Troubles play about cross-border friendship between two RUC and Garda officers heading to Prague Fringe Festival

Green and Blue, produced by NI theatre company Kabosh, will be staged at the Divadlo Inspirace Theatre in the heart of the Czech capital from September 27 to October 1.

Before that, the acclaimed play written by Laurence McKeown and directed by Paula McFetridge will have its first run in the Lyric, Belfast from September 14 to 18 before going to Strule, Omagh on September 19, the Ardhowen, Enniskillen on September 20, the Market Place, Armagh on September 21 and the Old Church Centre, Cushendun on September 22.

It will be the first time Green and Blue has been shown since a highly successful residency at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2019 where it won the Lustrum Award for Best Theatrical Moment.

Paula McFetridge, artistic director of Kabosh, said they were very excited to be invited to the Prague Fringe, which is now in its 20th year: “This is a great honour for us.

“We are delighted to be finally heading after a two-year delay. The play is very relevant at a time when borders in Ireland, Britain, Europe and further afield are such a hotly debated issue.

“This is a beautifully written play about what it means to be human in extraordinary circumstances.”

The play stars local actors James Doran and Vincent Higgins, reprising their roles from the original production, which premiered at Girdwood Community Hub during the 2016 Belfast International Arts Festival.

James Doran plays Garda officer Eddie O’Halloran, patrolling the Monaghan side of the border while Vincent Higgins is David McCabe, an RUC officer whose experience of patrolling the Fermanagh side is vastly different from his southern counterpart.

Set in 1994, just before the IRA ceasefire, the pair recount their experiences, taking in the history of the conflict in Ireland, how they joined their respective organisations and the day to day life of working in a disputed territory. The play is laced with humour, insight and lots of touching moments.

The Arts Council of Northern Ireland’s Gilly Campbell said they were delighted to support the play’s NI regional tour. She added: “It’s also incredibly exciting that Kabosh will be staging Green and Blue at the Prague Fringe Theatre Festival. It’s vital our artists and arts organisations are given opportunities to showcase their work to audiences outside of Northern Ireland, helping to shine a light on the talent that is inherent to the region and putting Northern Ireland on the map for all the right reasons.”