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theatre · Saturday 27 June 2026 · TBC 
Captain Splash
At Mermaid Arts Centre · Main Street, Bray, Co. Wicklow
At Mermaid Arts Centre · Main Street, Bray, Co. Wicklow
Captain Splash is a 60-minute family magic show that packs sword illusions, physical comedy and ocean-themed storytelling into a single hour that tends to leave children - and their parents - with sore sides from laughing. It is the creation of Jeff Keough, an American clown trained at Florida’s famous Clown College who went on to tour with Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey’s Circus. That circus pedigree shows: this is not a gentle puppet show but a full-energy live performance aimed at anyone old enough to appreciate a well-timed pratfall. All ages are welcome.
The show follows a loose ocean adventure with three recurring characters alongside the performer: Squawk the parrot, Sam the Clam, and a Naughty Narwhal. In between character appearances, Keough works through a set of visual magic gags built around sword magic and wand tricks, culminating in a sequence billed as the “Bermuda Triangle of Terror.” The tone is firmly comedic rather than spooky - the terror is entirely of the giggling variety. Dick Van Dyke has called Keough “the funniest clown I’ve met,” and the Irish Independent described the show as “guaranteed family fun.” The Mermaid Arts Centre is a proper seated theatre space, so there are no sightline worries and younger children can sit on laps if needed. Doors typically open 30 minutes before curtain.
Bray is easy to reach from Dublin by DART - the journey from Connolly or Pearse stations takes around 40 minutes and drops you a short walk from Main Street. By road, the N11 brings you south from Dublin; Bray is well signposted off the dual carriageway. Street parking is available along the seafront and in nearby car parks off the Main Street area. The Mermaid Arts Centre sits on Main Street itself, so once you are in the town centre you will not miss it. If travelling from the rest of Wicklow, the R761 runs up through Greystones and into Bray with no complications.
The town has a long promenade, a shingle beach, and Bray Head looming at the southern end - a good excuse to stretch legs before or after the show. There is more to see in Bray and across Co. Wicklow.
Heading to Mermaid Arts Centre in Bray? Wicklow has plenty more to see. Read the Bray area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.