Waterford theatre-maker Katie Honan is set to premiere her new play The Faraway Sun at Dublin Fringe, bringing an ambitious blend of immersive sound, movement, and psychological drama to the Project Arts Centre from 15th–19th September.

The play centres on Ralph, a man who retreats to a secluded cottage after an earth-shattering event, only to find that his past refuses to stay buried. As memory and imagination collide, his inner world mutates into a terrifying forest he believes to be real.

What sets The Faraway Sun apart is its use of binaural sound technology. Audience members will wear headphones throughout, hearing Ralph’s inner thoughts and mental disintegration in 360-degree audio, while watching him move silently on stage.

Honan and her team developed this technique over several years through support from Garter Lane Arts Centre, Dublin Theatre Festival’s Slingshot Residency, and the Abbey Theatre.

Inspired initially by Lord of the Flies, Honan uses the piece to explore male grief, mental health, and the difficulty men often have in talking about what’s going on inside.

Her trademark physical, movement-driven style runs through the work, shaped by her training at The Lir Academy and her background in dance.

Though premiering in Dublin, Honan is clear that this is a Waterford-rooted production, developed on O’Connell Street and carried to a national stage.

The Faraway Sun runs at Project Arts Centre, 15–19 September. Tickets are available at fringefest.com and katiehonan.com.

Pic used above: Colin Shanahan