Category: theatre

Paradise Dance Hall @ The Absolut Fringe.

This evening I was sent a link to the blog for this performance piece which is a part of this years Absolut Fringe. The post titled “// This One’s For You //” really struck me. I’ve seen some of the promo videos, and the piece features the partner of a friend of mine, so I’ve been aware of it for a little while now, but I didn’t know anything about this aspect of the piece:

“Please anonymously submit part of your story to a performance of Paradise Dance Hall; and release, hold on to, or acknowledge your ‘ghosts’.

Every time we perform Paradise Dance Hall, we will pick one name at random during the show, and then offer a dedication to the one[s] you haunt, or the one[s] who haunt you. It will happen live, and for one night only”

Co-incidentally, the day I was linked to that is also the day of Limerick Pride 2010. This is seemingly completely unrelated, except for the fact that last years Limerick Pride was the last time I hung out with a friend of mine before he passed away. We went for the weekend, having not seen each other in while. He helped out with shOUT! during the parade, and we had a brilliant time enjoying the festivities of Pride.

His passing was the first time a friend of mine has died, and shook me quite a bit. He’s been in my mind again lately, because of Limerick Pride, but also because I was switching cars and recalling all the memories from the old car: two major ones feature him strongly. It’s not the anniversary of his death, but it is the anniversary of the last time I saw him, and reading that post about the ones who you haunt/who haunt you really hit home more than I expected it to.

I guess sometimes you don’t even need to see the piece of theatre to have an emotional response to it. I wanted to get to Limerick Pride this year, but couldn’t for various reasons, so I think it’s only fitting to use this opportunity as a way of marking the year instead.

It ends with a mysterious bruise, a long-distance dance, and a swallow tattoo to guide you. It starts with the people you haunt, and the traces of those who left without explanation.

[…]

It will not be sentimental, but it might be beautiful.

Dublin calling

I’m in Dublin at the moment, working as a score reader for a small production for the next two weeks. It’ll give me a much needed break from Galway and some time to work on moving to Dublin properly.

I met up with Morgan of Cuckoo Savante (check that band out – they’re awesome) and was chatting about our lives and work. Just catching up really, but he was excited by how many songs I’ve got at the moment. Which made me stop to think how few I’ve demo’d and how badly I’ve done those. I need to stop spending time alone with the songs and start performing them and sharing them with other people so they don’t start to suffocate in my bag.

I’m going through my lyrics at the moment, adding in the edits I’ve made on the fly as I practise and work out the songs. I like a few of them, but I blow hot and cold about my own work quite frequently. I guess I need to let other people judge the work and not be so critical of myself.