Thursday 12 October 2017

“Tribes” seen at The Gate Theatre, Dublin

The Gate Theatre production of; “Tribes” seen at The Gate Theatre, Dublin. Part of the 2017 Dublin Theatre Festival

On 11th October last I had a very edgy, challenging, engaging and informative theatre experience at the Irish Premier of Nina Raine’s play “Tribes” at The Gate Theatre, Dublin

Scenographer Conor Murphy’s performance space for the play is set in a dark, ultra-stark, austere modernist dining room. Above the stage there are three borders the width of the performance area. Each border consist of five synchronised flat screen televisions in line so as to provide a horizontal linear image the width of the performance space. They were to good dramatic effect, augmenting the oscillating emotional moods of the performance and denoting time of day or night. They also were used to good effect in showing thoughts, translating sign language, showing memory flash-backs, the symbolic silence, isolation of an underwater sequence and provided for a change in location by lowering the downstage border of screens to near stage level.

Conor Murphy uses his control of costume colour and monochromatic greys to good effect in expressing emotion, happiness, dysfunction, hearing v deafness,




Photo Curtsey of The Gate Theatre

The dramatic and subtle lighting changes designed by Mimi Jordan Sherin moves in tandem with the mood changes of characters and the tensions of the moments. Characters are isolated, sometimes apparently freeze framed and at other moments animated into action by a lighting change.

Set and Costumes designed by scenographer Conor Murphy. The production is directed by Oonagh Murphy, Lighting Design by Mimi Jordan Sherin, Sound Design Ivan Birthistle, Hair and Make-up Stacey Regan, Wardrobe Assistant and Dresser Corinna Govan, Video Designer Conan McIvor

Nina Raine:                 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nina_Raine
                                    http://www.unitedagents.co.uk/nina-raine

Oonagh Murphy:         https://www.oonaghmurphytheatre.com/
                                    https://ie.linkedin.com/in/oonaghmurphy
                                                           
Conor Murphy:            http://www.conormurphy.com/
                                    http://stageandscreendesignireland.ie/designers/conor-murphy/

                                    https://www.deutscheoperberlin.de/en_EN/ensemble/137148
                                    http://www.roh.org.uk/people/mimi-jordan-sherin

Stacey Regan:            https://www.facebook.com/staceyeganmua/

Ivan Birthistle:             http://stageandscreendesignireland.ie/designers/ivan-birthistle/                                               http://archive.dublintheatrefestival.com/artists/display.asp? m=&artistID=706

Conan McIvor:            https://www.conanmcivor.com/
                                    http://stageandscreendesignireland.ie/designers/conan-mcivor/

Corinna Govan:           https://www.facebook.com/CorinnagCostume/
                                    http://www.imdb.com/name/nm7244911/

 Gate Theatre:             http://www.gatetheatre.ie/

Sunday 8 October 2017

“On Blueberry Hill” at The Pavilion Theatre, Dun Laoghaire, County Dublin

Fishamble The New Play Company’s production of; “On Blueberry Hill” at The Pavilion Theatre, Dun Laoghaire, County Dublin

On 5th October last I had a very entertaining, engaging and uplifting theatre experience at Fishamble The New Play Company’s production of “On Blueberry Hill” at The Pavilion Theatre, Dun Laoghaire in County Dublin

This is a very entertaining, thought provoking and uplifting Production of Sebastian Barry’s new play ‘On Blueberry Hill’ The pitiful and desperate  characters of mutually dependent Christy and PJ are superbly performed by Nial Buggy and David Ganly. The near minimal stage setting of isolated prison cell bunk beds is designed by Scenographer Sabine Dargent.

Photo curtsey Fishamble, 


The tight lighting designed by Mark Galione isolates the characters and performance space in the initial phases of the production. As the story reveals itself and the relationship between the characters unfolds, the lighting changes to include both characters simultaneously and gives poignancy to the subliminal background festooned with unanswered letters. This lighting change moves in tandem with the change in tempo of performance culminating in the closing, unbounded scene of unbridled forgiveness, joy and celebration of unfettered love of the human spirit. Thus undermining the earlier bleak murderous intimacy, the isolation and the claustrophobia of a two souls trapped in a prison cell.  

Set designed by scenographer Sabine Dargent. The production is directed by Jim Culleton, Set and Costumes Designed by Sabine Dargent, Lighting Design by Mark Galione, Sound Design Denis Clohessy,

          
Sabine Dargent:          http://www.sabinedargent.com/
                                    http://stageandscreendesignireland.ie/designers/sabine-dargent/
  
Mark Galione:              http://markgalione.ie/
                                    http://stageandscreendesignireland.ie/designers/mark-galione/

Denis Clohessy:          https://www.denisclohessy.com/

Fishamble Theatre:     http://fishamble.com/

Pavilion Theatre:         http://www.paviliontheatre.ie/
  

Sebastian Barry:         https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sebastian_Barry

Friday 6 October 2017

Woyzeck in Winter at The Gaiety Theatre, Dublin Theatre Festival 2017

Landmark Productions and Galway International Arts Festival production of Woyzeck in Winter at The Gaiety Theatre, Dublin Theatre Festival 2017

On Wednesday 4th of October last I saw Landmark Productions and Galway International Arts Festival’s production of Georg Büchner’s Woyzeck in Winter at The Gaiety Theatre in Dublin. The massive, teetering set composed of dark, brooding Piano carcases is designed by Scenographer Jamie Vartan. The set references Schubert’s song cycle Die Winterreise which Schubert was still working on in 1827 when he died aged 31. Jamie Vartan’s stage setting provides a menacing performance space with semi concealed stairways, doors and performance areas. Influenced by the poetical work Winterrise by poet Wilhelm Müller, the poetic, nihilist Woyzeck in Winter is set or around 1833-37 Austria.



This dark, despairing and robustly performed production is not for the faint hearted, do not expect to whistle a production tune on your way home. Informed by the accounts of the French Revolution and of women, wives, lovers’ brutally murdered by nihilistic men, Büchner struggles to contextualise and express this human condition through his, arguably unfinished work.

The overall performance space and smaller ensconced spaces presents an apt and visually satisfying set design. The scenographer Jamie Vartan. I collaboration with Lighting Designer, Paul Keogan, provide the performers and audience with a collaboratively menacing environment in which to embrace the ambience and menace generated by this dark production.

The Costumes designed by Designer Joan O’Cleary and Supervised by Orla Long provide the actors with convincing evocative characters of a time and place long past yet appallingly relevant to the contemporary world. All in all it is an appealing design solution, a setting that provides a menacing and versatile performance space for the actors and the characters they portray.

The production was developed and directed by Conall Morrison, Scenography (Set Design) by Jamie Vartan, Costumes Designed by Joan O’Cleary, Lighting Design by Paul Keogan (based on original design by Ben Ormerod), Sound Design Mike Nestor

The €5 programme has an introductory piece by Festival Artistic Director and CEO Willie White and a thoroughly researched informative and provocative piece by author Belinda McKeon on writer Georg Büchner, Composer Schubert and Poet Wilhelm Müller. The programme also includes cv synopses of the production team, cast and crew,


                                    http://www.irishplayography.com/person.aspx?personid=31783
           
Jamie Vartan:              http://www.jamievartan.com/
                                    http://stageandscreendesignireland.ie/designers/jamie-vartan/

                                    http://stageandscreendesignireland.ie/designers/joan-oclery/

Orla Long:                   http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2706666/
                                    http://stageandscreendesignireland.ie/designers/sarah-jane-shiels/

Paul Keogan:              http://www.paulkeogan.com/
                                    http://stageandscreendesignireland.ie/designers/paul-keogan/

Ben Ormorod:             http://www.benormerod.com/
                                    http://www.irishplayography.com/person.aspx?personid=33060

                                    http://www.riam.ie/conor-linehan/
  

Belinda McKeon:         http://belindamckeon.com/
                                    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belinda_McKeon

Mike Nestor:                http://michaelnestor.net/

Landmark
Productions:               http://www.landmarkproductions.ie/



Dublin Theatre
Festival:                       https://dublintheatrefestival.com/Online/default.asp



Thursday 5 October 2017

Nora at The Project Art’s Centre Theatre, Dublin Theatre Festival 2017



The Corn Exchange’s Nora at The Project Art’s Centre Theatre, Dublin Theatre Festival 2017

On Wednesday 27th September last I had the good fortune to meet Scenographer Paul O’Mahony before a preview of The Corn Exchange production of Nora. He was (as can be expected) a bit anxious but content about the set he had designed for this full on, edgy and gripping new work by author Belinda McKeon. The story being set in 2015 allows Paul O’Mahony’s imaginative, clean edged, minimalist and opulent set to be slightly futuristic


This is a feisty, robustly performed production. Inspired by Henric Ibsen’s “A Dolls House” , author Belinda McKeon in collaboration with Annie Ryan and directed by Eoghan Carrick Nora is a very entertaining, edgy, fresh and thought provoking Production.  The performance space is presented in an apt and visually satisfying set designed by scenographer Paul O’Mahony. I collaboration with Lighting Designer, Sara Jane Shiels, O’Mahony provides the performers and indeed the audience with an ambient  appropriate and appealing design solution, a setting that provides a focused and defined performance space for the actors and the characters they portray.

The production was directed by Eoghan Carrick, Scenography (Set Design) by Paul O’Mahony, Costumes Designed by Katie Crowley, Lighting Design by Sara Jane Shiels, Sound Design Philip Stewart

The free programme gave the usual list of cast and crew,

Eoghan Carrick:          https://www.eoghancarrick.com/about
           
Paul O’Mahony:          https://www.paulomahonysetdesign.com/
                                    http://stageandscreendesignireland.ie/designers/paul-omahony/
 
Katie Crowley:            https://katiecrowleycostume.carbonmade.com/
                                    http://stageandscreendesignireland.ie/designers/katie-crowley/
 
Sarah Jane Shiels:     http://sarahjaneshiels.com/
                                    http://stageandscreendesignireland.ie/designers/sarah-jane-shiels/


Belinda McKeon:         http://belindamckeon.com/
                                    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belinda_McKeon

Annie Ryan                 http://www.cornexchange.ie/people/annie-ryan
                                    http://www.irishplayography.com/person.aspx?personid=30468

The Corn Exchange:  http://www.cornexchange.ie/
 
Project Arts Centre:    http://projectartscentre.ie/

Dublin Theatre Festival:          https://dublintheatrefestival.com/Online/default.asp

Friday 5 May 2017

Druid's Waiting for Godot at The Abbey Theatre, Dublin

Druid's Waiting for Godot at The Abbey Theatre, Dublin

On Wednesday 26th April last I had a very entertaining, engaging and uplifting theatre experience at Druid’s production of “Waiting for Godot” at The Abbey Theatre, Dublin.

This very entertaining, different, fresh and uplifting interpretation is presented in an apt and visually satisfying set designed by scenographer Francis O’Connor. Considering the prescriptiveness of designing a Samuel Beckett play, Francis O’Connor presents the audience with an appropriate and appealing design solution and a setting that provides a focused and defined performance space for the Beckett’s characters.

The production was directed by Garry Hynes, Set and Costumes Designed by Francis O’Connor, Lighting Design by James F Ingalls, Hair/Wigs and Make-up Design Val Sherlock, Sound Design Greg Clarke, Costume Supervisor Doreen McKenna




Francis O’Connor presents the performance space as a symbolic portal into another place, another time, a place of timelessness. The portal to this place/space is rim-lit by a vertical and horizontal boarder of white Perspex light boxes. The action takes place both in vision and out of vision of this defined space as viewed through the porta. The surface beyond the portal is of dried, cracked earth; barren except for a lone skeletal tree and a large rounded egg like rock to stage left. The background is a massive wall of site cast concrete faintly showing the imprint left on the surface from the removal of the shuttering used in on site casting. The visual effect is both infinity, light, sky and at times close, massive, claustrophobic.

The €2 programme gave the usual list of cast and crew, notes on the cast, a note by Colm Tóibín on Waiting for Godot, information on the staff of both Druid and The Abbey.


Garry Hynes:               https://www.nuigalway.ie/drama/staff/garryhynes/
           

James F Ingalls:          https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_F._Ingalls

Val Sherlock:               http://stageandscreendesignireland.ie/designers/val-sherlock/
                                    http://design.irishtheatreinstitute.ie/designers/val-sherlock/

Greg Clarke:                http://www.unitedagents.co.uk/gregory-clarke



Druid                           http://www.druid.ie/

Abbey Theatre:           https://www.abbeytheatre.ie/


Dympna Tate:             http://arthauspaint.com/about.html

Friday 3 February 2017

Jacques Brel is alive and well and Living in Paris, Gate Theatre, Dublin

Jacques Brel is alive and well and Living in Paris, Gate Theatre, Dublin

On Monday 30th January last I had a very entertaining, engaging and uplifting theatre experience at The Gate Theatre’s production of “Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris” at The Gate Theatre Dublin.

This very entertaining, different and uplifting musical revue appears to be set in an abandoned dilapidated Parisian Saloon which in turn is the Gate’s auditorium extended onto the stage and then ravaged. It is an appropriate and appealing design solution an a setting that provides a comfortable environment for Brel’s gritty songs

The production was directed by Alan Stanford, Set and Costumes Designed by Alyson Cummins, Lighting Design by James McConnell, Hair and Make-up Design Anne Dunne, Musical Director Cathal Synnott.



Aylson Cummins presents the performance space as a derelict, once grand interior echoing the interior structure and style of auditorium. The plasterwork on the frieze is broken and soiled, plaster has fallen off the walls and ceiling, in fact the centre of the ceiling is missing, the void rimmed with the remains of broken ceiling laths which act as gobos, making moody, atmospheric streaked patterns of light on the walls. Some of the wall masonry is exposed through fallen plaster, dust detritus abandoned fixtures and fittings dress the edges and corners. In the midst of all this there are musical instruments, an upright piano, a drum kit, guitars, a double bass, tables and chairs.

I found the corners where the structural plains of the set converged lightly empty and may have benefited from some vertical dressings such as lengths of salvaged floor boards, stored curtain poles, a wooden window cleaners ladder.

The cast drift into the space as if they are a commune of squatters or a group of friends with common, shared purpose. They are of the 1940s in appearance and attire. The performers warm up, tune up into a roller coaster evening of music and song.  



The overall collaboration between Set, Costume, Lighting Design, Hair and Makeup and the robust, emotive, gritty performances by the cast, supported by the quartet gives for a very immersive, enjoyable and uplifting evening.

Costume Design was effective in giving the characters a credible appearance/sense of period and place. At times the costumes were used as action props, enabled the performers to change in and out of characters in a smooth choreographed way.

James Mc Connell,s Lighting Design in sync with Alan Stanford’s Direction, the wonderful, energetic performances from Risteárd Cooper, Karen Mc Cartney, Stephanie Mc Keon and  Rory Nolan combined with Cathal Synnott’s Musical Direction made for some modest surprise dramatic moments. There were also moments when, in my opinion, when the business directions detracted from the performance and from the singing of Brel’s works.

The Team

Alan Stanford,                         http://www.gatetheatre.ie/section/JaneEyre2010AlanStanford
Director:                                  http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0822157/

           
Alyson Cummins,                    https://alysoncummins.com/
Set & Costume Design:           http://stageandscreendesignireland.ie/designers/alyson-cummins/


James McConnell,                  http://www.gatetheatre.ie/section/JaneEyre2010JamesMcConnell
Lighting Designer:                   http://www.irishplayography.com/person.aspx?personid=2068


Anne Dunne,
Hair & Make-Up Designer:      http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0242818/


Musical Director:                     http://www.irishplayography.com/person.aspx?personid=19811

Gate Theatre:                          http://www.gatetheatre.ie/
                                               
See also: Photos by Pat Redmond at: