The CAT's out of the bag for 2026
Next year is shaping up to be a very exciting time for the Cork Arts Theatre as it starts its landmark 50th anniversary year with a bang.
From 5 February, the iconic Leeside theatre will welcome ‘Infinity’, the first production in the venue’s ambitious new Re:Directing season.
The 2026 programme showcases three contemporary plays directed by three Cork-born directors. ‘Infinity’, written by Canadian playwright Hannah Moscovitch and directed by Cork’s own Julie Kelleher, will run from 5-14 February.
A witty, moving, and intellectually rich drama, ‘Infinity’ examines romantic relationships while posing deeper philosophical questions. At its heart is the story of three people trying to work out who they are independently, and who they are in relationships with others. Drawing on ideas from theoretical physics and music, Moscovitch’s script delves into how we understand time, love, and human connection - delivering an experience that resonates both emotionally and intellectually.
Cork Director Julie Kelleher says she knew instantly that ‘Infinity’ was the right fit for this milestone season.
Kelleher said: “I read many plays over the course of the last few months in response to Fin’s invitation to direct a production for Cork Arts Theatre for this exciting new season.
“When I read ‘Infinity’, I didn’t have to think too hard about it – it was instantly a play I connected with. It is filled with music, it’s smart without being excessively clever, and its key question is about whether love is real – sold!”
Cork-born Kelleher is a theatre director and producer with a BA and MA in drama and theatre studies from UCC. Her directing work includes productions with Landmark Productions, BrokenCrow, Cork Midsummer Festival, and The Everyman, where she served as Artistic Director from 2014–2020. She has directed a wide range of contemporary work and world premieres, produced major new Irish writing, and served as artistic director/CEO of Mermaid Arts Centre from 2020–2024.
Speaking on ‘Infinity’, she continues: “I had seen and read other plays by Hannah Moscovitch before, and knew her to be a writer who could deal with great intellectual complexity, who knows how to truly work within the form of theatre, and who could, crucially for me, move the reader/viewer.
“We’ve assembled a brilliant cast and creative team, and together we’ll engage with these questions as a company, and work towards offering audiences an enlightening and entertaining night of contemporary international drama, homemade at Cork Arts Theatre!”
‘Infinity’ runs at Cork Arts Theatre from 5-14 February. Tickets are available now from ticketsource.com/corkartstheatre.