Skip to main content

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Sign up
Back to Residencies

Asylum Productions 2023

2023
Asylum Productions

Artists in Residence at the Watergate Theatre 2023

Asylum Productions are Watergate Artists in Residence in 2023. The Watergate Board and Management are thrilled with this expansion to their programme of artists supports.

This residency is a follow on from the success of the 2020-2022 residency, held by Kilkenny based theatre company, Monkeyshine.

Joanna Cunningham, Director of the Watergate said, ‘the continuation and growth, by the Watergate, of this identified need as part of Kilkenny’s artistic infrastructure is evidence of the vibrant and innovative work being done by theatre artists throughout the county. We feel so lucky to have Asylum in residence with us and hope to build on this relationship beyond the coming year’

Asylum Production’s Big Chapel X was awarded an Irish Times Theatre Award in 2019.

Co-artistic Directors Medb Lambert and Dónal Gallagher said, ‘In recent years most of Asylum's work has been created and presented outside of traditional theatre spaces, and we are very excited to be engaging with a real live theatre for a change. We’re best known locally for the Callan Trilogy – Six By Sundown in the old Callan Workhouse, Bridge Street Will Be – a theatrical exploration of the past present and future of Bridge Street in Callan; and the multi-award nominated Big Chapel X, an adaptation of Thomas Kilroy's Booker nominated novel, using the entire town of Callan as it's stage.

Last year we produced Everything Must Go! In a disused supermarket in Clonmel, and later this year we will present The Local – a site-sensitive immersive exploration of the place of the pub in Irish society, as part of Kilkenny Arts Festival 2023.

Our work is about bringing communities of people together – and making top-class theatre for, with and about the communities they serve.
Having recently explored the role of the church, the supermarket and the humble local pub within the fabric of civic society, Asylum will use their residency to explore the role of theatre itself within our communities, and look forward to working with the Watergate and the people of Kilkenny to reimagine what the Watergate might be into the future.’
Image: Dylan Vaughan

Image: Dylan Vaughan

The Local by Medb Lambert, Clare Monnelly & Emma O'Grady and Directed by Dónal Gallagher came to life in Sheridan's Ennisnag during Kilkenny Arts Festival 2023.

Asylum & Kilkenny Arts Festival in association with Once Off Productions & Watergate Theatre.

Following on from the success of the award-winning Big Chapel X, Asylum Productions returned with their unique production style bringing local actors, community groups and professional performers and artists together for a sold out run as part of Kilkenny Arts Festival 2023.