Image: Gerry Lee
In a world where beauty is found in acts of kindness, An Prionsa Sona is a tale that inspires us all to perhaps be a little less selfish and a little kinder
This Christmas An Taibhdhearc presents a new Irish language production of Oscar Wilde’s The Happy Prince, set in Ireland and in a town not unlike Galway. This adaptation reimagines one of Wilde’s best-loved short stories and is filled with magic, music, song, dance, and a little silliness.
Running from 1–19 December and suitable for audiences of all ages, An Prionsa Sona tells the story of a Prince and a Swallow whose acts of kindness change the lives of those around them. Tickets are on sale now, ranging from €10 for school students to €50 for family tickets, with individual tickets priced from €12 to €20, and available to buy here.
An Prionsa Sona is a moving and magical story about a Swallow and a Prince both willing to give up everything to ease the hardship of others. As autumn falls and the weather turns, the little Swallow faces a race against time to reach the warmer climate of Egypt, but one fateful night and a chance encounter with the golden statue of the Happy Prince changes the course of everything.
Directed by Muireann Kelly, with choreography by Meadhbh Lyons and original music by Danny Forde, this adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s classic tale combines storytelling, music and dance. The adaptation was translated into Irish by acclaimed poet and playwright Celia de Fréine, whose translation brings a lyrical quality to the production while remaining faithful to Wilde’s original story with subtle references to wildlife in the west of Ireland. Evanne Kilgallon stars as the Swallow, alongside Fionnán Morley as An Prionsa Sona, Séamus Hughes as An Méara, Hannah O’Reilly as An Banmhéara and Lorraine de Staic as Áine. They are joined by a junior cast aged 7–13, who play the children and other townspeople.
Speaking about this year’s Christmas production, Muireann Kelly, Artistic Director and Co-CEO of An Taibhdhearc, said: “We want the audience to feel like we are opening up a pop up storybook, and inviting them into the world of the story, filled with magic, music and beauty.
I drew inspiration from the poetry in Oscar Wilde’s short stories and also Aubrey Beardsley's illustrations. Inspiration also came from An Taibhdhearc’s own Art Deco building and the work of our first Artistic Director, Micheál Mac Liammóir, who also illustrated his own children’s stories. We’ve drawn on all these influences to develop this new Irish language adaptation that feels rooted in the tradition of classic storytelling, while offering children and families something magical to experience this Christmas.”
An Taibhdhearc is committed to making Irish-language theatre accessible to audiences at every level of fluency. English and Irish closed captions will be available through the SIBRWD app, allowing audiences to follow the story in the language they feel most comfortable with. There will be a relaxed performance on the 13th of December at 3pm.
Tickets for An Prionsa Sona, running from 1–19 December at An Taibhdhearc, Galway, are available to buy HERE.