Border communities bring Nursery Rhyme Pantomime to life on stage this Easter

Borderline Players will present their new pantomime, Little Bo Peep at the Termon Complex Pettigo from Wednesday to Saturday, April 12 to 15. 

The production is part of the Communities Beyond Borders Project supported by National Lottery funding through the Arts Council of Northern Ireland’s Rural Engagement Arts Programme.

Little Bo Peep will be the first pantomime staged by the Pettigo based group since 2018 and this time the group have teamed up with Garrison Working Together to bring adults and young people from across the border together on stage and for many it will be their first experience treading the boards. 

The pantomime will be directed by Siobhan O’Brien. Siobhan is the founder of Borderline Players and has been directing productions with the group since 2000 and is looking forward to welcoming audiences back to the Termon Complex for what promises to be a spectacular show. 

She said: “‘Little Bo Peep will be our first pantomime since the Covid-19 pandemic and we are delighted to finally be able to bring so many people together on stage again for this lavish production. 

“We have a cast of 80+ children and adults with performers from towns and villages across Cavan, Fermanagh and Donegal – we have cast members from Belturbet, Derrygonnelly, Irvinestown, Kesh, Pettigo, Belleek and Garrison so it truly is a case of the arts bringing communities together.”

Siobhan added that the funding from the National Lottery through the Arts Council of Northern Ireland had allowed the group to deliver a series of training workshops in a series of disciplines from song and dance to set design, costume and stage craft and thanked the members of the Garrison Working Together Group for their support throughout the project. 

Gilly Campbell, Director of Arts Development, Arts Council of Northern Ireland, said: “The Arts Council of Northern Ireland is delighted to support this exciting project from Borderline Players through the Rural Engagement Arts Programme.  

“We know that taking part in arts activities can raise self-esteem, boost confidence and motivation, as well as alleviate isolation and loneliness.  The pandemic and the resulting lockdowns have taken a toll on individual lives, with mental health and well-being adversely effected and this has been particularly compounded in rural communities which are characterised by smaller and more dispersed populations.  

 “Thanks to The National Lottery players, this funding will increase opportunities for people living in rural communities to engage and participate in meaningful arts activities, enriching their lives for the better. The Arts Council believes that the arts can make a vital contribution to building wellbeing, confidence and healthy, integrated communities.”

Audiences familiar with Borderline Players productions will recognise many of the principal cast. Joseph Walsh returns to the stage as Dame Fanny Fairacre, donning the dame’s wig for the first time since 2016. 

His sidekick Wally the farm-hand is played by Niall Kerr from Garrison and son Freddie is portrayed by Irvinestown’s Tiernan McCaughey. 

Una McGloin from Belleek takes on the titular role of Bo Peep while Jane Weir and Alison Lappin have been cast as the evil villains, Mephista and Lady Sneering. 

Borderline regulars Liz Smith, Frances McGloin and Aideen Casey star as Cindy Sparkle and her comedy duo, Ding and Dong. Newcomers to the cast include Naomi Henderson as Merdalf, the good magician and PJ McAndrews as PC Wurld. 

Tickets for all performances are available now from the Termon Complex Pettigo, Feelin Fruity, Belleek or can be booked online via the Borderline Players Facebook page. Performances run nightly from Wednesday to Saturday, April 12 to 15 at 7.30pm.