'Float' by Kirby Thompson & Orla Graham

Team

Kirby Thompson: Co-Writer, Co-Director, Co-Producer

Kirby Thompson is an emerging artist and graduate from Queen’s University’s English Literary Studies Masters course in Belfast. She has previously worked on 'OCCUPIED.', a co-written production with Orla Graham which went to Smock Alley's Scene and Heard Festival in Dublin in 2020 and London's FRESH Festival in 2021. Since then, Kirby has been supported by Dublin Fringe Festival (Artist at Work), The Lyric Belfast and The MAC Belfast (Hatch & Scratch) to continue to develop her skills as a writer, director and producer and support her through the writing and development of 'Float'.

Orla Graham: Co-Writer, Co-Producer

Orla is a writer and actor based in Belfast. She trained at the Lir Academy, Dublin and with Tinderbox Theatre Company in their Play Machine course. Orla's recent credits include: Re-Mix (Primeut Productions), Fallen Women (Lyric Theatre, Belfast), Two Fingers Up (Irish Cultural Centre, Hammersmith/Cairns Lecture Theatre, Summerhall, Edinburgh Fringe Festival); Blue Lights (BBC One/Two Cities Television/Gallagher Productions); Heave (DUETS Programme in association with Fishamble, Irish Theatre Institute and Dublin Fringe Festival). 'OCCUPIED.' was Orla's writing debut, a co-written production with Kirby Thompson.

Caoimhe McGee: Co-Director, Co-Producer, Stage Manager

Caoimhe is a freelance theatre maker from Donegal and a graduate of the Drama BA and Arts Management MA from Queen’s University, Belfast. Caoimhe has been working professionally as a stage and production manager since 2019 with the likes of Prime Cut Productions, Terra Nova Productions, The Lyric Theatre, Rhiann Jeffrey and Oona Doherty. In 2022 she debuted her self-written, directed and produced show ‘Freshers’, in collaboration with movement artist Rosie Mullin, for the Scene and Heard Festival in Dublin. ‘Fresher’s will be shown again at this year’s Bród na Gaeltachta festival in Donegal as well as a rehearsed reading of a work in progress piece called ‘Sapphic’, also written and directed by Caoimhe.

Ronan McManus: Lighting Designer, Sound Designer, Composer

Ronan is a Producer, Designer and Theatre Maker, originally from Omagh, who has been working in Belfast for the last five years. After studying Drama at Queen’s University, Belfast, he began his career in Technical and Production Management in the local industry on a freelance basis, working with a number of prominent local companies including The Lyric Theatre, Big Telly Theatre Company and Prime Cut Productions, among many others. Throughout this time he also began to work as a Lighting Designer. Ronan is also a composer and multi-instrumentalist, having composed music for a number of short films. This will be his first sound design for theatre. Since January 2023, Ronan has taken up a full-time post as Associate Producer for Prime Cut Productions, but still maintains some work as a freelance Lighting Designer and Facilitator. He is also Co-Creative director of his own newly established Theatre Company, Patchwork Productions.

Cast

Annie McIlwaine as Mia

Annie McIlwaine is an actor based in Belfast. She started her professional training at Rose Bruford on the foundation acting course at their Belfast Campus, in 2019. With the skills she learned on this course, Annie earned a place at the Institute for Contemporary Theatre in Brighton and graduated in 2023. Annie was selected to take part in the early development of a theatre adaptation of Ray Shell’s novel ICED, directed by Ray himself. She also played a vital role in the development and subsequent full production of ‘The Tight Squeeze’ (2022). Annie was cast as the lead role of Lisa in Anthony Neilson’s ‘The Wonderful World of Dissocia’ (2023, Gary Sefton).

Ellen Andrews as Erin

Ellen Andrews is a Northern Irish Actor and Writer, who has just graduated from The Guildford School of Acting. Recent Theatre credits includes: Claire in her debut play ‘Saudade’, ‘Vic’ in Away by Michael Gow (GSA), Portia in 'Julius Caesar' (GSA), Anna in 'The Lands' (Brain Friel Theatre, 21 Artists Programme); Olga Sergeyevna Prozorova in 'Three Sisters; (GSA); Louise in 'Road' (GSA); Storyteller in 'The Tempest' (Verona Shakespeare Fringe Festival). Recent film credits include Jenny in 'Napoleon's Nose' and Maeve in 'Double Vodka and Blackcurrant’, and ‘Corrine’ in ‘Somewhere Out There’ (BFI Network). Radio credits include: Nicole in 'Falling' (BBC Radio 4).

Leah Williamson as Grace

Leah is an actor from County Down. She trained at the Gaiety School of Acting from 2020 - 2022. She also studied Drama at Queen’s University Belfast. She is now represented by Lisa Richards Agency Dublin, and most recently performed in Orestes as part of the Scene + Heard Festival in Smock Alley. She is passionate about delving into sensitive and controversial themes in theatre that are all too relevant in our contemporary society.

Orla Graham as Caitlyn

Orla is a writer and actor based in Belfast. She trained at the Lir Academy, Dublin and with Tinderbox Theatre Company in their Play Machine course. Orla's recent credits include: Re-Mix (Primeut Productions), Fallen Women (Lyric Theatre, Belfast), Two Fingers Up (Irish Cultural Centre, Hammersmith/Cairns Lecture Theatre, Summerhall, Edinburgh Fringe Festival); Blue Lights (BBC One/Two Cities Television/Gallagher Productions); Heave (DUETS Programme in association with Fishamble, Irish Theatre Institute and Dublin Fringe Festival). 'OCCUPIED.' was Orla's writing debut, a co-written production with Kirby Thompson.