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06 Sept 2025

Fair City/Love Hate actor brings new play to Longford's Backstage Theatre

Longford's Backstage Theatre will welcome Peter Gowen and Jack Healy on 5 November as they perform their new play 'Declan's Got Talent'.

Fair City/Love Hate actor brings new play to Longford's Backstage Theatre

Declan's Got Talent from the Backstage Theatre WebsiteWebsite

Fight2Flight Theatre’s latest offering is ‘Declan’s Got Talent’, a new dark comedy portrayed by two actors and written by Peter Gowen, whom you may recognise from Fair City and Love/Hate.

In the play we see Declan trying to prepare for his upcoming audition on a talent show, but there is someone else there. As Declan tries to silence this other voice we are dragged back into East Cork/West Waterford in the late Sixties. 

Throughout the performance, we follow Declan attempting to enter the Church, cope with his infatuations and watch him triumph. 

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Declan lives by himself, but he is not alone. He wants to prove to himself and his constant companion that he has what it takes. After years of suffering from a lack of confidence, he’s decided to “Go for it!”

Starring Peter Gowen and Jack Healy, ‘Declan’s Got Talent’, will receive its world premiere at the newly re-opened Briery Gap, Macroom before touring Ireland for three weeks in late October until  November 16 with a final night at The Palace Fermoy. It will be also revived in January 2025 at Smock Alley as part of the First Fortnight Festival.

 

Following the success of Peter Gowen’s Chronicles of Oggle and Country and Irish for Fight2Flight, the play looks at the contradictions of an Irish childhood in the 1960/70’s – Declan dreams of a life which are at odds with Society’s view of him.

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Now in his sixties, Declan has decided that he wants to prove something to himself, and he has managed to get past the first round of auditions for Britain’s Got Talent. He is ready to give his all.

 

But who is that up there with him?

 

Who is that, dragging up the past?

 

Who is this presence in his life, his companion through thick and thin?

‘Declan’s Got Talent’ will be shown in the Backstage Theatre in Longford on 5 November.

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