LAINEY O'SULLIVAN
Free As a Bird
Free As A Bird is a gentle, uplifting performance for young audiences with complex needs.
With cosy nests to rest in, we encounter a multi-sensory experience to celebrate the wondrous lives of birds. Audience members are invited to explore our forest-themed tent, enjoy playful encounters with bird puppets, and interact with natural elements like soft feathers and refreshing winds. Combining original music, movement, puppetry and tactile offerings, this immersive experience has just three audience members at a time to ensure that every performance is responsive to each individual child.
Free As A Bird, by April Bracken, was developed in close consultation with the students of St. Michael’s House Special School, Ballymun and ran for two weeks of performances across April/May 2026. See more at www.aprilbracken.com
Created by April Bracken
Performed by April Bracken, Brona Jackson and Lainey O’Sullivan
Composed by Tom Lane
Set and Costume Design by Muireann D’Arcy
Inclusive Dance Dramaturgy by Jess Rowell
Videography by Kristian Mantalvanos
Photography by Neil Harrison
Stage Management by Ursula McGinn
With special thanks to:
St Michael’s House Special School, Ballymun - Project Partner
Axis Ballymun - Venue Support
Anna Newell - Project Mentor
Heather Rose - Production Mentor
Al Bellamy - Access Mentor
Mardi and Elaine from St. Michael’s House Special School, Ballymun - Teacher Interviewees
Simon Coulter - Production Support
Generously funded by the Arts Council of Ireland Children and Young People’s Arts Project Award