Mermaid tale to showcase local theatrical talent in Ballydehob

AN original new production by a local theatre group will be staged in Ballydehob as part of the village’s Maritime Music Festival.

The play Mermaid was written by Terri Leiber and devised by the cast and members of Creative Co-op.  It is an update of the Hans Christian Anderson fairytale, The Little Mermaid, and is timely, as a new Disney version of the original is currently in movie theatres. 

‘Although it does contain mermaids – which are enjoying quite a renaissance at the moment – it is a parable for our times, drawing parallels with refugees, emigration and the state of the environment,’ says Terri. ‘It also deals with the timeless issues of loss, love and obsession.’

Dick Miles as Dan Birdseye. (Photo: Aisling Drummond)

The theatre company was commissioned by festival director Dick Miles to create a sea-themed play after the glowing reviews the company received for its production last year of Marina Carr’s By the Bog of Cats, which was performed in Ballydehob and Glebe Gardens in Baltimore.

‘The play is both tragic and comedic,’ adds Terri, who explained that it also contains original music by musician Polly Barrett, and a haunting original soundscape by sound artist Tim Lloyd.

Mermaid will be performed in the beer garden at Levis’ Corner House on June 18th, 20th and 21st and tickets can be purchased through Eventbrite.

‘The membership of Creative Co-op is always evolving and our door is open to local people of any age who have a passion for any sort of creativity,’ says Terri. ‘We have members who are actors, artists, dancers, writers, film makers, musicians and people who just want to be part of a theatrical creation in some supportive capacity such as stage managing, producing, organising or anything else the team needs.’

Terri says she began the group post-Covid to give frustrated creative folk, like herself, an outlet for pent-up imagination. ‘I hope we can keep the momentum going through whatever future is barrelling towards us. My own background is in writing plays and stories, directing school musicals, acting and performing.’

Terri was also one half of the comedy cabaret duo Eileen and Marilyn and occasional band member of the late-lamented Lazy Horse.

Rose Grove Raines as Froth. (Photo: Aisling Drummond)

‘The young people coming up through my school drama classes give me enormous hope for the future of the arts,’ says Terri, adding that the Ballydehob community is bursting with every sort of artist imaginable.

Terri is also the mother of well-known local and international musicians Molly, Matilda and Fiachra O’Mahony, who themselves entertained the masses during lockdown with their online sessions.

‘With Mermaid, we even found a role for Dick Miles himself as Neptune, the king of the sea and he gets to display his musical talents – and his lesser known skills as an actor,’ she says. ‘We hope people will enjoy this highly entertaining and thought-provoking piece of theatre and perhaps it might also awaken a creative longing in some of the audience who might then decide to get in touch and join us in our next adventure. They would be very welcome.’

• Mermaid will be performed in the beer garden at Levis’ Corner House on June 18th, 20th and 21st and tickets can be purchased through Eventbrite.