Drama group with Kildare ties to stage 'Strings of Destiny' in August
'Strings' of Destiny, by Willow Productions, is a novel version of the timeless classic, 'Pinocchio'
An Edenderry-based drama group is rehearsing for its novel production of the fairytale classic, Pinocchio, entitled 'Strings of Destiny.'
The play - which stars a number of Kildare actors - is written by 20-year-old Louis McGlinchey, director of Willow Productions, a local drama group he set up in 2023 with the ambition of staging his own plays.
In Strings of Destiny, the golden age of Camelot has begun to fade, leaving the kingdom shrouded in shadow after King Arthur is killed by the the treacherous Morgana.
Queen Guinevere, Princess Elodie and the few survivors of the purge have been exiled and the throne has been left surrounded by the darkness.
The land cries out for a saviour, but little do they know that the form this saviour takes is the legendary 'Pinocchio.'
In a retelling of two timeless myths, Pinocchio carries the weight of conscience he once fought to earn. He must draw Excalibur from the stone, but he carries a secret which will only worsen over time...
Speaking of 'Strings of Destiny' while still attempting to draw Excalibur from the stone, Louis says: “We've been rehearsing properly since May - rehearsals are going amazingly, the cast are unbelievable, they're so talented and dedicated, there's a massive variety in ages and they're all just so committed.
“Willow Productions is a community theatre production group which was started by me in 2023, when I was 17. It was very much me wanting to put on one of the shows I wrote and I got a few people who I'd done shows with, and we just put on a show.
“Every show, I try to bring back what fairytales are really about, which is teaching kids and teaching a message, not just kids but everyone. Fairytales are I guess a way to teach everyone these life lessons that everyone really needs.”
As Louis explains, this includes themes such as dealing with grief, the bond between siblings, finding out who one really is, finding one's place in life, etc.
Although based in Edenderry, Willow Productions has cast members from as far afield as Derrinturn, Prosperous, and Allenwood, Co Kildare.
Some of the shows have had cast members from Dublin, Wexford and from “all across Ireland”, he points out.
Past productions from Willow Productions include: 'Once Upon a Princess' (2023); 'The Merry Adventures of Robyn Hood' (2024); and 'Snow and Red' (2025).
Louis says he first started writing plays to help him deal with autism, and the many challenges it lays before him.
“The first ever show I wrote was based kind of off my own experiences, as a little sibling who adored my older sibling. But I was worried what my own path was, and I didn't know what my path was.
“The plays are my way of teaching kids that it's okay, you don't need to have everything figured out, but you will eventually. You don't need to have things figured out when you're 13, or even 19 – you can just figure it out as you go.”
'Strings of Destiny' shows in St Mary's Primary School, Edenderry on August 28 and 29 2026.