Climate-focused theatremaking top of agenda at Theatre Royal

Climate-focused theatremaking top of agenda at Theatre Royal

Climate-focused theatremaking and community collaboration is to stay top of the agenda at Theatre Royal, as it extends the artistic residency of Nicholas Kavanagh, Curious State Theatre Company, for a third year. 

Since joining Theatre Royal as artist-in-residence, Nicholas has been a driving force behind innovative theatremaking with a climate action focus, working closely with the theatre team to spark conversations about climate challenges through art. With two impactful years behind them, the journey is far from over, and year three promises to be the most ambitious yet!

Nicholas said it’s been ‘empowering as a creative artist and theatre maker’ to call the Theatre Royal home over the past two years, and to have experts on hand to discuss and test new ideas for performance:

“It has been a real joy to collaborate with the incredible team at this historic venue. It is truly inspiring, as a local theatre maker, to be trusted to follow in the footsteps of the great artists who have created, produced and performed at ‘The People’s Theatre’. It was especially rewarding to create a new show, Where the Wildflowers Grow, which explored climate change, biodiversity, belonging and friendship. Friendship being an important element in this winning relationship between myself, my company Curious State and the team at Theatre Royal. This magical, creative journey brought us all closer together and enabled us to create a truly beautiful piece of promenade theatre for all the family. The response from family, friends, students and family audiences was so uplifting and this creative journey has laid the foundation to explore an even more exciting body of work in 2025.”

In this extended residency, Nicholas plans to deepen his engagement with both artists and audiences through a range of initiatives. Expanding the theatre’s commitment to artistic development, these will include workshops in performance training and skill-sharing sessions for local artists, fostering growth in Waterford’s arts community.

Other plans include:

• A heritage installation that celebrates the building’s history and its role in the cultural fabric of the city.
• A new artistic project that will explore how diverse audiences interact with the theatre, reimagining the space through fresh perspectives and creative interventions.
• Interactive experiences with second-level students to inspire the next generation of theatre-makers.
• Working with a scientist and two local primary schools to testbed ideas for a new ocean and coastal sustainability-focused work that will build upon the vision of Where the Wildflowers Grow.

Theatre Royal director Mary Boland said the residency extension marks a milestone moment for the venue, reaffirming its commitment to socially-engaged theatremaking:

"We are absolutely delighted to continue our collaboration with Nicholas, whose work has not only inspired audiences but also strengthened our theatre’s role as a hub for creativity, climate activism and community engagement.”