Waterford Youth Arts to stage cutting edge new drama production

Waterford Youth Arts (WYA) is set to sate a bold new drama this month, in Garter Lane Arts Centre.

'The Animals', will be staged as part of National Theatre Connections 2026, and will see the young cast explore topics of education, philosophy and hope inside a youth custody unit.

The powerful play, by Emmy-winning playwright Sean Buckley, will be directed by Sinéad Hourigan and will run at Garter Lane Arts Centre on March 13 and 14, marking the organisation's continued involvement in the National Theatre's prestigious nationwide youth theatre festival.

'The Animals' tells the story of Sam, a student teacher who arrives at a youth custody unit hoping to enrich the lives of troubled young residents by introducing them to philosophy. At first, the wary class want nothing to do with this strange new subject but as Sam persists, his questions begin to challenge them and offer a fragile sense of hope – particularly for hard-fronting Gee, who is on the verge of release and secretly terrified of what comes next.

The play shines a light on education within the youth custody system and the intense, often hidden challenges young people face as they try to imagine a future beyond its walls. Written for National Theatre Connections, the work explores the power of creative thought, learning and second chances when the stakes are this high.

Playwright Sean Buckley is a British–Irish writer from south London whose work spans bold new writing and award-winning screen drama. His plays include 'Matches for Monkeys', 'Between Dog and Wolf' and 'Smithereens', and his screen credits include the cult teen series 'Skins' (E4), the short film 'Polar Bear' (Film4) and the acclaimed drama 'Responsible Child' (Kudos/BBC Two), which won the International Emmy Award for Best TV Movie/Mini-Series.

Director Sinéad Hourigan returns to Connections after directing Waterford Youth Arts' 2025 production of 'Saba's Swim', by Danusia Samal. Sinéad brings her deep experience in youth theatre to this challenging new work, guiding a talented young cast and crew through the rehearsal process and creating a production that promises to be both bruising and moving. National Theatre Connections is the National Theatre's annual nationwide youth theatre festival, celebrating the creativity and talent of young people across the UK and Ireland. Each year, new plays are commissioned from leading playwrights specifically for young performers, and hundreds of youth theatre companies create their own productions. Waterford Youth Arts has a strong history with the programme and continues to demonstrate excellence in youth theatre through its participation.

Following the Garter Lane performances, WYA will take 'The Animals' to the Lyric Theatre in Belfast as part of the Connections Partner Theatre Festival, sharing their work alongside other youth companies from across the UK and Ireland.

The recommended age limit for the show is 15 and over and tickets for the Garter Lane performances, priced €7 to €10, can be booked online at https://garterlane.ie/events/the-animals/