CIRCA Review

By Darragh Doyle. 

What do you think "Theatre" is? What is a show at a "Theatre Festival" going to be about? What will it feature? Will you get it? Will you enjoy it?

What if I told you it was this?

There was a moment watching CIRCA last night where the fantastic action on stage, the huge skill, choreography and strength on display and the gasps and audible silence (bear with me) from the audience took second place to a thought in my head: How could I describe this to someone who couldn't see?

CIRCA, from Australia, is not easily definable.. It's not a "show", a "performance" or a "piece". It's not what you might consider "classic" theatre. There's no actors, no narrative or "story". It is instead something completely different - and I think this is why the audience loved it so much.

The programme for Circa describes it as "a new kind of circus ... combining acrobatics, dance, light, sound and video [where] seven performers move from highly complex tumbling sequences, to fast-paced flashes of great intricacy." and really that's a good description, while completely limiting it because words can't describe it well enough.

There are seven performers and they move around the stage, but it's HOW they move that made the show such a visual treat. "That's how the body should move" I scribbled, afraid I'd miss something on stage. Lots of it made me want to shout "Do that again!"

This isn't circus - it's circus PLUS. Watching the strength, the skill and the fun on stage last night made me want to get up there and join in. Jumping, leaping, falling, tumbling, dancing, balancing, swinging, hula-hooping - Circa shows how it can be done - with years of training and skill. I'd love to be able to do it. There's no way I could.

The audience loved it. They laughed, gasped, cheered, looked disblelievingly at some of the acts (How did you ever think of doing that?" and participated fully in others.

The audible silence I spoke of was the sound of the full Gaiety holding their breath watching some of the acts, or holding their applause in case it interrupted the massive concentration on stage. Some of the simplest looking acts - hands in the light, free-standing somersaults, swing balancing - were the ones that commanded the most attention. Silencing the entire theatre with just a click of the fingers is a skill all on its own. The lighting and sound too were superb.

I wrote on my notes last night  "Don't think of this as "theatre, think of it as an experience, a celebration, an example of what the human body can do, what years of training, practise and enjoyment brings. See the trust the performers have for each other. Watch the fun they have." - and maybe that's the best thing to do. It was for me the best possible way to start the Ulster Bank Dublin Theatre Festival - a visual spectacle of beauty that everyone enjoyed. I met friends last night who would gladly have sat down and watched it again, right there and then. Wonderful.

Darragh is Communications Manager of Boards.ie, entertainment and events blogger in Ireland. 


CIRCA takes place Sept 30 - Oct 3 at the Gaiety Theatre. 

Don't miss out - book tickets for CIRCA now

Festival Opens Today!

We're delighted to welcome you to Ulster Bank Dublin Theatre Festival 2010!


It's all systems go with 31 shows from 10 countries in 22 venues across Dublin City over the next 18 days! Check out the full programme online now.

Last night Ulster Bank's 'A Night for Dublin' was held in The Gaiety Theatre with a special performance of CIRCA. The show received such a great response from Dublin audiences with a standing ovation and lots of great 'tweet reviews' flying in! Make sure to tweet at us @dubtheatrefest or include the hashtag #ubdtf10 . Here are a few from last night;

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Total Theatre Award winning production The Author set for Dublin audiences

The Festival is delighted to welcome back Tim Crouch who captivated Dublin with his sell-out hit ENGLAND in 2008.

Performed within its audience, The Author at Project Arts Centre, October 12th - 17th, tells the story of another play: a shocking and abusive play written by Crouch who oversteps the line. The Author is a highly original and terrifyingly seductive journey into the horror of our mediated world. See below for a short clip from the production.

'This is a dazzling theatrical experience that lets nobody off the hook, opening our eyes to what should be blindingly obvious: we all have a choice'

 Lyn Gardner, The Guardian 30/09/09

TALKING THEATRE: Tim Crouch and members of the company. Oct 17, Post-show 2.20pm (approx.)
PANEL DISCUSSION: WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT? Oct 16, 1pm-2.30pm, Project Arts Centre.

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(Please note -this performance contains material that may be disturbing. Recommended for ages 18+.)

Invitation to Guest Review on our blog

As well as being a fan of theatre, do you have a passion for music?  Well if so, read on!

This year we are inviting a number of you to be a Guest Reviewer on some of the shows during this year’s Ulster Bank Dublin Theatre Festival.  This week, we’re selecting 'Małe Instrumenty’ -performing as part of our Lost In Translation series of events celebrating Polish culture in Ireland. 'Małe Instrumenty’ is a band exploring new sounds using a wide array of (very) small instruments, strange musical inventions, children's toys and anything they can find that makes a sound.

If you think you would be up for the challenge of doing a Guest Review for us then drop us a comment below telling us why and we’ll pick the best comment who will receive a set of tickets to the show plus dinner for two at The Church Restaurant, Jervis Street, Dublin 1.

Listen to Małe Instrumenty on Myspace

Presented in association with ArtPolonia.

Proudly supported by the Department of Tourism, Culture & Sport and The Embassy of Poland in Dublin

Next Stage participants announced.

Ulster Bank Dublin Theatre Festival is delighted to announce those participating in this year’s Next Stage programme.

Described by past participants as "career changing," a "rare amount of inspiration" and "a once in a lifetime opportunity," The Next Stage is the artist development strand of the Festival. The challenging programme, spanning all 18 days of the festival, is an intense combination of exposure to the highest quality theatre and active participation. In addition to a nearly exhaustive schedule of performances, there is a series of talks and workshops led by some of the world's leading theatre makers. Past workshop leaders/speakers include Stephen Rea, Lloyd Newson, Declan Donnellan, Anne Bogart and Tim Crouch. Up to sixteen Irish theatre practitioners from all disciplines have been chosen to participate in this intimate programme.

Participants this year include; Brian Bennett, Louisa Carroll, Edwina Casey, Niall Cleary, Peter Daly, Grace Dyas, Franziska Marie Gramss, Lara Hickey, Louise Lewis, Rosaleen McDonagh, Ruairi O’ Donovan, Christiane O’Mahony, Liam O’Brien, Lydia Prior, Michelle Read and  Megan Riordan.

Presented in association with Theatre Forum and supported by Irish Theatre Trust.

For further details on the programme and those participating please visit http://www.theatreforumireland.com/the-next-stage/

The Silver Tassie - What the audience says

"Garry Hynes has given full rein to the intensity of O’Casey’s message"

Sunday Independent, Sept 5th 2010

“Garry Hynes's fine new production emerges as one of the great (anti-) war plays”

Colin Murphy, The Irish Independent, Aug 30th 2010

Tony Award-winner Garry Hynes directs a cast of 19 - Druid’s biggest ever company of actors - and welcomes back some Druid favourites including Aaron Monaghan, Eamon Morrissey and Derbhle Crotty. It will be performed from Oct 5th - 10th at the Gaiety Theatre, Dublin following a recent tour of Ireland. Last week we caught up with it at the Town Hall Theatre Galway, to see what the audience thought.




TALKING THEATRE: Members of the company. Oct 6, Post-show 10pm (approx.)

Proudly Supported by the Irish Times

ENRON - An era-defining, must-see theatrical event!

It's a sign of Chichester's new adventurousness that, in partnership with Headlong and the Royal Court, it is staging theatre's latest attack on corporate corruption. Lucy Prebble's hugely ambitious play, covering the rise and fall of the Texan energy company, Enron, is an exhilarating mix of political satire, modern morality and multimedia spectacle.

Michael Billington in the Guardian 

Lucy Prebble's Enron already looks like the play that all the others will have to beat at this year’s theatre awards. Rating: * * * * * 

Enron, at Minerva Theatre in Chichester, The Telegraph

 

Boasting a host of awards including an Olivier Award, the most talked about show of 2010, ENRON, lands in Dublin direct from an extended run in the West End this October 12 - 16 at at Ulster Bank Dublin Theatre Festival.

TALKING THEATRE: Members of the company. Oct 15, Post-show 9.45pm (approx.)
PANEL DISCUSSIONS: The Smartest Men in the Room?; Oct 15, 5.30pm-7pm. Gaiety Theatre.
No Way To Do Business; Oct 16, 5.30pm-7pm. Gaiety Theatre.

Presented in partnership with the British Council.
Contains strong language and a scene of a sexual nature.

Proudly Supported by The Doyle Collection

Book Tickets Now

Dublin Loves Drama - Festival Photography Competition

We all know that Dublin Loves Drama and this year we want you to share your snaps from the streets of Dublin!

The theme for this year’s Ulster Bank Dublin Theatre Festival is Dublin Loves Drama and we’ve worked with Photographer Matthew Thompson to capture scenes from across the city. You’ll see these images on our website, in our brochure and across the city on billboards and in press. Now we’re turning it over to you. Have you captured drama on the streets of Dublin? If you have, share it with us on Pix.ie and be in with a chance to win some amazing prizes.

Sharing is easy! 
Log on to http://pix.ie/group/dubtheatrefest to sign up and share your photos

Prizes
1. A Nikon s1000pj thanks to Nikon & Conns Cameras, 54 Clarendon Street, Dublin 2
2. One Year Membership to the Gallery of Photography and a place on its ‘Creative Approaches to Better Photography Course.’
3. Photographer at the next Phantom First Friday

The competition is open from September 8th to October 17th.

Małe Instrumenty (Small Instruments)

Building on the Polski Teatr season, Ulster Bank Dublin Theatre Festival in partnership with various arts organisations, presents a city-wide celebration of contemporary Polish culture and investigation of the cultural impact of migration. Today on the blog we take a look at Małe Instrument, a band exploring new sounds using a wide array of (very) small instruments, strange musical inventions, children's toys and anything they can find that makes a sound. They are performing as part of the Lost In Translation series of events at Liberty Hall on October 15th. 

The text below is taken from an interview by Joanna Wojdas with Małe Instrumenty Polityka.pl, 20th June 2008.


Small is different: A fantastic five piece orchestra of toys. We do not claim that there’s anything wrong with a double bass or piano but using small instruments brings new, playful and energising performances. This band creates music using toys and exotic instruments in order to find new and innovative sounds. Having to deal with the obstacle that some of the sound devices have very amateur characteristics and do not fit the needs of performances, the band tries to find the middle ground between ‘charming amateurism and shiny perfectionism’. They don’t prescribe to conservative notions of mistakes or good taste. Every sound is equal for them. They accept the grotesque quality created through using these eclectic musical devices. Every performance is being prepared to the highest standards and is not just a concert of novelty music but a conceptual experiment in the field of music. Their work crosses boundaries of classical (with the work of composers such as Igor Stravinsky), improvised, noise music and even pop.



 Listen to Małe Instrumenty on Myspace.

Presented in association with ArtPolonia.

Proudly supported by the Department of Tourism, Culture & Sport and the Embassy of Poland in Dublin. 

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