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theatre · Friday 11 September 2026 · 8:00pm 
Because I'm Worth It
At Backstage Theatre · Flancare Park, Longford, Co. Longford
At Backstage Theatre · Flancare Park, Longford, Co. Longford
Barbara Scully arrives at Backstage Theatre in Longford on 11 September with her brand-new one-woman show - a follow-up to the well-received Older Bolder Wiser that had audiences laughing in recognition. The show is built around a simple, defiant idea: that women in their sixties have earned the right to put themselves first, and Scully is here to make that argument with considerable comic force. If you have ever sat in a middle seat on a budget flight wondering why you agreed to this, you will find plenty to relate to.
Because I’m Worth It runs for 90 minutes with one interval, blending stand-up comedy and personal storytelling. Scully draws on her own experience - the indulgences she has decided she deserves, the inconveniences she has cheerfully stopped tolerating (flying Ryanair features prominently), and the broader case for ageing on your own terms rather than the terms the world tries to set. She is sharp on the gap between how women over 40 are expected to behave and how she actually intends to live.
The show has been touring Irish venues to strong response, and Scully has built a loyal following among audiences - mainly but not exclusively women - who feel underserved by most stand-up. Expect warmth as well as wit; this is storytelling as much as comedy, and the two sit comfortably together.
Backstage Theatre itself is a fine room for this kind of show. The 212-seat auditorium has a reputation for comfortable seating, good sightlines, and a cosy atmosphere - no seat is too far from the action. The venue has a bar and lounge, so you can settle in properly before curtain.
Longford town sits on the main N4 Dublin-to-Sligo route, roughly 120km from Dublin. By road it is about 90 minutes from the capital. By rail, Irish Rail runs regular services from Dublin Connolly and Heuston to Longford station, which is a short walk or taxi ride from the town centre. Backstage Theatre is at Flancare Park, close to the town centre. Street parking is available nearby, and the venue is accessible on foot from the main shopping streets.
Longford town is a compact, unpretentious midlands town with a good few pubs for a pre-show drink and a relaxed pace once you step off the main road. The county stretches west into the lakeland of Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands, with Lough Ree and Lough Forbes close at hand if you want to make a day of it. There is more to see in Longford and across Co. Longford.
Heading to Backstage Theatre in Longford? Longford has plenty more to see. Read the Longford area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.