy - Sound Mixing

Every Event- Crew

Maninder Singh & Anna Tanvir- Catering

Why did we do this?

 Since the first covid lockdown Medb & Dónal have been on a mission – to decarbonise our personal lives. It’s been a tricky road but we’re getting there.

We were a bit daunted by the idea of the entire country decarbonising our national grid by 2030. It seems impossible…

But then we thought about the Rural Electrification Scheme – the single biggest challenge undertaken by the state. In a post-war, still fledgling state we had neither the resources, nor infrastructure, nor suitably educated workforce to electrify the entire country.

But we did it anyway.

The project was driven not by profit motives, but by a notion of social solidarity and a greater good for society.

 That’s the story we thought we’d be telling.

 But of course we’re theatre people, with an unhealthy attraction to alternate realities, a streak of mischief, and we never let the truth get in the way of a good story.

 First Light isn’t a history play. But it was a chance for us to invite the people of Carlow to come play with us.

Together made a show about electricity without much electricity. We told a story about division, through an act of solidarity. Together with some other local theatre makers  - inc. co-director, Janice De Bróithe (SlapDash), Cian Kinsella (Lords of Strut), Deirdre Griffin (THISISPOPBABY) and writer/performer Shannon O’Doherty (Lambert’s Open Mic), we made an electrifying spectacle.

For more about us and our work with climate action - watch this short documentary about The Callan Energy Store by Kevin Hughes