New play exploring partition to take stage in An Táin Centre, Dundalk

A new cabaret production exploring the legacy of partition is set to take to the stage at An Táin Centre in Dundalk.

'Beyond the Border', which was co-created with 14 young people from M.A.D Youth Theatre in collaboration with 11 professional artists under the direction of Calvin Magee.

The play will take to the stage on Monday, April 6th until Wednesday, April 8th.

Combining testimony theatre with cabaret performance, the production examines the legacy of the border, the history of the Troubles, and the experiences of the first generation in Ireland to grow up in relative peace.

Director Calvin Magee, who is from Dundalk, says the production offers a fresh perspective on familiar themes.

“This play isn’t your traditional border play. Being from Dundalk, I feel like Irish history and partition have been explored countless times. This project tries to re-examine and reconstruct that history in a fun and playful way,” he said.

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The creative team worked with Dr Helena Enright, a specialist in documentary and verbatim theatre, to develop the testimony theatre elements of the production. Testimony theatre draws on the real-life stories and experiences of people to create theatrical material.

As part of the process, the team conducted interviews with more than 50 people living on both sides of the border. Contributors included former paramilitary prisoners, former hunger strikers, members of the Orange Order, and local residents from Dundalk and surrounding areas.

Their stories touch on moments such as the Miami Showband killings,
the Dundalk bombing, and the political experiences of figures including Paddy Agnew TD and Laurence McKeown.

The production celebrates the social and political history of the border region while using humour and music to approach difficult subject matter. At the centre of the show is Border Betty, an emcee character who guides the audience through the performance. Magee describes the character as “a human embodiment of the border.”

Original songs and lyrics were composed by Kevin Cumiskey in collaboration with the cast. The music draws on influences from classical cabaret and musical theatre as well as pop, rock, and traditional Irish music.

Through song, storytelling, puppetry, dance, protest, and testimony, Beyond the Border presents a lively and unconventional exploration of identity in Ireland’s border communities.