Kildare playwright makes Dublin Fringe Festival debut

Kildare playwright Cian Ó Náraigh makes his Dublin Fringe Festival debut with his and Scaoilte Theatre’s new one-man sharp theatre show that delves into a macabre spirit world.

Anonn is a bilingual, gothic one-man show, following a fake-spirit medium who actually makes contact with the other side.

The play, directed by Graham Butler Breen, premieres at Smock Alley Theatre (Boys School) - and is the professional debut of Scaoilte Theatre, following earlier development of Seift, an Irish language play about political grifting and identity.

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Developed at Dublin Fringe Festival Studios and at Scene+Heard 2025, Ó Náraigh’s humorous new play explores ideas of belief and grief, using the Irish language to expose the past and the realities of who we are.

The work is vulnerable, funny, and horrifying all at once and explores themes of grief, loss, and the grisly, all from the safety of a salt circle.

Seoirse, played by Elliot Nolan, has been pretending to be a spirit medium. But when he actually makes contact with the spirit world, he’s forced to confront what he has done.        

Anonn first began as a project on Irish language folklore, before evolving into a work-in-progress at Scene & Heard in February 2025. It’s a first glance at the work Scaoilte Theatre wishes to make: bilingual, environmentally sustainable, and playful in form and narrative.      

Supported by Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council & Kildare County Council.

LISTING:     

Smock Alley Theatre - Boys’ School

Previews: Sunday September 7 / 6.30pm / €12

Opens: Monday September 8 / 9.00pm / €14-€16

Runs: Tuesday 9, Wednesday 10, Thursday 11 & Sunday 14 September (ISL Interpreted performance) / 9.00pm / €14-€16

Matinee: Saturday September 13 / 1.15pm / €14-€16

DFF Box Office: Tel: 1800 374 643. https://www.fringefest.com/festival/whats-on/anonn-the-other-side

Smock Alley Box Office: Tel: 01 6770014 / https://smockalley.ticketsolve.com/ticketbooth/shows/873656710

www.scaoilte.com for more information.