Ciseach – Project Arts Centre – Review

Dates:  20 Jun 2024 – 22 Jun 2024

ciseach, f. (gs. -sí, pl. ~a).1. Wattled causeway; improvised path, footbridge, over soft ground or drain. Mil:~ chláir, duck-boards.

This is a new dance production created by Catherine Young and her team. The piece features six dancers on stage along with a five-piece band. The production aims to “rekindle our broken relationship with the land”. The title of the piece comes from its aim to “build the wattled causeway, the ciseach to guide us to solid ground”. The piece previewed at the Backstage Theatre (Longford) before a three-night stay at the Project Arts Centre.

The production features six dancers who wear a variety of simple clothing in subtle pastel colours. The piece starts with a vocal performance from Mícheál O’Dubhghaill as he evokes images of ancient Ireland. The dancers then take to the stage for a frantic sequence, as they flail and move, almost ignoring the other performers and lost in their own world. Slowly they exhaust themselves and a sense of calm is restored.

There are five musicians on stage throughout, visible in the wings of the stage. The music was created in collaboration between the musicians, with an interesting mix of vocals, fiddle, mandola and bass guitar along with some recorded sounds and drones. As ever with dance pieces, the percussion by music director Martin Schärer is prominent in the mix. There is a touch of bands like Clannad along with Dead Can Dance and others.

There is a long section where the dancers carry long straight branches, passing them between themselves in an elaborate fashion. There is a feeling of a Maypole, a folk tradition passed down through generations. The dance is impressive and well choreographed but the live music can really lifts the production to another level. It’s a stylish piece with many parts and a beautiful combination of sound and movement.

Credits
Director & Choreographer – Catherine Young

created in collaboration with:

Dramaturg – Hanna Slättne

Dance collaborators – Nana-YAA Appiah, Diarmuid Armstrong Mayock, Valentin Lemaitre, Emily Nicolaou, Simone O’Toole, Carmen Palacios Sáenz.

Original Music created in collaboration – Martin Schärer, Henning Fuchs, Jess Kavanagh, Mícheál O’Dubhghaill & Jon Sanders

Live Musicians – Martin Schärer (music director/ percussion) in collaboration Jess Kavanagh (vocals) Mícheál O’Dubhghaill(fiddle, flute, vocals), Jon Sanders (mandola/guitar)

Set Design – Sabine Dargent

Lighting Design – Sarah Jane Shiels

Costume Design Cherie White

Sound & Sound design – Alan Kelly

Production Team

Production Manager – Michael Stapleton

Photographer /Videographer – Pato Cassinoni

PR – Kate Bowe Communications

Marketing – Emer Casey

Producer – Kristyn Fontanella