Human
Child

Lelia is a bold child. She doesn’t eat her dinner. She never goes to bed when she’s told. Her Dad says she’s a worry. Her teacher says she’s a pain. She’s the kid who, from the end of her garden, hears a song that takes her on a wondrous journey to a place where she’s understood.

Come away, O human child!
To the waters and the wild
With a faery, hand in hand,
For the world’s more full of weeping than you can understand.

A play for young audiences aged 6+, inspired by changeling myths from Irish mythology and the poetry of WB Yeats, Human Child is a blazing adventure, fantasy story that mixes puppetry, comedy and live music for young audiences and their families.

– Cast + Crew
Directed by
Dan Colley
Written by
Dan Colley and the original cast
Produced by
Matthew Smyth
Set and Lighting Designed by
Zia Holly
Costume Designed by
Liadain Kaminska
Puppetry Designed by
Aaron Heffernan
Music Composition/Sound Design by
Tom Lane
Assistant Directed by
Stephen Quinn
Cast (original)
Megan Riordan
John Doran
Manus Halligan
Aoife Leonard
Touring Casts also include
Aaron Heffernan
Sophie Jo Wasson
Erica Murray
Eoghan Quinn
Directed by Dan Colley
Written by Dan Colley and the original cast
Produced by Matthew Smyth
Set and Lighting Designed by Zia Holly
Costume Designed by Liadain Kaminska
Puppetry Designed by Aaron Heffernan
Music Composition/Sound Design by Tom Lane
Assistant Directed by Stephen Quinn
Cast (original) Megan Riordan
John Doran
Manus Halligan
Aoife Leonard

Touring Casts also include Aaron Heffernan
Sophie Jo Wasson
Erica Murray
Eoghan Quinn

– Reviews
'One of Collapsing Horse’s strengths is its commitment to theatrical fundamentals. …executed with wit and skill…there’s no shortage of emotion, intricacy or craft in this beautifully-told story'
- ★★★★ Irish Times
'Poignant … lingers longer than a conventional Happily Ever After.'
- ★★★★ Fest
'Goes straight to the heart of anyone who’s ever felt left out'
- The Scotsman
'It is impossible to walk out from this highly sophisticated piece of theatre without a smile on your face. We walk into the theatre as adults … we leave as the child we have long left behind.'
- Irish Theatre Magazine

– Production

Smock Alley (Dublin), Baboro Festival (Galway) Red Line Book Festival (Tallaght) and Mermaid Arts Festival (Bray), 2013

Project Arts Centre (Dublin) and Underbelly (Edinburgh Fringe), 2014

Hawkswell Theatre (Sligo), Dríaocht (Blanchardstown), Roscommon Arts Centre, The Visual (Carlow) and Gogol Centre (Moscow Irish Week), 2015

– Cast + Crew
Directed by Dan Colley
Written by Dan Colley and the original cast
Produced by Matthew Smyth
Set and Lighting Designed by Zia Holly
Costume Designed by Liadain Kaminska
Puppetry Designed by Aaron Heffernan
Music Composition/Sound Design by Tom Lane
Assistant Directed by Stephen Quinn
Cast (original) Megan Riordan
John Doran
Manus Halligan
Aoife Leonard

Touring Casts also include Aaron Heffernan
Sophie Jo Wasson
Erica Murray
Eoghan Quinn

– Reviews
'One of Collapsing Horse’s strengths is its commitment to theatrical fundamentals. …executed with wit and skill…there’s no shortage of emotion, intricacy or craft in this beautifully-told story'
- ★★★★ Irish Times
'Poignant … lingers longer than a conventional Happily Ever After.'
- ★★★★ Fest
'Goes straight to the heart of anyone who’s ever felt left out'
- The Scotsman
'It is impossible to walk out from this highly sophisticated piece of theatre without a smile on your face. We walk into the theatre as adults … we leave as the child we have long left behind.'
- Irish Theatre Magazine
– Gallery
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