Standing ovation for the ‘inspirational’ Skyzdalimit in Dublin

A CAPACITY crowd at the Helix theatre, Dublin, on Saturday night gave the magnificent cast of Skyzdalimit a three-minute standing ovation after being treated to a mind-blowing display of artistry, stage-craft, dance wizardry, singing perfection and skillful performance.

The atmosphere was electric, as the much anticipated ‘Circus the Musical’ kicked-off at 8pm in Dublin, with crowd members travelling from as far away as Donegal to be there – and Skyzdalimit delivered the performance of their lives.

Barry McElduff, chair of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, was also not disappointed: Mr McElduff joined Skyzdalimit on stage at the end of their performance, and told the audience how proud he was of the group, and how wonderfully they represented Omagh.

“Skyzdalimit epitomises the very best of what Omagh and Fermanagh has to offer,” he said. “They are a credit to Omagh, and our council district, and they should be very very proud of themselves.”

Cllr McElduff was also joined on stage by the deputy Mayor of Dublin, Darcy Lonergan, and former Minister for Inclusion, Finian McGrath. Deputy Mayor Lonergan said she was ‘blown away’, and that it was ‘the best show she had attended in ages’.

Meanwhile, Minister McGrath lauded the exceptional talent of the cast and the importance of the arts in breaking down barriers to inclusion.

Sheena McCooey, chair of Skyzdalimit, praised the fantastic dedication and commitment of its volunteers, stating that, ‘We would not be here today without our amazing volunteers who work tirelessly behind the scenes’.

“We are truly grateful to them,” she said.

Members of the cast of Skyzdalimit presented flowers to Deputy Mayor Lonergan, and gave special presentations to Emma Harte from Mencap and Eithne Harley from Dublin for their outstanding contribution to the success of ‘Circus the Musical’.

A delighted Skyzdalimit founder, Pearse McCloskey, spoke with delight about the spectacular show in his closing speech.

“Setting out on this tour, we had two goals: To inspire other groups to form and to create a space for inclusive theatre, and show mainstream audiences that an inclusive show is a unique experience and worth going to see,” he said. “I think we did that tonight.”

Skyzdalimit takes its ‘Circus the Musical’ production next to the Waterfront Studio, Belfast, on Saturday, November 12. For further information, please email: ‘skyzdlaimitclub@gmail.com’.