Three new shows at Longford's Backstage Theatre over the next week

There are three new shows at Longford's Backstage Theatre over the coming week - Nettle Horse, Gearóid Farrelly: Glamour Hammer and Prickly.

Nettle Horse

Hundreds of dispossessed families travel west after winning a lottery orchestrated by an unscrupulous local councillor at the behest of Dandelion Ní Houlihan, a mysterious 103 year Bostonian benefactor seeking beatification.

All roads lead to Gortnapuca where gangs of carpenters sleep ten to a tent in anticipation of a building frenzy, Mink Devine is selling edible beetles, and a small boy finds solace amidst the chaos by befriending a horse in a circus field.

Set in the near future, Nettle Horse by award winning writer, performer and musician, Little John Nee is a transformative theatrical odyssey weaving storytelling, song, and satire that invites the audience to step into a parallel universe and witness the magic of their own imaginations in creating the future.

Tickets Nettle Horse at Backstage Theatre Longford on Thursday, February 15 at 8pm are available on 043 33 47888 or backstage.ie

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Gearóid Farrelly: Glamour Hammer

After some time sitting on the couch we are back to real life. Trousers instead of tracksuit bottoms and coffee and a biscuit instead of four gin and tonics and half a cheese cake. In this show Gearóid takes a look at the litany of things in our lives that just don’t measure up. Everything from his generic-looking cat to Shania Twain.

He will also be examining the big issues that really sell tickets like mental health, masculinity and relationships (sexy stuff as opposed to splitting bills) and how we’re living in a time when we can say anything we like and it becomes the truth.

Tickets Gearóid Farrelly: Glamour Hammer at Backstage Theatre Longford on Friday, February 16 at 8pm are available on 0433347888 or backstage.ie

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Prickly

An energetic, magical, dark comedy – think Motherland, meets Black Books, meets Fleabag.

Dublin’s best Debt Collector, Shauna, is struggling to control the challenging thoughts in her head. Usually, speaking to her Cacti is enough to keep her worries at bay. But now her best (and only) friend has had a baby – Shauna’s mind is in overdrive.

When she finds an unexpected companion during a routine debt collection, she is forced to tap into her own softer side, and consider changing how she manages the thinking in her head once and for all…

But in the cut-throat world of Debt Collecting, can she care for this creature and still come out on top?

Prickly is the debut play of actor and writer Caoimhe O’Malley. Produced by The Mill Theatre, in association with Backstage Theatre and Droichead Arts Centre.

Starring Caoimhe O’Malley and Genevieve Hulme Beaman and directed by Maisie Lee. Prickly is a magical, fantastical, dark comedy about the care we give to ourselves and others. Contains strong language.

Tickets Prickly at Backstage Theatre Longford on Wednesday, February 21 at 8pm are available on 0433347888 or backstage.ie