Ards and North Down Borough Council’s Arts Service is delighted to welcome emerging theatre company Hollow Reed to Bangor this autumn, as they bring their debut production Thicker than Water to Studio 1A on Hamilton Road for one night only on Thursday 16 October at 8pm.
Following a sold-out performance at The Sanctuary Theatre, Belfast, Thicker than Water transports audiences back to the mid-nineteenth century, where two sisters – Bronagh, a woman of her time, and Saoirse, an outsider, brilliantly performed by Niamh Docherty and Caoimhe Ryan – find themselves forced to leave Antrim behind after a violent mistake with their landlord. On the run and bound for a new life, the play explores feminine responses to consequence and asks how far we might go to outrun fate.
Written by local playwright Theo Traynor, the story examines family, freedom and resilience against the backdrop of famine. Speaking about the play, Traynor said:
“This story doesn’t concentrate on the famine. It’s really about the relationship between the two sisters, it’s about women trying to break free from their oppressive society to the best of their abilities.”
Directed by Jordan Paul and Niamh Docherty, the work was first staged in Liverpool in 2023. Paul, who also co-founded Hollow Reed, explained his aim in staging the piece:
“Family struggles and daily struggles that are sometimes overlooked in times of crisis really do exist, and sometimes it can be a multitude of things that catapult people into an extraordinary response. As a new company, Hollow Reed is dedicated to giving local actors professional opportunities while staging bold, contemporary writing that shines a light on overlooked or unheard stories.”
Amy McKelvey, Community Arts Development Officer for Ards and North Down Borough Council, added:
“We are thrilled to host Hollow Reed’s debut performance here in Bangor. Thicker than Water is a powerful example of the kind of fresh, thought-provoking theatre being created in Northern Ireland today, and we are excited for audiences to experience it.”
Tickets cost £15 and are on sale now at: www.andculture.org.uk