Othello

Red ‘n’ Blue Theatre Company brings Shakespeare’s most psychologically charged tragedy to Thurles for three nights at the end of September. Founded by Dylan Kennedy and Jenny Fennessy - who between them have worked at the Royal Shakespeare Company, the National Theatre in London, the Abbey, and the Donmar Warehouse - the company has built a reputation for doing Shakespeare with real rigour and theatrical punch. This production of Othello is aimed at anyone who loves live drama, and it is also a strong choice for Leaving Certificate students studying the play.

What to expect

Othello is Shakespeare’s tragedy of jealousy and manipulation: the Moorish general whose mind is systematically poisoned by his envious lieutenant Iago, leading to the destruction of everything he loves. The themes - racism, trust, obsession, the speed at which a reputation can be dismantled - land as hard now as they did in 1603. Red ‘n’ Blue stage it as a compelling new production, and the company’s track record with Shakespeare (including their Leaving Cert-focused Macbeth) suggests a staging that is both intellectually serious and dramatically alive. The Source Arts Centre’s 250-seat theatre gives the production an intimate, focused energy - you will not be watching it from a distance.

Getting there

Thurles is on the main Dublin to Cork rail line and is served by Irish Rail services from both directions. The journey from Dublin Heuston takes roughly 1 hour 40 minutes; from Cork, around 1 hour 30 minutes. By road, Thurles sits on the M8 motorway corridor - exit at Junction 6 and the town centre is minutes away. Parking is available on Liberty Square and in surrounding town-centre streets. The Source Arts Centre is on Cathedral Street, a short walk from the main square and the train station.

While you’re in Thurles

Thurles is the birthplace of the GAA - the Hayes’s Hotel on Liberty Square is where the Association was founded in 1884 - and the town takes that history seriously. Hayes’s and the Cathedral are both worth a look if you have time before or after the show. There is more to see in Thurles and across Co. Tipperary.

Good to know

• Runs Wednesday 30 September to Friday 2 October 2026, at 8:00pm each night
• Tickets: €23 (student price confirmed; check the box office for full adult pricing)
• Book at thesourceartscentre.ie or by phone on 0504 90204
• The Source Arts Centre, Cathedral Street, Thurles, Co. Tipperary