King

Age guide: 14+. Contains themes of parental loss, mental health struggles and agoraphobia; strobe lighting and strong language/swearing.Digital programme available hereKING tells the story of Luther, a man from Cork named in honour of his Granny Bee Baw’s hero, Dr Martin Luther King Jr.  Luther only leaves his apartment for essential journeys, and to perform as an Elvis impersonator.  The play explores prejudice, privilege, and resilience, as Luther struggles to live life to the full. A veteran of the stage in Ireland, Pat Kinevane’s collaborations with Fishamble have been described by The Guardian as “dazzling” for their use of color, movement, and expression to create a singular emotional experience. Named a Pick of the Fringe at the 2023 Edinburgh Fringe Festival and nominated for Mental Health Foundation Award and the OffFest Awards 2024 for ‘Solo Performance’. KING explores how our personal and collective history shape us into strange new forms, demanding courage at every turn.King is the fifth collaboration between Pat Kinevane and Fishamble, with Jim Culleton as director. The production was developed with the support of Nasc Network Commission and Georganne Aldrich Heller. Cast and CrewWritten & Performed by Pat Kinevane Director Jim Culleton Composer and Sound Designer Denis Clohessy Lighting Designer Pius McGrath Stylist Catherine Condell Make Up Zoe Clark Dramaturg Gavin Kostick Choreographer Kristina Chaloir and Julian Brigatti Voice of Tango Instructor José Miguel Jimenez Producer Eva Scanlan Associate Producer Cally Shine Marketing Dafni Zarkadi, Allie Whelan & Rachel Foran Image by Leo Byrne & Publicis Graphic Design Publicis PR O’Doherty Communications Review quotes ‘incredibly compelling and poignant narrative’   – Irish Times     ‘the stagecraft [is] unsurpassed…immaculate’  – Sunday Independent     ‘impressive…moments of pure Kinevane gold’  – The Arts Review     ‘virtuosic theatricality…excellent…inventive’  – Irish Independent     'impressive… easy to recommend'   – No More Workhorse  Company and Cast Bios Fishamble discovers, develops and produces new plays of national importance with a global reach. It has toured its productions to audiences throughout Ireland, and to 19 other countries. It champions the role of the playwright, typically supporting over 50% of the writers of all new plays produced on the island of Ireland each year. Fishamble has received many awards in Ireland and internationally, including an Olivier Award. Fishamble is funded by the Arts Council, Dublin City Council, and Culture Ireland.    Pat Kinevane is a native of Cobh, Co. Cork. He has worked as an actor in theatre, film, television and radio for 30 years. In 2016 Pat won a Laurence Olivier Award in London for his Outstanding Achievement as an Actor and a Writer this year. This prestigious award was shared with Fishamble and Jim Culleton who have been integral to the Production and Direction of Pat’s three Solo Shows.  As a writer he completed his first full length play The Nun’s Wood in 1997 which won a BBC Stewart Parker Trust Award and was produced by Fishamble. Fishamble then produced his second play The Plains of Enna (Dublin Theatre Festival 1999). Pat wrote The Death of Herod for Mysteries 2000 at the SFX. In 2008 his piece Evangeline Elsewhere premiered in New York in the First Irish Festival.     Pat has been touring since 2006 with his four solo pieces Forgotten (Irish Times Theatre Award Nominee) Silent (Scotsman Fringe First, Herald Angel and Brighton Argus Angel Award) Underneath (Scotsman Fringe First and Adelaide Fringe Awards), and Before (Herald Archangel Award winner) all produced by Fishamble.