Mamafesta Memorialising

“My mum has senile dementia. I made my last piece about her. But it wasn’t enough. I still have more to do and more to say. I’m worried that what’s happening to her will happen to me. So, this piece is a memory exercise for three male dancers. All pushing to see how much abstract information our bodies can retain. The title comes from a line from the Irish writer James Joyce’s epic novel Finnegan’s Wake.

It references a letter (or manifesto) written by Annalivia Plurabelle. Annalivia represents the archetypal female character in this extremely complex masterpiece and, though she may not be a classic heroine, she is very GHƓQLWHO\ DOO HVVHQFH ,W LV WKLV HVVHQFH RU VKLIWLQJ EHWZHHQ past present and future that reminds me of the fragility of our own identity. If we are more than the sum of our parts, what’s left as some of those parts disappear? Who are we when it’s all gone? In this work it’s my own demons I’m dealing with. My need to tell my stories. To not forget or be forgotten.”

– Philip Connaughton

Project Arts Centre, February 19-22, €16-€18