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Stepping Up Radio Play

Stepping Up Radio Play

By: Stepping Up Radio Play
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About this listen

Stepping Up Radio Play was co-written by Joan Lally and Olivier Bonnardot, directed by Oliver Bonnardot and edited by Olivier Bonnardot and Stan Quarterman.


Set in Galway City in 2019, Stepping Up seeks to authentically reflect modern Irish society, as well as serving as a historical record of significant cultural and political events during that year.


These events include Sinéad O’Connor’s appearance on The Late Late Show, her subsequent concert at the Róisín Dubh, the Oughterard silent protest against housing refugees, and the powerful counter-rally in Galway City extending a welcome to those seeking asylum.


The drama centres on a fictional Galway family, the Kellys. The play opens with Aisling Kelly the youngest daughter, attending counselling. As the story unfolds, Aisling meets Kamali, a young Zimbabwean man living in Direct Provision.


Through their relationship, we gain insight into the daily challenges faced by people in the Direct Provision system. The play also explores the difficulties the young couple encounter in contemporary Ireland, examining a range of attitudes toward racism and immigration.


Please note: This radio drama contains strong language and may be unsuitable for younger listeners. Parental guidance is advised.


The podcast is available for free until the 30th of September 2025 on podcast platforms and Ko-Fi. If you would like to support the project you can make a donation on Ko-Fi. The donations will help cover the cost of producing the audio play and start a real stage production in Ireland.



Credits

Co-authors : Joan Lally & Olivier Bonnardot

Director : Olivier Bonnardot

Editors : Olivier Bonnardot & Stan Quarterman

Actors :

Fiona Claffey-Kelly as Aisling (the daughter)

Vusi Thabethe as Kamali (the refugee)

Michelle Costello as Sheila (the mother)

Johanne Webb as Claire (the therapist)

Robert Holden as Marty (the father)

Sinead Hackett as Mags (the aunt)



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stepping Up Radio Play Drama & Plays
Episodes
  • Trailer: Stepping Up Radio Play

    Trailer: Stepping Up Radio Play
    Aug 7 2025

    Stepping Up Radio Play is coming to podcast apps on 14 August 2025. The powerful new drama explores Irish attitudes to racism, immigration and mental health. The podcast adaptation was led by French director Olivier Bonnardot, based upon the Stepping Up stage play by Irish Playwright Joan Lally.

    The audio play is available for free from 14/08 - 31/09 on podcast platforms. If you would like to support the project ⁠you can make a donation on Ko-Fi⁠. The donations will help cover the cost of producing the radio play and start a real stage production in Ireland.

    This podcast is a work of fiction. Any names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. This podcast and its contents are the property of Sultan Bacchus Theatre and Joan Lally, all rights reserved. No part of this recording may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law. This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. For more information, please visit Stepping Up radio play on instagram, or Sultan Bacchus theatre online.


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
    Show More Show Less
    2 mins
  • Stepping Up Radio Play

    Stepping Up Radio Play
    Aug 7 2025

    Stepping Up Radio Play is a new audio drama, adapted and directed by Olivier Bonnardot from the play of the same name, by Irish playwright Joan Lally. Drawing on Joan’s own experiences as a therapist and activist, the story captures the cultural and political atmosphere surrounding the immigration protests in Oughterard in 2019.


    Set in Galway City, Stepping Up Radio Play follows the emotional journey of Aisling Kelly, the youngest daughter of a fictional Irish family. When Aisling begins counselling, she finds herself at a crossroads—haunted by the past and uncertain about the future.


    Everything begins to shift when she meets Kamali, a gentle young man from Zimbabwe, living in Ireland’s Direct Provision system. As their relationship deepens, so too does Aisling’s understanding of love, injustice, and the courage it takes to truly see another person.


    The radio play is available for free until the 30th of September 2025 on podcast platforms, including Ko-Fi, Spotify, Apple Music, Youtube. If you would like to support the project you can make a donation on Ko-Fi. The donations will help cover the cost of producing the radio play and start a real stage production in Ireland.


    Credits

    Co-authors: Joan Lally and Olivier Bonnardot

    Director: Olivier Bonnardot

    Editors: Olivier Bonnardot and Stan Quarterman

    Music: Ruth Fitzgerald, Mia Fitzgerald and Thomas Bonnardot

    Actors :

    • Fiona Claffey-Kelly as Aisling (the daughter)
    • Vusi Thabethe as Kamali (the refugee)
    • Michelle Costello as Sheila (the mother)
    • Johanne Webb as Claire (the therapist)
    • Robert Holden as Marty (the father)
    • Sinead Hackett as Mags (the aunt)
    This podcast is a work of fiction. Any names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. This podcast and its contents are the property of Sultan Bacchus Theatre and Joan Lally, all rights reserved. No part of this recording may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law. This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. For more information, please visit Stepping Up radio play on instagram, or Sultan Bacchus theatre online.


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
    Show More Show Less
    48 mins
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