Arts & Culture

POWERFUL PLAY ABOUT THE POTATO FAMINE COMING SOON!

A powerful musical play about the Irish Potato Famine is coming to Liverpool. O’Brien’s Dream follows the story of one young man’s journey from Ireland to Liverpool in 1847, as he searches for salvation in ‘the promised land’ of America, only to find many adversities along the way.

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The ground-breaking play is coming to Hope Street Theatre on Thursday 15th June for four nights courtesy of the award winning Keyhole Theatre Company. Featuring drama, love, song and spoken word, O’Brien’s Dream shines a light on the brutal realities of the Liverpool slums of the 1800s and the hardships the Irish immigrants endured.

Facing unemployment, starvation and disease in County Clare, Sean O’Brien flees Ireland for the promise of a better life in America — only to find himself stuck in Liverpool after being robbed of his boat ticket. What follows is a fascinating and deeply moving insight into what life was truly like for people like Sean during the great Irish migration.

FOR TICKETS (FROM JUST £8) CLICK HERE!

The gripping production was first showcased in 2009 — written and directed by Bill Morrison and Alan Crowley, with the score written by BBC Radio Merseyside favourite Frankie Connor. With Bill and Alan having sadly passed away, the play is being brought back to life by Bill’s widowed partner Ann Bates, Founder of Keyhole Theatre Company.

Ann said: “Many people know things about The Great Famine and the plight of the Irish as they sought a better life, but not everyone knows the brutal realities and what went on. O’Brien’s Dream captures that time profoundly and to bring it back again is a great honour, especially as it was written and directed by my partner who passed away.”

FOR TICKETS (FROM JUST £8) CLICK HERE!

The original production sold out over three nights and a sell-out this time around is highly anticipated, with there still being a strong Irish contingent in Liverpool and a great number of Scousers having Irish blood. The play will likely resonate with many members of the audience deeply, particularly those whose ancestors experienced such adversities.

Ann said: “We have a large and diverse cast of 16 for this production, who are all fine actors and singers in their own right — along with talented keyboard player, Tom Magness. Liverpool has a rich Irish heritage and The Great Famine is an important part of our city’s history, so it means a lot to us all to tell the story through O’Brien’s Dream.”

FOR TICKETS (FROM JUST £8) CLICK HERE!

Keyhole Theatre Company is an award winning production company founded by Ann Bates over 20 years ago, providing a platform for grassroots acting talent. With tours spanning as far as London and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, recent awards have included an award at the Leverhulme Drama Festival.

O’Brien’s Dream is the latest from the award winning theatre group, following Sean O’Brien on his eventful journey to find ‘the promised land’. Doing what he can to survive and becoming entangled in the gritty industrial life of Liverpool, he takes the audience on an emotional rollercoaster as he does whatever it takes to find love and a life worth living.

FOR TICKETS (FROM JUST £8) CLICK HERE!

O’Brien’s Dream is coming to Hope Street Theatre in Liverpool on the evenings of 15th, 16th 17th and 18th June 2023, courtesy of Keyhole Theatre Company, with tickets starting at just £8 plus booking fee. The play tells the profound story of the plight of the Irish in Liverpool during The Potato Famine.

O’Brien’s Dream / The Hope Street Theatre, Liverpool, L1 9BY / 15th — 18th June 2023

FOR TICKETS (FROM JUST £8) CLICK HERE!

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