From Carlow to Centre Stage: Cian Kinsella Comes Home to Craft His Dream

When Cian Kinsella left Carlow 20 years ago, a world tour including a stint on Britain’s Got Talent and RTÉ’s Body Brothers was not on the cards. Now he’s home to pursue his dreams as an artist and maker.

VISUAL, Carlow’s contemporary arts centre, didn’t exist when Cian graduated in industrial design at SETU (then known as IT Carlow). Cian, one half of the famous Lords of Strut, wowed judges on Britain’s Got Talent, prompting Simon Cowell to label him “stupidly good” when he reached the semi-finals in 2017.

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Since then, countless opportunities have come Cian’s way. He is currently one of the artists in residence supported by VISUAL Carlow, a role that allows him to use the space at VISUAL to create his work, which he describes as a “huge support” for his ongoing projects.

Currently, Cian is preparing for Ping Pong Disco – a performance and disco venue he runs at the All Together Now Festival in Waterford over the August bank holiday weekend. He’s also gearing up for his biggest show to date, Dream Factory – a family, circus, comedy musical set to premiere at the Dublin Theatre Festival this September.

Cabaret, circus, comedy, music, and fun, with a strong theme on sustainability, are the core elements of Dream Factory and much of Cian’s work to date. “I make comedy shows, and a lot of my work has an environmental angle to it, Dream Factory is both and is a show for all the family,” he says.

Cian, who grew up in Cloydagh, near Ballinabrannagh, attended St Fiacc’s NS in Graiguecullen as a child. He never imagined that his background in industrial design would lead him to his current career. “I left Carlow and travelled extensively, but I’ve been back since the pandemic,” he explains.

Dream Factory, which will run for three weeks, has a strong local contingent involved, including Deirdre Griffin (choreographer and performer), Lauren Holahan (Carlow Gymnastics), and Aoife Kavanagh (sound designer).

Cian describes the show as a “modern legend” that focuses on over-consumption and environmental collapse. “We wanted to make a show that addresses the climate crisis and climate anxiety and in young people, with the hope to inspire people into action and a sense of hope and possibility and be really funny.”

Uniquely, every material for the show was carefully sourced, making it part of a circular economy. “Any material for the set or costumes was second-hand, or we reused wherever we could. It was a challenge, but we wanted to be authentic,” he explains.

This approach made the show more expensive and limited the stagecraft, requiring extensive planning. However, Cian is deeply committed to the environment. His home life reflects this commitment as he grows food with his mother and manages a five-acre site using traditional farming methods. He also grows and gathers applies to make cider with his brother and friends. “I try to live a low-impact life,” he adds.

VISUAL has played a huge supporting role in making Dream Factory possible alongside the Arts Council of Ireland. “Everybody comes to Carlow; everything is made here. We’re bringing all these creatives to Carlow to make art – that’s important to me, or they’d be going to Dublin otherwise,” says Cian.

CEO and Artistic Director at VISUAL Emma Lucy O’Brien said: “We are excited to see what happens next for Cian. We’re also very proud to support his work as part of our residency programme. This kind of practical support is important for artists like Cian as it allows them to create and develop new material for the stage right here in their own community.”

Dream Factory by Cian Kinsella will play in Civic Theatre as part of Dublin Theatre Festival from September 21st to October 5th. Tickets at civictheatre.ie