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
RóisÃn 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.