The Future of Theatre: Young Playwrights Showcase 2025/2026

The amazing playwrights: Ben Carroll, Zitem Okafor, Richard Mckeever-Burke, Aisling O’Leary, Orla Lucey, Kian Humphreys, May Brennan and Ruby Johnston

The Future of Theatre: Young Playwrights Showcase 2025/2026

Eight Fantastic Plays, One Unforgettable Afternoon!

On Friday, 20 February, Fighting Words and the Abbey Theatre presented Haunted by Hope, a showcase of plays created as part of the 2025/2026 Young Playwrights Programme.

Eight talented young playwrights saw their short plays brought to life by professional actors in front of a sold-out audience on the Peacock stage! The Young Playwrights Showcase is always a highlight of the year and we are delighted to have partnered with the Abbey Theatre for 15 years, developing new voices in theatre.

Young Playwrights Showcase on the Peacock stage

The Works

Tea, Two Sugars by Ben Carroll
Out of Focus by Zitem Okafor
All Grown Up by Richard Mckeever-Burke
Teddy by Aisling O'Leary
Billy by Orla Lucey
Dublin Lights by Kian Humphreys
Eternal Hope by May Brennan
Ghost Lights by Ruby Johnston

Developed through workshops with Facilitators Seán Farrelly and Robyn Gill from Fighting Words, these plays were successfully developed into stage productions by actors Domhnall Herdman, Damian Kearney, Dylan Kennedy and Jenny Fennessy performing under the guidance of directors Nessa Matthews and Conor Hanratty.

Words from Seán Farrelly - Young Playwrights Facilitator at Fighting Words

Working with this group of writers was an absolute privilege. Not only was it a joy to see them develop as playwrights, but also to witness them become fast friends. We worked together over six months on Sunday afternoons to create the showcase Haunted By Hope and now, at the end of the process, one thing rings clear: we should be extremely hopeful about the future of theatre!

Words from Phil Kingston - Community and Education Manager at the Abbey Theatre

One of the first things the professional directors and actors say when they got involved in this project is how mature and nuanced the scripts are. Whether exploring devastating grief or the evasions of a failing relationship, anomie amongst privileged professionals or a decades long marriage foundering, there’s an insight and realism that seems wise beyond the writers’ years. And in the more comic pieces there’s a sophistication of dialogue, characterisation and structure that is equally developed and capable of poignancy. It’s as if these writers understand complexity and uncertainty, and have the skill to offer us some openings.

Thank you!

A special thanks to Phil Kingston, Community and Education Manager at the Abbey Theatre and to all the incredible people working behind the scenes, as well as family and friends. Huge congratulations to the playwrights on their incredible work!