By Rose Rushe
A TIGHT hour of raw visuals, original music score and mix of hip hop theatre, rap, graffiti and film will fill the Milk Market from this Sunday July 20 for six nights, 9pm. This is a retelling of ‘The Táin’, iconic blend of myth by which young hurler Setanta grows up to become CúChulainn, Ulster’s defender against the bull-headed Meave of Connacht.
“The city is the state, two tribes collide, a hero emerges”: this is the vision of Ciarda Tobin, Limerick based, whose work has translated to stage with companies such Amalgamotion, College Players and Limerick Youth Theatre. Her playwrighting was espoused by the former Belltable Arts Centre.
‘The Táin’ began in earnest November 2013 with City of Culture funding. Tobin’s first artistic connection to realise this sprawling, fighting, beautiful vision was with Bazzy B (Barry Bourke). “He is synonymous with hip hop in Limerick, a really physical dancer with his own style and good as CúChulainn – he pulls it off. I am bringing theatre, and film through Shane Seranno, and scoring the show musically is a conversation between us all. That’s how the whole thing comes together”.
“These conversations are across the Atlantic as our two dancers Chris Young-Ginzburg and Michelle Lukmani (Queen Maeve) are US based. They are experts in a particular West Coast style of hip hop dancing that is out of funk”.
She makes the point that film brings scale and drama to the commanding outdoor space of the market. “It’s going to fun, a strong story, explosive”.
Backed by producer Maeve Butler, this contemporary iteration of ‘An Táin’ is urban, musical, concerns territory not bulls, and boasts elements by Bad Taste Cru, Icarus Rising – CúChulainn’s favourite band, Serrano, designers Emma Fisher and Art O’Laoire and four intern dancers from the Limrockers Cru.
With vivid sundown visuals, the tickets are just €5/ €10 thanks to City of Culture and Dance Limerick support. ‘The Táin’ is a PG rated show for the people. Book at wwww.TheTain2014.com
