On the Town: When composer Conor Linehan played the first piano chords, it was time to step back in time to the dimly lit days of 1904.
Dublin By Lamplight, a new play by Michael West, in collaboration with the Corn Exchange Theatre Company, opened in Dublin this week. The melodrama, which is characterised by the highly charged style of Commedia dell'Arte, features heavily painted faces, jerky puppet-like gestures and quick changes of character.
According to Annie Ryan, director of the play, and founder of Corn Exchange, the production sets out to explore "what will excite" and "how to make transformations happen more within this [Commedia d'ell Arte] style. Without all that make-up it's much easier but if it's tied to the make-up, it's much harder. It's how to maintain the integrity of the images, of the characters and at the same time transform character in front of us". Also, she said, "there are 25 scenes in the first act. There's an awful lot of story in it".
Michael West, the playwright, said to expect the company's "usual madness . . . We wanted to do something to mark this idea of 2004 and all the centenaries".
Rachel West (no relation to the playwright), who will direct Winter, by Norwegian playwright Jon Fosse, in February at Project's Cube, enjoyed the production, especially because "it's wonderful to see a group of actors working so well as an ensemble".
Loughlin Deegan, of Rough Magic Theatre Company, said: "It's fascinating to see independent theatre companies investigating Irish theatrical history in this year of the Abbey centenary."
Others at the opening night were Siobhán Colgan, chair of the Corn Exchange board of directors: Ivana Bacik, Reid Professor of Criminology at TCD; actor Rosaleen Linehan and her husband, writer Fergus Linehan; Jack Gilligan, Dublin City Council arts officer; Katherine Drohan, from Waterford, and her boyfriend, designer Scott Burnett; and actor Ruth Negga and director Darren Thornton.
Dublin by Lamplight, by Michael West, runs at Project Upstairs until Saturday, November 20th