scenography

The Performance Corporation’s SPACE programme

Design for performance

Just back from an overwhelming two weeks in Castletown House Celbridge, as a participant on the 2014 SPACE programme, run by The Performance Corporation.

SPACE participants 2014

Focusing on fostering cross-artform collaboration, the programme threw nine makers together to see how we got on. As a designer it was a real treat to be able to get a taster of working in and with different practices – I know that I will take quite a while to work through a lot of the ideas that came up during the two weeks. Also, I think/hope that some of those collaborative explorations will continue outside of the Celbridge bubble.

Thanks to all at The Performance Corporation for taking me on as a participant, and to Jo Mangan & Hanna Slattne for putting together a challenging and intensive programme. Most of all, many, many thanks to my fellow participants for the excellent chats, provocations and inspirations you provided. Not to mention putting up with me when I was knackered and grumpy, and making me giggle enough to cause damage to my stomach muscles.

Links to my co-participants in SPACE below:

Alejandra Pombo Suárez  –  video artist
Aoife McAtamney  –  choreographer
Conor Hanratty  –  opera & theatre director
Emily Aoibheann  –  multidisciplinary artist
Michelle Cahill  –  dance artist
Morgan Wong  –  visual artist
Paul Curley  –  performer
Rachel Ní Chuinn  –  composer

World Scenography 1975-1990 now available

Other work
World Scenography 1975-1990

Book cover of World Scenography 1975-1990

Some years ago I was hired by Irish Theatre Institute to research Irish design for performance as part of the Irish contribution to World Scenography 1975-1990, a publication commissioned by OISTAT, the International Organisation of Scenographers, Theatre Architects and Technicians. The book is now published and available to buy online.

OISTAT says:

World Scenography 1975-1990 is the first volume in a new series of books looking at significant stage design throughout the world since 1975. This volume, documenting 1975-1990, has been about four years in the making and has had contributions from hundreds of people in more than 70 countries. Despite this range of input, it is not possible for it to be encyclopædic, much as the editors would like. Neither is the series a collection of “greatest hits,” despite the presence of many of the greatest designs of the period being examined. Instead, the object is to present designs that made a difference, designs that mattered, designs of influence; to document for posterity a collection of the significant theatrical set, costume, and lighting designs from the period.