Festival-goers to this year’s Ballina Fringe Festival will be treated to another show-stopping performance by Cork actor Pat Kinevane, as he brings his latest tour de force, ‘Before’, to Ballina Arts Centre on Tuesday, October 15 with Fishamble Theatre Company.
From the team that delivered ‘Forgotten, Underneath’ and the Olivier Award-winning ‘Silent’ - ‘Before’ is a new play with much music, set in Cleary’s of Dublin, on the very day this iconic department store shuts for good. Pontius is inside, trying to choose a gift for his estranged daughter, whom he hasn’t seen for almost 20 years. He will meet her in an hour. This father’s journey is both beautiful and strange, from the isolation of his Midlands home, to the madness of O’Connell Street. Some folk are impossible to buy for!
‘Before’ was commissioned by Fishamble, and has been in development with the support of the Arts Council, National Theatre Studio (London ), Pavilion Theatre, the RTÉ Concert Orchestra, Georganne Aldrich Heller, Robert Leroy, and The Strollers Touring Network. Described as ‘profoundly affecting’, ‘a soul-searching, achingly touching gem’, hilarious, mind-blowingly brilliant and with flashes of genius’, ‘Before’ uses a combination of music performed by the RTÉ Concert Orchestra to deliver a hard-hitting blend of storytelling and movement typical of Kinevane.
Pat Kinevane is a native of Cobh, and has worked as an actor in theatre, film, television and radio for 29 years. In August, he won the Herald Archangel Award for his sustained and excellent contribution to the Edinburgh Fringe. ‘Before’, like all of Kinevane’s solo shows, is directed by Jim Culleton, with music composed by Denis Clohessy, and was commissioned by Fishamble. The play was developed with the support of the Arts Council, National Theatre Studio (London ), Pavilion Theatre and the RTÉ Concert Orchestra.
Ballina Fringe Festival takes place in partnership with Ballina Arts Centre and Mayo North Promotions Office, in association with the Ice House Hotel. It is funded by LEADER, Creative Ireland, Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, NYCI and Mayo.ie Visit www.ballinafringefestival.ie or social media for a full festival line up, and to book tickets online.
