Brokentalkers, one of Ireland's leading contemporary theatre companies, has recently embarked on a new collaboration with one of Ireland’s foremost traditional Irish musicians, Danny O’Mahony.
Together, they will present their production Bellow at Project Arts Centre, Dublin Droichead Arts Centre, Drogheda and The Everyman, Cork - but how did this most unlikely of artistic collaborations come about?
Danny: It all began when I was an Artist in Residence at UCC in 2019. I began thinking about different ways of presenting music to audiences and I began looking for inspiration through the theatre department. At the department’s recommendation I went to see a Brokentalkers’ show, Woman Undone, that they had made with singer Mary Coughlan. Shortly after that I reached out to Feidlim and Gary of Brokentalkers to see if they might be interested in making a show together.
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Listen: Gary Keegan of Brokentalkers and Danny O'Mahony talk Bellow on RTÉ Arena
Feidlim: Danny saw something in the Brokentalkers’ aesthetic and the way we make work that rang true to him in some way. From there we began to chat to Danny about his life, about his relationship with his craft and his relationship to tradition.
Gary: We had never been around someone with such a deep connection to a tradition. It was just in his bones. Feidlim and I have always resisted that connection to tradition. So we were intrigued by what brings that commitment and connection to tradition. Where does it come from? How does it feel? Where does it lead you? And that's what we began to excavate with Danny.
Feidlim: As we began making the work it became clear that the piece isn't just about Danny’s story - it's also about what it is to be an artist. So it was important for us to represent not just Danny's story, but the story of the artist. In order to do that we have alongside Danny on stage a contemporary artist, Gary and a dance artist, Emily Kilkenny Roddy. The synthesis of those artists on stage creates a space in the theatre that is reflective and honest.
Danny: Ultimately the show is always playing with the push and the pull. There is a push for me, being pushed in the contemporary world of Brokentalkers and how this type of work operates, and then there is a pull for the other artists on stage being pulled towards tradition, and giving them a feel for that.
Gary: There’s an incredible feeling of that pull towards tradition. And understanding where the music comes from, this idea of heritage. For us as theatre artists to not forget what informs us, that we are part of a tradition. All of that comes through in hearing Danny play, even from the very first day we met, the first day he played for us, the feeling that comes from the sound that he produces from the accordion, it’s something we wanted to find a way to share with our audience.
Bellow is at Project Arts Centre, Dublin from 21st February – 2nd March, Droichead Arts Centre, Drogheda on 7th March and The Everyman, Cork from 12th – 13th March 2024 - find out more here.
