Stormfest: A week of theatrical delights for people of all ages in Kilkenny

StormFest 24, a captivating week of plays for children and their families and young adults will take place during Kilkenny Arts Festival .

Set against the backdrop of John’s Quay, StormFest promises laughter, adventure, and heartwarming stories that will leave audiences of all ages spellbound.

Barnstorm Theatre Company presents three renowned productions with exciting experiences for all; and a world-premiere of a site-specific show in development.

An August 10 and 11 Brú Theatre presents The Libravian. Audiences will meet Lynn, a lovable ‘libravian’ minding her own business amongst the bookshelves until Ben the Book Tour guide gets the mumps and suddenly, she is doing the one thing she said she’d never do again!

Meanwhile on August 13 and 14 Julie Sharkey presents An Ant Called Amy which tells the very special story about an Ant called Amy, her brother Andy and a brown spider. Amy the ant works very hard. When she wins the Employee of the Month Award Amy feels happiness that drives her to work even harder. But with the help of the Brown Spider, Amy finds true happiness by embracing her brother’s memory in the everyday. A special story about a busy ant who learns to slow down.

On August 15 and 16 Branar presents You’ll See… Ulysses for Children? James Joyce’s epic story of one day in one city is brought to life in this inventive new show, bringing Ireland’s most notorious book to audiences aged eight and upwards, and to all those who haven’t got around to reading it yet.

On August 12 audiences will get a sneak peek at a new site-specific performance by Anna Uí Dhúill. Barnstorm will showcase development of their new site-specific performance which will be produced in summer 2025. This snippet will bring audiences closer to the young people of Kilkenny, and the stories they have to tell. The unique project will use the city as its backdrop and invites the audience to interact with the characters and the environment.

Artistic Director of Barnstorm Theatre Company, Philip Hardy said he is excited by the upcoming performances.

“We are delighted to partner Kilkenny Arts Festival in providing quality theatre experiences for family audiences during the festival. It is important to showcase great work from renowned companies in our home city.”