Seahorse is a razor-sharp and funny play by award winning stand-up comedian turned writer Christiane O’Mahony and designer Brian Mitchell about one woman’s existential crisis in modern Ireland.

Directed by Davey Kelleher, with stunning animation and videography by Janet Grainger, this surreal tale will transport audiences to an underwater, radical feminist world of seahorses where they will meet Mara, a woman trying to figure out what she wants in a world of seemingly endless possibilities! Seahorse will debut at the Dublin Fringe Festival from 18 until 22 September at Project Arts Centre.

Christiane O Mahony, co-founder of For the Birds Theatre Company and writer/performer in Seahorse, says: “Seahorses are awesome. They mate for life but they don’t live with their partners, females take up more space than the males, the female’s territory can be up to tens times the size of the males, that’s womanspreading. Best of all, they don’t worry about reproduction, the male carries the fertilised egg in their pouch, they could have babies at dawn and be pregnant again at dusk, they’re like the Irish Catholic Housewife of the sea! Mara, in the midst of her existential crisis, imagines how much simpler her life would be as a seahorse.”

Christiane O Mahony is an award-winning comedian, accomplished actor and budding film maker, with 2 short films under her belt and a third Meitherhood in post production. Theatre credits include Pygmalion (Abbey Theatre), Sisters of the Rising (For the Birds), The Windstealers, Ann and Barry (Dublin Fringe Festival), Town is Dead (Peacock), Playboy of the Western World (Druid Theatre) and Orpheus (The Everyman). Working as a stand up comedian, Christiane appeared on Chris Evans (BBC Radio 1), supported Des Bishop on tour and played at all main comedy clubs and festivals in Ireland. Christiane was named the semi-ﬁnalist in the UK’s Funny Women and Musical Comedy Awards and she also won 2nd Prize in Show Me the Funny.

Brian Mitchell is theatre technician, a critically acclaimed lighting designer and the other half of For the Birds. Recent lighting design credits include, The Lonesome West, Factory Girls, Dancing at Lughnasa, The Secret Garden (The Everyman), Levin and Levin (Project), Crowman (Cork Midsummer). He designed both the Set and Lighting for the national tour of Sisters of the Rising (For the Birds).

Davey Kelleher is an inter-disciplinary theatre-maker and director. Recent projects include Glowworm, These Lights (Dublin Fringe Festival) and the award winning Birdy (Abbey Theatre, Peacock Stage, Dublin Fringe Festival). He was Artist in Residence at the Civic Theatre Dublin 2017-18, and most recently, Associate Director at the Cork Opera House. He is a graduate of Trinity College’s Beckett Centre, and the Lir Academy Dublin.

Janet Grainger is a Cork based visual artist. She was an animator on the Irish Oscar-nominated short film series Give Up Yer Aul Sins, producer on Sundance selected documentary 6 Farms and also exhibits her award-winning photography.

LISTINGS

A Christiane O Mahony & For the Birds Theatre Company production
SEAHORSE
Conceived and Written by Christiane O Mahony
Directed by Davey Kelleher
Designed by Brian Mitchell
Animation and videography by Janet Grainger
Supported by The Arts Council / An Chomhairle Ealaíon, Rough Magic Theatre Company, Axis and The
Everyman.
Developed at FRINGE LAB with the support of Dublin Fringe Festival

Performance Dates: Tuesday 18 – Saturday 22 September 2018
Preview: Tuesday 18 September 2018 at 18:30
Press in from: Wednesday 19 September
Times: 18:30 with an additional performance on Saturday 22 September at 16:15
Venue: Project Arts Centre, Cube
Address: 39 Essex St E, Temple Bar, Dublin 2, D02 RD45
Tickets: Dublin Fringe Festival: FringeFest.com
Duration: 70 mins
Suggested Age Recommendation: 16+