CLING TO THE DREAM OF TOMORROW
DAVID FAIRS & CONOR O'KANE
DIRECTORS
Seasoned and acclaimed artists with rich backgrounds in theatre directing, producing, acting, writing, dramaturgy, design and movement direction, the pair will evolve and reimagine ‘In the Midst of Plenty’ as we scale up the production and embark on its next chapter in 2026 and 2027.
A partnership since 2015, David and Conor are queer, neurodivergent artists. Conor, a County Derry native, trained for three years at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, while David, from Northumberland, trained for three years at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama (which he continues to visit as a lecturer and Industry mentor), after reading History at Cambridge University.
Photo credit Bec Lewis
Their recent directorial work includes: the 5-star revival of ‘Anything Is Possible If You Think About It Hard Enough’ (off-West End at the Waterloo East Theatre); a sell-out run of cult musical ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ (Derry Playhouse); the five-star production of ‘Hole’ by Hannah Morrish (London’s iconic Old Red Lion Theatre); Stephen Berkoff’s ‘Messiah’ (Edinburgh Festival); a new version of Jean Cocteau’s ‘The Human Voice’ (created in collaboration with the Comité Jean Cocteau in Paris); the first London production of Max Dickins’ ‘Kin’ (Lion & Unicorn Theatre); a stage adaptation of TV-series ‘Up In Town’, which they were invited to create by Emmy-winning original writer/director Hugo Blick (BBC/Amazon’s ‘The English’), performed to mark the 20th anniversary of the first broadcast. They are also co-founders of theatre company GOLEM!, which has produced work across London and at the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Dell in Stratford-upon-Avon.
They also have the valuable perspective that comes from working on both sides of the table, with extensive experience as actors: David across theatre, film and radio (including BBC Radio 4, Shakespeare’s Globe, the New Vic Theatre, the Hampstead Theatre), recently receiving critical acclaim for his performance in the Kenny Wax (‘Six’) production ‘Tom, Dick & Harry’ (London’s Alexandra Palace Theatre); Conor across theatre, musical theatre and film in both Northern Ireland and London, bring nominated for an Off West End Award for his performance in musical ‘Miss Nightingale’, for the Derry Playhouse playing Fr O’Gara and John Hume respectively in ‘The White Handkerchief’ and ‘Hume: Beyond Belief’ (5-stars from The Guardian), and appearing in the upcoming Channel 4 series ‘Trespasses’ (from Oscar-nominated Wildgaze Films).