c21 return down under for a tour of Fleur Murphy’s ‘Never Always Ever Was’ in June 2026

Stephen Kelly (c21’S Artistic Director) and Richard Clements (NI Actor) headed down under for the National Celtic Festival in Portarlington in June 2026, to bring ‘Never Always Ever Was’ back to the festival for the second year running, this time with premiere development showings of the play. The multi-generational two-hander was commissioned back in 2024 for Australian playwright, Fleur Murphy, through the British Council’s Connection Through Culture grant. After development periods in both Oz (2025) and NI (2026, NI Science Festival), the show returned to the festival in June before commencing a tour around Victoria, Australia, spanning Port Fairy, Geelong Arts Centre, Anglesea and Melbourne’s La Mama Festival.

‘Never Always Ever Was’ explores the ways our lives are connected across oceans, generations and communities, examining environmental change, memory, belonging and resilience. The story connects the coastal communities of Port Fairy (Australia) and Portaferry (Northern Ireland), giving an insight into the places and people whose lives have been shaped by them. Congratulations to the whole team including Stephen Kelly (Director), Fleur Murphy (Writer), Amanda LaBonte (Actor), Richard Clements (Actor), Gerry McKeague (Live Music), Sophie Woodward (Set & Costume Design) and Jayson Fry (Stage Manager).

What audiences thought…

“Absolutely stunning, very emotional, the acting was fantastic, the stage was so simple but so effective, very poignant.”

“That is what theatre should be. It broke my heart. Poetic and powerful. It spoke right to now and back through the generations.”

“Would 100% recommend it. The acting is incredible and really thought provoking with an incredible message. Go and see it!”

“There was a lovely sense of hope.”

“Fleur Murphy’s writing is so evocative and poetic”

“The script was so clever, the way it moved in time. It’s very poignant for where we live here on the Portarlington coastline, we are losing our foreshore. The relevance was really powerful.”

Production images from Darren Gill during an Exploration Session at La Mama Theatre.