Announcing a New Show ... THE WRENS
plus 'A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings' goes to New York and Brighton
Riverbank Arts Centre, Newbridge 22nd April
Draoícht, Blanchardstown 5th & 6th May
I’m really excited to be presenting a new show. And by excited, I also mean wondering WHY am I doing this to myself?
Thankfully we’ve got a kick-ass team of people working on it which settles the nerves; cast and collaborating writers Osaro Azams (Fried Plantains Collective) , Venetia Bowe (Lost Lear) and Karen McCartney (A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings), with composer Maeve Stone.
This show is for people aged 8+ and is about a group of outcast witches who live in the gorse bushes at the edge of the town. “They’re best left alone”, the townsfolk say. “We’ve nothing to do with them. Except the odd healing spell, love cure, hair-cut, or to burn them out of their nests once a year.”
It’s a darkly comic tale about outsiders and the marvellous rich worlds we create to protect and elate ourselves. I’m interested to share this particular space with younger people.
Molly O’Caithain is designing the set and costume which finds itself somewhere between and Lankum song, ‘Paris is Burning’ and the landscape of the Curragh. We’re also working with Lighting Designer Suzie Cummins, Sound Designer Alma Kelliher, and Hair and Make Up Designer Michelle Ruane.
As ever, the whole thing is being dragged into existence by Producer Matthew Smyth and Production Manager Eoin Kilkenny. Our Co-Producer’s are the Riverbank Arts Centre (my unflagging champions) and it’s co-commission by the the heroic Draoícht.
You can catch a work in progress performance TOMORROW at The Ark, as part of Still Loading where it will be introduced by the Ark’s Children’s Council, with whom we have been consulting.
‘A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings’ goes to:
The Irish Arts Center, New York - 28- 30 April
Brighton Festival, UK - 20 & 21 May
The show from 2019 continues its global zombie rampage, leaving broken, disturbed people in its wake. Thanks to Culture Ireland for the support.
Watch this spot as there’ll be a few more tour announcements for more VOM to come.
Other Theatre I’m really looking forward to in the next couple of weeks:
Manifest by Brokentalkers previewed last night in the Project Arts Centre and runs until 4th March. Always worth seeing what these slippery geniuses have been cooking up before it flies all over the world.
Gold in the Water by Shane O’Reilly and Paul Curley is currently in Mermaid Arts Centre and will run in Project Arts Centre from 10th March. There is a hugely talented team creating a big, ambitious new musical for young audiences.
New Electric Ballroom by Enda Walsh opens in the Gate Theatre on Tuesday. Looking forward to seeing what they do with this modern classic.
The Table by Christian O’Reilly which ALSO opens next week at the Peacock is ALSO an exciting show for young audiences. It marks the first time (I think) Marc Mac Lochlainn (Artistic Director of Branar) has directed for the National Theatre.
Here’s a song I can’t get out of my head so it may as well be in yours too
Finally share this newsletter with people you think would like to keep in touch…
I MUCH prefer this way of communicating about my work and thoughts than the clicky-short-social-media thing, so it’d be great to build it up.
Hello Dan - I hope this gets to you. I’m not sure if you remember me, you ran some workshop sessions with a group of students I brought over from the US in the spring of 2019. I would love to be in touch with you again and do a little catch up. I can be reached at j.ohagan120394@gmail.com. Thanks, Dan. Hope to hear from you soon.