The Story

Sometimes it takes a girl-sized human to solve an adult-sized problem. Peggy O’Hegarty and her parents are packers. They squeeze fruit into tins, foxes into boxes, even bikes into brown paper bags. And all the while Peggy sings with the voice of an angel – a grossly unfortunate angel, who can’t sing at all. But one day work stops working, and the jobs stop coming, and Peggy steps outside to find that winter has arrived… and everyone in her city gone! As Peggy desperately tries to save the day, we learn about love, loss, the reassurance of goats, and the courage to sing gloriously on or off-key.

Theatre Royal Waterford is excited to announce a new partnership with Theatre Lovett, which has been supported by the Bank of Ireland Begin Together Arts Fund in partnership with Business to Arts, to bring the highly-acclaimed ‘The Girl who Forgot to Sing Badly’ to primary school children across Waterford next year.

Written by Finegan Kruckemeyer, directed by Lynne Parker and starring Louis Lovett, this enchanting show leads the audience on an untamed adventure that crosses snowy lands and wild seas. This project will reframe the theatrical performance digitally, for a new generation of young audiences. Teachers will receive free access to a pre-recorded performance from the Sydney Opera House, and a tailored teaching resource pack to support classroom engagement.

In addition, each classroom in Co. Waterford will have access to a monster Q&A session with actor Louis Lovett LIVE from the stage of Theatre Royal.

“In October 2022, we will be offering school children across Waterford aged 7+ the opportunity to share in the joy and the magic that is Theatre Lovett”, said Mary Boland, Theatre Royal Manager. “Theatre Lovett are simply incredible at what they do and we’re delighted to work with them to bring such high-quality, home-grown theatre to children in Waterford.

Theatre Lovett Joint Artistic Director Muireann Ahern said this funding is a direct investment in young people and creativity: “This wonderful project will offer creative learning opportunities for children across the Waterford region. Encouraging child development and wellbeing through creativity is at the core of this cultural programme led by Theatre Lovett and our partner organisation, Theatre Royal Waterford.”

Details of how Waterford primary schools can book this FREE event will be distributed to schools in early September 2022 with the project being delivered in October 2022.

The Girl who Forgot to Sing Badly was originally commissioned by The Ark, A Cultural Centre for Children and produced by The Ark in association with Theatre Lovett.

Supported by the Bank of Ireland Begin Together Arts Fund in partnership with Business to Arts.

“The theatrical equivalent of going to bed on Christmas Eve.”

The Sunday Times

“With true comic spirit, Theatre Lovett defies all age groupings to appeal to everybody.”

The Irish Independent