Crossing the Line | Episode Two: Preparations Begin

Blue Teapot Theatre Company is delighted to launch a digital mini-series ‘The Festival that never was, the celebration that is’ of a nine year span of work. This series encapsulates the many highlights of Crossing the Line, a network of leading European arts organisations for intellectually disabled artists and our Galway 2020 European Capital of Culture journey from inception of the bid book to present day.
Along with six partner organisations from Sweden, Poland, Netherlands, England, Wales & France, we worked towards our most ambitious project yet - Crossing The Line Festival with over 100 Irish and European artists,and theatre makers due to participate in a first for a European Capital of Culture. Programmed for May 2020, the festival was cancelled as a result of the pandemic and Blue Teapot’s flagship theatre show ‘Into the Dark Woods’ by Charlene Kelly was reimagined. We continue to develop the production and are looking forward to bringing audiences live performances once theatres re-open.
Who knows what the future will bring but we are positive we will see you soon!
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Episode 1: • Crossing the Line | Ep...
Crossing the Line: ‘The Festival that never was, the Celebration that is’
Episode Two: Preparations Begin
With the go-ahead from Crossing the Line partners & Galway 2020 for ‘Crossing the Line - A Pan-European Theatre Festival’ preparations and planning were fully underway.
In January 2017, Blue Teapot were invited to the first incarnation of Crossing The Line Festival, by French hosts Compagnie de l’Oiseau-Mouche in Roubaix. With funding support from Culture Ireland and Galway 2020, they travelled a team of 9 actors and 5 staff to see theatre by Mind the Gap, Moomsteatern and hosts over three days, participating in workshops and to screen the European premiere of Irish feature film‘ Sanctuary’.
The experience was invaluable - what would it be like to travel to Europe’s mainland with people requiring additional support, some of whom had never left Ireland? How was it to work with peer companies, navigate the language barriers of French, Polish, Swedish, Dutch?
From this productive visit, the prospect of bringing a large-scale festival to Galway became apparent and the idea of a ‘Festival Hub’ was born; a casual place to meet friends, chat & stop by before a performance and always, always, good coffee!
Father Burke Park, Claddagh was chosen as the central location for Festival Hub & Theatre Tent. The team reached out to the business community and friends of Galway’s West End. The response was overwhelmingly positive.
To give Galway audiences a flavour of the Festival to come, Blue Teapot programmed the international hit show ‘Meet Fred’ (by Hijinx, Cardiff) as part of the 2017 Galway International Arts Festival. An instant sell -out, success, it proved extremely useful to Team Teapot , an insight into what it took to bring in an outside touring company to Blue Teapot Theatre.

[@craigwaters5511]

Amazing congratulations Charlene and everyone ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@bacoxy81]

Looks like ye had a ball in France. Hope to see this come to fruition in the future.

[@craigwaters7299]

Congratulations Charlene and Jenny and everyone'💞💞💕💞

[@craigwaters5511]

Congratulations Charlene jenny and everyone 💕💕

[@craigwaters5511]

Nice