SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2026

A Farther Shore

Glenn McGivern, star of 'A Farther Shore'

An interesting and illuminating examination of individual faith and footing through a modern adaptation of a well-known Biblical story, David Campton's A Farther Shore, directed by Trevor Gill, is a fine acting, writing and audio-visual showcase whose gentle spell calmly and effectively washes over its audience. Previously staged at the Sanctuary Theatre, at the 2024 Edinburgh Fringe Festival and in several other venues before its current run at the studio of Belfast's Grand Opera House, the play is an ideal exhibition for the considerable talent of solo performer Glenn McGivern, centralising his clear gift for the low-key expression of rich and resonant reactions and resilience. 

Subtitled as the story of a fisherman named Peter, Campton's play brings localised accents, contemporary dress sense, excellent backdrop animation by Fergus Wachala-Kelly and a sweet offstage vocal performance by Philippa O'Hara to the familiar New Testament tale of Peter, disciple of Jesus. When we look at Peter, played by McGivern, to begin with, it is as if he is playing with a large bauble in front of a net which we know is supposed to be for fishing but could, given its arrangement on the frame behind him, easily pass for a football net. It's like he's a sportsman trying to find his footing in "a beautiful game" which is known to be associated with religion, but it's more than that – the very role of a net's guardian, a goal keeper, is to be the last line of defence, one who everyone looks to in order to protect them from setbacks. We're only seconds into this one-hour production and already Campton, Gill and McGivern have brilliantly touched upon the burden and fascination of foundation and initiative.  

This theme is explored throughout the entirety of A Farther Shore as McGivern speaks and we listen. Through his Peter's time with Jesus, which draws upon aspects such as the calming of the storm, the walking on water, the denial three times over and even a clever contrast with the Old Testament story of Jonah And The Whale, one learns what it feels like to have the gift of being made to think and believe like one never has before and the challenge this can, or may, be when one's own entrenched set of thoughts and beliefs have been not only their pathway but their principles for a prolonged period of time. The life as both as a fisherman and as a disciple that is depicted here gets, to me, what appears to be a newly universal feeling and meaning – that of life as a duty of care to the self and to others during a journey of personal and communal evolution. It feels timeless – and crucial.

Simon Fallaha

A Farther Shore concludes its current run in the studio of The Grand Opera House, Belfast, on Saturday November 7. For more information, and tickets, click here.