Dimanche at the Galway International Arts Festival Review

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Les Compagnies Focus & Chaliwaté's Dimanche has opened at the Town Hall Theatre for the Galway International Arts Festival, and is making a huge splash with visual effects and accessible storytelling.

Dimanche at the Town Hall Theatre as part of the Galway International Arts Festival. Photo Credit: Mihaela Bodlovic.

With 2024 being the hottest year on record, Les Compagnies Focus & Chaliwaté's Dimanche could not come at a better time. With the Brussel based company, who were first founded in 2005, it is clear that they know what story they are trying to tell and the best way to communicate it to its audience.

What is Dimanche?

The plot is simple: it is the end of the world, and three nature journalists are travelling around documenting the effects of global warming and its impacts on humans and animals alike. Performed with three actors and two stage crew, countless life-like and jaw dropping puppets and spectacular visual allusions, this production cleverly pokes fun at how people have turned a blind eye to the effects of Climate Change, with characters living in blissful ignorance, until it is too late.

The visuals in this show are out of this world, leaving audiences audibly gasping and the beauty of what we are seeing. There were many moments where I had no idea how the scene was being done, which as a theatre person, was really exciting. The use of projections was cleverly used to build the world and provide context. The costume, lighting and scenic design aided this also, with crisp and clean transitions.

It feels like a team effort from Les Compagnies Focus & Chaliwaté, as they battle large puppets, set pieces, and industrial fans. They also find humour to allow the audience to have time to breath, especially through the grandmother character.

This humour allows the show to feel less preachy. With shows like this, it is easy to slip into the talking down to the audience. With Dimanche, there is very little spoken word. Instead, physical movement and the visuals turn the mirror on the audience to allow them to think about how their actions (or our lack of action) is causing destruction.

Is Dimanche Worth Seeing?

Rarely shows come around that are so accessible, with a message that is vivid. All elements of Les Compagnies Focus & Chaliwaté's Dimanche create this world that you get sucked into for an hour and 15 minutes. And when you head home, you are actively seeing the world in a completely different way, and that is theatre. This makes it one of the best shows of the festival. So much so, I may even try to see it again before it closes!

Dimanche at the Town Hall Theatre as part of the Galway International Arts Festival.

Ticket Information and Show Times for Dimanche.

Dimanche runs until the 19th of July at the Town Hall Theatre, Galway. Show time is at 8PM. Tickets can be purchased by calling the box office on 091 566 577, visiting the Festival Box Office on Eyre Square or through their website.

Location:  Town Hall Theatre, Galway

Date of Review: 17th of July

Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Disclaimer: I was invited to review this show as part of the Festival on July 17th, 2025. All views are my own and were not influenced by the invite.