Tall Ships

In the August of 2009, Kabosh were commissioned by AV Browne to produce four monologues to be performed as part of the Tall Ships Festival. NITB has created four benches each spelling the name of one of the great ships that Harland and Wollf had created, Olympic, Britannic, Canberra and of course Titanic.

Cast & Crew

Written by Laurence McKeown and Rosemary Jenkinson, the monologues were performed by local actors, allowing the audience a unique glimpse of the history and heritage of Belfast relationship with the sea. Each play featured a character from the particular ship, and the plays were a great attraction for the huge crowds that gathered at the festival.

The monologues are interactive, flexible, suitable for a family audience and exterior locations

Performance Options

Animation: Thomas Patrick Dillon, a trimmer in the engine room of the Titanic.

Thomas Patrick Dillon was a trimmer in the engine room of the Titanic. After the Titanic sank, he was picked up by a lifeboat with a bottle of brandy in his pocket which the quartermaster threw overboard in disgust. In this monologue he describes the building and launch of Titanic, the excitement it aroused in Belfast, his pride at working on the ship and his devastation at the sinking, all the time insisting he wasn’t drunk! This monologue has been performed many times throughout Belfast pulling in huge crowds every time (http://www.youtube.com/user/FinnKabosh).

Animation: Don Fisher, an engineer on SS Canberra

Belfast-born Don, like his father and grandfather was a merchant engineer. He sailed on the SS Canberra during its time in the Falklands war when it was transformed from luxury liner to hospital ship. He recounts the dramatic events of 1982 / 83 complete with a rendition of Rod Stewarts ‘We are Sailing’.

Animation: Mark Andrews, RMS Olympic narrator (Set:1919)

Mark Andrews (25) is a fireman on the RMS Olympic. Mark took part in the firemen’s strike (mutiny) in 1912 when they refused to go to sea shortly after the sinking of the Titanic because, like the Titanic, the Olympic did not have adequate lifeboats to cater for all on board. Mark continued service on the boat throughout World War 1. Nut now in August 1919, and the Olympic having returned to Belfast for restoration to civilian service, Mark is leaving to join the Royal Navy and see some more action abroad.

Animation: HMS Belfast narrator (Present Day)

Ernie Calvert (43) is currently a Night Concierge on board the HMS Belfast. Ernie’s grandfather served on the ship throughout its operational life, from when it was first commissioned by the Royal Nay in August 1939 until it retired from service in August 1963. Ernie was born in the same year as the ship retired and has numerous stories from his grandfather about life on the HMS Belfast. Ernie can therefore ‘see’ the ship through the different phases of its existence and is now able to relate stories to his grandfather (now aged 87) about visitors to the ship – former crew, tourists, academics, and school children.

This production has been reinvented on numerous occasions for various Maritime Festivals over the years, below is a video from 2011.