Theatre lovers across the UK and Ireland will be treated to a new era in theatre thanks to innovative and forward thinking company Cahoots NI.

BELFAST, COUNTY ANTRIM, NORTHERN IRELAND, September 7, 2020 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Theatre lovers across the UK and Ireland will be treated to a new era in theatre thanks to innovative and forward thinking company Cahoots NI.

Following the closure of theatres across the UK, Ireland and abroad as a result of the Covid-19 global pandemic, creators at Cahoots NI knew the only way to survive was to bring the magic of their shows to life online.
However, for a theatre company who specialise in magical shows that excite young audiences, translating their unique style online wasn’t going to be easy. Artistic Director, Paul Bosco Mc Eneaney, said pivoting their offering and being creative with their thinking was more important than ever before.He added that adapting quickly to the new market was vital to maintain survival of the 19 year old organisation.

“When the pandemic hit we were in the middle of a few different projects. Penguins, our co production with Birmingham Rep, was mid-run in America and still had six weeks left to go but we made the decision in the second week of March that we would have to bring the full company home.

“We were also in the middle of development of new work and were about to start a tour in Northern Ireland of production Secrets of Space to local primary schools, which didn’t happen.
“Like the rest of the arts sector we were forced to close up shop, in terms of our revenue, we have lost in excess of £420,000 this year, which is a serious amount of money.”

But rather than let the pandemic get the better of him Paul was determined not only to keep the magic of Cahoots NI alive but to ensure he created a business model that could help the organisation survive and thrive.
He explained: “After that initial month of just firefighting projects I started to think less like a producer and more as an artist. I remember thinking ‘I’m looking at this too much from a business perspective’. I needed to go back and think as an artist.

“The amazing thing about artists is their adaptability - so often artists create their best work when they are out of their comfort zones and sometimes when the chips are down, actually that’s when nuggets of gold start appearing.
“It was really clear that we needed to be involved in projects during lockdown - we needed the creative output to continue because that’s our business model.”

As a result Paul and his team have created a new show which will see families be able to interact online with actors who will be situated in full theatrical settings.

“The University of Wonder and Imagination will be a full theatrical production, that will see six families enter different themed rooms and interact with actors,” said Paul, adding: “This isn’t performed at home in front of a computer screen, we’ve constructed a socially distanced theatre set, full of all the tricks, wonder and illusions.”
The University of Wonder and Imagination opening dates will be revealed soon but already the company have confirmation that it will show across Ireland and Northern Ireland and they’ve had interest globally from their international agent.
For Paul it’s important for people to understand whilst it’s an experimental production it will have all the professionalism and creative input of any Cahoots NI show.

“It’s somewhere in between a journey through Hogwarts and the Crystal Maze,” he said “It’s quest led. It’s magical. It’s full of theatrical adventure and it’s live.

“Working online, the challenge, and I think we’ve cracked it, is to still have that element of surprise and wonder that makes theatre special and memorable.|And, as Cahoots is developing new ways to entertain and enthral young people, Paul said keeping the arts sector alive is more important than ever before.

He said: “The arts are there to respond, offering alternative ways to look at the world”.
“My job is to respond to what’s happening in society and to place people from society into uncomfortable, comfortable, interesting, remarkable, fascinating, different worlds so that they can compare their world to that.”

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Tina Calder
Excalibur Press
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