April 2008
DEARG Development Workshops
On April 30th and May 1st, Red Kettle held in Waterford its first development workshops for Dearg, an exciting new piece of theatre for 2009.
Following the model of Boy Soldier in 2006, Red Kettle assembled a group of actors, musicians and artists to work together to bring this uniquely Irish story to the stage. Using a wide range of creative means, they aim to create a new and innovative piece of storytelling that will stimulate all the senses.
To be staged in a Big Top in May 2009, in Dearg we will see the dramatic story of our musical ancestors and the development of modern Irish music through the imaginative and visually striking telling of an Irish legend:
On January 28th, 1603, a decree was issued by the Lord President of Munster “to exterminate by marshal law all manner of Bards and Harpers” and Queen Elizabeth herself gave the order to “hang the harpers wherever found, and destroy their instruments.” Irish musicians and poets took to the forests. Many court harpists were killed and royal musicians and poets found themselves living in the wild, undercover with peasant musicians. The decree lasted for almost 100 years, its repercussions still felt in Irish music.
Into this setting we follow one musician, composing a piece of music based on the legend of Fionn McChuaill and his battle with a three-headed sea serpent, the bloody waters giving Loch Dearg its name: the Red Lake.
See a little of what happened at the workshops here http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=tTBPL5mN-Z4
Participating were: Joe Meagher, Nick Kavanagh, Catríona Ní Mhurchú, Serena Brabazon, Patricia Murphy, Louise Bradley, Elizabeth Howard, Lisa Ryan, Frank O Sullivan, James O Sullivan, Jenni Ledwell, Jenny Clooney, Liam Heffernan, Michael Power. Director: Zoë Seaton. Writer: Ben Hennessy. Music by Jamie Beamish.
