Quintessence Theatre

Quintessence Theatre, In association with Droichead Arts Centre, Present The Curious Case of Albert Cashier: Lincoln’s ‘Lady’ Soldier

“Lincoln wanted soldiers. I wanted excitement”

Belvidere, Illinois, 1862: A young Irishman, Albert D.J. Cashier, enlists with the Union Army in the Civil War and becomes a decorated hero. But unknown to his comrades, Private Cashier is waging an internal war all of his own. When he is fifty years a veteran an indiscreet doctor reveals to all of America that Cashier was assigned female at birth, born under the name Jennie Hodgers, from Clogherhead, Co. Louth, Ireland.

From that day on Albert’s greatest battle truly begins: for identity, selfhood, and truth.

“I really loved the play. I was genuinely moved to tears, and so much of it struck a chord with me” –Aoife Martin, Trans Equality Network

DIRECTED BY Anna Simpson

LIGHTING DESIGN BY Colin Doran

SET & COSTUME DESIGN BY Els Borghart and Declan Kelly

SOUND DESIGN BY Anna Simpson

CAST Ceara Carney, Fiona Keenan O’Brien, Anthony Kinahan, Mark O’Reilly, Leah Rossiter

About The Company:

Founded in 2015 by director Anna Simpson as the inaugural Theatre Company-in-Residence of the An Táin Arts Centre, Dundalk, Quintessence dedicates itself to exploring the human condition through the most theatrical means available to us: the actor themselves, their imagination, and embracing the live relationship between actor and audience.

We believe in play; we believe in collaboration; we believe in amplifying voices not always heard; and we believe in the democraticisation of art: that it should reach people beyond the cultural hubs of large urban populations. We believe that great work can be made from modest means if you have those quintessential elements: a story, a performer, and audience.

We harness the full potential of the actor’s body through heightened physical approaches, mime and a playful ensemble. We seek to surprise, move and provoke our audiences, entertaining them and creating dynamic, innovative, visceral, compassionate storytelling that finds the new in the familiar, and touches on urgent issues at the heart of Irish society here and now.
After a hugely successful 4 years as Company-in-Residence at An Táin Arts Centre, Dundalk, Quintessence was delighted to develop a closer partnership with Droichead Arts Centre, Drogheda, as Theatre Company-in-Residence for 2019/2020, where Droichead supported a year-long programme of work Hear Me Roar: Women, Gender and Silence’ programme.

Quintessence is made up of five core artists: Producer Anthony Kinahan, Executive Producer Paul Hayes, Company Manager Leah Rossiter, Company Liaison Fiona Keenan O’Brien, and Artistic Director Anna Simpson.

Recent Productions include The Midnight Scalping of Peg Carroll (Droichead Arts Centre, Drogheda); Into the Dark (Anaverna House, Dundalk), Behind Locked Doors (Drogheda Arts Festival 2022, Droichead Arts Centre; An Táin Arts Centre), The Star of Chester’s Lane (National Tour 2021; Droichead, Drogheda Arts Festival Commission Winner 2018), The Curious Case of Albert Cashier: Lincoln’s ‘Lady’ Soldier (Droichead), #Me Too, Three, Four… (Droichead), Warrior of the Táin (An Táin), Dracula (Smock Alley, 2018; Winner of the Broadway World Ireland Award Best New Play 2018/19), Cracks (National Tour 2018), The Deadly Wizard of Oz (Anaverna), Some of Our Children (An Táin).

TICKETS €21 | €19

Duration 2.5 hours With 15 Minute Interval

There will be a post-show discussion after the performance on Wednesday 8 November, with Anthony Kinahan (producer, performer & Chair of LGBTQ+ support organisation Outcomers Drogheda); Director Anna Simpson; Ceara Carney (as actor who plays Albert) & the vice-Chair of TENI Aoife Martin.

PG