Exciting play for young audiences comes to Mayo
Mary Lou McCarthy's 'The Dead Letter Office' is coming to Westport.
An exciting and ground-breaking play for young audiences and their families will tour eight venues nationwide in October 2024, including Westport Town Hall Theatre.
Mary-Lou McCarthy’s returns to Irish stages after its successful run in Cork and Dublin in 2022. The play tackles themes of migration and displacement, and considers the possibilities of connection for children aged nine and over.
At a time when primary school class numbers and diversity are growing due to Ukrainian children, Syrian children and others seeking refuge and asylum, this play presents an opportunity for children to discuss displacement and belonging in a new place.
The play, by Cork playwright and actor Mary-Lou McCarthy, debuted in 2022 to rave reviews from children and schools, and is returning for a nationwide tour. The story is full of mysteries to be solved and excited audiences in Tallaght and Cork, many of whom had not experienced live performance before. It uses the familiar world of post to explore why people are sometimes forced to travel across the globe in search of a new home.
The story begins in the basement of a rural Irish post office where a lonely letter detective, Elizabeth, sorts, redirects and investigates packages and letters that have lost their way. An enormous box reveals a woman who has posted herself from Syria, along with precious artifacts from the museum she works at, allowing the audience to unearth her story, learn about her culture, and explore our own place in the world. The play is full of exciting sights, sounds, and smells!
Students who attend the play receive a digital educational resource pack and video resources to further explore the themes of the play.
sees an award winning creative team collaborating to bring the best in Irish theatre to the stage for young audiences. The play was developed in consultation with schools, children, creatives and experts in digital technology on the research and writing. The play is 60 minutes with no interval and is suitable for ages nine and over. Performances are available to book by school groups and families.
*As a special point of interest, an olfactory device releases smells during the performance.
will be in Westport Town Hall Theatre on Friday and Saturday, September 27 and 28.
There will be performances for school groups during school hours on Friday, September 27, at 10am and 12.30pm. The 12.30pm show for schools will incorporate an Irish Sign Language (ISL) interpreter.
The 2pm show on Saturday, September 28, is public and tickets are available on westporttheatre.com or by calling the box office on 098-28459. Audience capacity is limited, so early booking is advised.
