Shadowbox bringing ‘Somethings’ to the Mermaid
BRAY’S Shadowbox Theatre Company and artistic director Gemma Gallagher are back in the Mermaid Arts Centre this month for their production of ‘Somethings’.
Taking place on Thursday, July 13, the production, devised by a company of performers with intellectual disability, takes the audience on a journey of the imagination entering a world where merging sounds, movements and images tells a story of frustration, loss and hope for the future.
Gemma, who is Theatre Artist in Residence at the Mermaid, is one of the founding members of Shadowbox Theatre and has directed seven of the theatre’s main touring productions.
She is an experienced theatre-maker, performer and facilitator, having worked with internationally-renowned companies such as Cirque du Soleil and Punchdrunk.
She says she is ‘committed to the exploration of original methods of presenting the emotional and instinctual language of our lives.
‘For me, that’s what theatre is. What I strive for on the stage is a commitment to quality and innovation, to honesty and inclusion,’ said Gemma.
A member of Theatre Forum Ireland, Gemma said she is delighted to be working as Theatre Artist in Residence between Mermaid Arts Centre in Bray and Backstage Theatre in Longford, funded through the Arts Council of Ireland Theatre Artist Residency Scheme.
Niamh O’Donnell, artistic director at the Mermaid Arts Centre, said: ‘It is important to Mermaid that the work we present reflects the rich array of creative people in our community. What working with Shadowbox represents is artistic excellence and ambition. The artists on stage are nothing short of remarkable. Engagement in Arts and Culture helps us all to expand our horizon, we learn to collaborate, empathise and problem solve but what these artists will do is share with us and in so doing they will teach us. They will teach us more than what they themselves have learned - what we will see is democracy, inclusivity and equality. It’s a must-see.’
‘Somethings’, supported by the Arts Council, takes place on Thursday, July 13, at 8 p.m.