2022-Present
Midsummer Parade
Cork Community Art Link
Following two years of development, as part of Cork Midsummer Festival 2024 the artists from Suisha Inclusive Arts/Cope Foundation presented their play about housing, horror films and protest.
In Cork, in a not-so-distant future, a group of artists are living together. Some are rappers, some comedians, some dancers, and some actors. Their home is their right, and their comfort, but the newly elected government doesn’t agree. The gang decides to fight back, with protests, cups of tea and viral music videos - determined to keep their Home Sweet Home.
This ambitious disability-led production, which features creatively-embedded access including Audio Description, Captioning, Irish Sign Language Interpretation, and Relaxed Performances, is a collaboration with director Al Bellamy and playwright Jody O’Neill, and marks 10 years of Suisha Inclusive Arts/Cope Foundation.
Performed and Devised by BenÓg Brady, Ruby Hardie Brown, Jason Buckley, Paul Fitzgerald, Andy Forrestal, Fergus Hegarty, Brendan Looney, Sarah Lynch, Florin Nolan, Diarmuid O’Leary, Aoife O’Sullivan, Gerard Whealy
Writer Jody O’Neill
Director Al Bellamy
Producer Eoin Ó hAnnracháin
Production Manager Scott Duggan
Stage Management Beth Cosgrove, ASM Niamh Wiseman
Set Design Olan Wrynn
Costume Suisha Arts, Lauren Reynolds, Valentina Gambardella
Music Composition Eoin Nash with Suisha Arts
Lighting Design Eoin Winning
Sound Design HK Ní Shioradáin
Movement Inma Pavón
Videography Matthew Murphy Media
Prompter Buddy Todd
Captions Áine Falvey
AV Operator Ben Burns
Production Assistants Helen Cantwell, Millie Baynham
Exec Producer Susan Holland
Access Advisors Birds of Paradise Theatre Company
Supported by the Arts Council, Cork City Council, and Benefact’s Movement for Good programme, Cope Foundation, Cork Education & Training Board, Cork Opera House, and UCC Department of Theatre. Initially conceived as part of the BE PART (art BEyond PARTicipation) Creative Europe network.
