Enjoy the absolute wonderment of this gorgeous video! Draíocht is so delighted to have worked with Ceol Connected as Theatre Company in Residence during 2019 to develop LEAF, a multi-sensory performance for children with complex needs, performed during September. In doing so, we are responding to our 2018-2022 Strategy ‘Space for the Arts’ and in particular our commitment to expand equality of access to more children. At the heart of this process was Ceol Connected's exploration of how multi-sensory experiences - sound, touch, taste, smell, light, movement, etc. – can be meaningfully embedded in a theatrical performance to most effectively engage children who have a range of additional needs.
And here are a few words from Thomas Johnston, from Ceol Connected:
"Here we have it... a little glimpse into the world of LEAF. I really couldn't be prouder of all we achieved this year during our development of LEAF. It was an absolute pleasure to create, collaborate, and perform with such an inspiring team - Jo Williams, Orla Kelly, Claire Crehan, Sebastian Pizarro Olivera, and several others (see video credits for the full rundown of everyone involved). We pushed ourselves in all sorts of weird and wonderful directions, dreamt and reflected, devised and crafted, went down the odd cul-de-sac, came over the brow of many's the hill - all the while guided by the steady hand of Director Jo Williams.
A huge thanks to the children and staff at children and staff at Oakridge Children's Service Centre who we linked in with during the devising stage, to the children and staff at the Central Remedial Clinic for working with us on the video (and to Blue Hue Video Production for capturing the magic), and to everyone at Draiocht Blanchardstown for being so welcoming and helpful.
Check out the video - I hope you enjoy."
Draíocht is delighted work with Ceol Connected as Theatre Company in Residence during 2019 to develop LEAF, a multi-sensory performance for children with complex needs. In doing so, we are responding to our 2018-2022 Strategy ‘Space for the Arts’ and in particular our commitment to expand equality of access to more children.
Ceol Connected is a young and impassioned theatre company that strives to create meaningful, beguiling, virtuosic, fantastical, and gloriously joyful work for young audiences that is of the highest quality and that draws inspiration and intrigue from the world of traditional arts. They are the makers of ‘The Quiet Tree’, The Far Field’, ’The Wonderful Tune’, ‘A Winter Wish’, ‘Whistle in the Wind’, and most recently ‘Return of Spring’.
A core creative team comprised of Ceol Connected’s Dr. Thomas Johnston (traditional artist and theatre-maker), Orla Kelly (visual artist), and Joanna Williams (Director) are developing, with Draíocht’s support, a new inclusive and highly participatory theatrical performance, specifically designed for young children with complex needs. At the heart of this process is their exploration of how multisensory experiences - sound, touch, taste, smell, light, movement, etc. – can be meaningfully embedded in a theatrical performance to most effectively engage children who have a range of additional needs. This journey began at Draíocht in January 2018 with Ceol Connected’s development of ‘A Winter Wish’, a multisensory traditional music performance. Importantly, Ceol Connected’s residency at Draíocht will also involve close collaboration with Oakridge Preschool to ensure that children’s voices and experiences are central to the creative process.
LEAF
Ceol Connected in partnership with Draíocht
FRI 13 - WED 18 SEP 2019 Draíocht Studio
€5 Per Child (Accompanying adults free) / Age 3-8 yrs / Dur 45 mins
What is it like to live on a giant leaf? Prepare for whooshing winds, gigantic raindrops, busy bugs, and bursts of colourful canopy in this joyful multi-sensory performance designed for children with complex needs. With the gentle unfurling of a leaf, a soothing sensory world is brought to life through music and song, light, smell, movement, and touch. Devised and created by director Joanna Williams, and performers Orla Kelly and Thomas Johnston, LEAF is a captivating, fun-filled, and immersive theatre experience suitable for very young children with complex needs and their guardian/carer. Developed by Ceol Connected as Theatre Company in Residence at Draíocht and supported by Fingal County Council and The Arts Council.
Booking Notes: Each show is limited to 6 children & their guardian/carer. LEAF is a joyful experience of multi-sensory play, music, relaxation and surprise for young children with complex needs. It is, at its core very stimulating, with a range of sights, sounds, smells, and tactile experiences. Shows are suited to special needs crèches & pre-schools as well as for children and their guardian/carer. . To check suitability, please phone Sarah Beirne, Children & Youth Arts Officer, 01-8098029. Booking through Box Office tel 01-8852622.
Ceol Connected’s Draíocht Residency is supported by Fingal County Council and The Arts Council
Image: 'The Far Field (2017). Photo Diane O'Connell.
Draíocht is delighted to announce that we will work with Ceol Connected as Theatre Company in Residence during 2019 and by doing so responding to our 2018-2022 Strategy ‘A Space for the Arts’ and in particular our commitment of expanding equality of access to more children.
Ceol Connected is a young and impassioned theatre company that strives to create meaningful, beguiling, virtuosic, fantastical and gloriously joyful work for young audiences, that is of the highest quality and that draws inspiration and intrigue from the world of traditional arts. They are the makers of ‘The Quiet Tree’, The Far Field’, ‘The Wonderful Tune’, ‘Return of Spring’, ‘Whistle in the Wind’ and most recently ‘A Winter Wish’.
2019 will see Ceol Connected, with Draíocht’s support, develop their new inclusive and highly participatory theatrical performance, ‘Out in the Ocean’, specifically designed for young children with special educational needs. At the core of this process will be Ceol Connected’s exploration of how multisensory experiences - sound, touch, taste, smell, light, movement etc. – can be meaningfully embedded into a theatrical performance to most effectively engage children who have a range of additional needs. This journey began at Draíocht in January 2018 with Ceol Connected’s development of ‘A Winter Wish’, a multisensory traditional music performance touring nationally between October and December 2018, supported by Draíocht and The Arts Council.
Ceol Connected’s Draíocht Residency is supported by Fingal County Council and The Arts Council.
Collapsing Horse
Theatre Artists in Residence 2016-2018
Draíocht is delighted to have worked with Collapsing Horse as Theatre Artists in Residence since 2016. As that comes to an end, we look back at what they've done, achieved here and contributed to the Draíocht community.
In this time, they've made use of our facilities to develop, hone and show their work to Draíocht audiences and to exchange with D15 Youth Theatre over a series of workshops that spanned areas of puppetry, illusion, performance and dance. They rehearsed and presented their show ‘Human Child’ in our Studio before it embarked on a tour of Ireland and Russia. They made use of our technical facilities to develop ‘Conor: at the end of the Universe’, a piece for 4-6 years olds about relativity and time travel which made extensive use of animation and audiovisual elements. They've recently been working with actors and dancers to develop ‘Dance Plague’, a piece inspired by the dancing mania in Strasbourg in 1518 and the life of Isadora Duncan the ‘grandmother of contemporary dance’.
This is not the end though of Collapsing Horse's relationship with Draíocht. Writer/Director Dan Colley will write the script of ‘Dance Plague’ while in the Centre Culturel Irlandais Paris as part of the Draíocht and CCI Artist Residency Programme 2018-2019 and Draíocht will support and present the production here next year.
The Collapsing Horse Draíocht Residency was supported by Fingal County Council and The Arts Council.
COLLAPSING HORSE - THEATRE ARTISTS IN RESIDENCE 2016-2018
Draíocht is delighted to continue working with Collapsing Horse as Theatre Artists in Residence during 2018.
Collapsing Horse is a theatre company that makes comic, lo-fi, spectacular, tactile and virtuosic work and are the makers of ‘MONSTER/CLOCK’; ‘Distance from the Event’; ‘Bears in Space’; ‘The Aeneid’; ‘Conor: at the end of the Universe’ and ‘The Water Orchard’, written by their very own Eoghan Quinn.
2018 will see Collapsing Horse, with Draíocht’s support, develop their new show ‘Dance Plague’, a show for teenagers inspired by the dancing plagues of the middle ages. Their ongoing work with D15 Youth Theatre will feed into the development of same.
‘One of the most exciting collectives on the Irish theatre scene.’
Totally Dublin
The Collapsing Horse Draíocht Residency is supported by Fingal County Council and The Arts Council.
