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theatre · Friday 9 October 2026 · 8:00pm 
The Mariettas
At Backstage Theatre · Farneyhoogan, Longford, Co. Longford
At Backstage Theatre · Farneyhoogan, Longford, Co. Longford
Backstage Theatre hosts Pothole Productions’ The Mariettas on Friday, 9 October 2026, a showband-era comedy set in 1960s Ireland that follows an all-female band through the golden age of the dancehall circuit. Five performers from Cavan take on twenty characters between them, mixing live music with sharp Irish comedy and no shortage of nostalgia for anyone who remembers, or has heard family stories about, the showband years.
The show is billed simply as five women, one dream, and a run of mishaps along the way, and it leans into the warmth and chaos of touring dancehall Ireland rather than playing it as a straight history lesson. Cast members switch rapidly between roles, playing band members, promoters, rivals and hangers-on, while the songs and staging recreate the sound and feel of a showband night out. It is the kind of production that rewards an audience willing to go along with quick changes of pace and character, and the comedy is grounded in observation of the period rather than broad slapstick. Doors open ahead of the 8pm start, giving time to settle in at the Main Auditorium before the show begins.
Backstage Theatre is at Farneyhoogan on the edge of Longford town, a short drive from the town centre with on-site parking. The theatre has wheelchair access, and the box office can be reached on 043 3347888, Monday to Friday, 10am to 5pm, for booking queries.
A night built around showband nostalgia is a good reason to spend more time in the county town before or after the curtain. 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.