Thursday, October 30, 2014

Magic 1943 - A Dance Odyssey Reunion - a few photos from the night


Waiting for the Audience... 
My uncle Tom O'Brien arrives! Family here.  Tick.
Arrivals - many more than expected: Bruce Arnold & Philip Harvey of UCD Bookshop in foreground


Introducing the film, the evening, the fire exits... 
THE STARS (seated, from left): Barbara Sweetman Fitzgerald, Romy Hogan, Jennifer Kearney, Biddy Wilson, Ann Fryer Walsh, Margaret Becker - being introduced by Ruth Barton of TCD Film Studies.

A lively, electric discussion ensues

Great interaction with the audience
Ruth Barton amplifies Biddy Wilson
We had interesting contributions and queries from the floor, from such luminaries as Architectural Historian Shane O'Toole, Director of the Goethe Institute, Mecthild Manus, Art Critic Bruce Arnold, Film-Maker Steve Woods, Rossa O Snodaigh of Kila (who composed the original film score), and choreographer John Scott, who met Erina Brady's influential pupil Jacqueline Robinson, founder of l'Atelier de la Danse in Paris, among others.

The wonderful audience! Steve Woods suggests we lobby for a plaque to Erina Brady's Irish School of Dance Art at 39 Harcourt Street.  Ruth Barton asks everyone to leave their email addresses so we can start a formal petition for this.  Great ideas and calls to action emerging!


Afterwards: Deep in Conversation: Barbara Sweetman Fitzgerald & Peter Sheridan; Jennifer Kearney & Biddy Wilson; Margaret Becker &... basically everybody...

At the Reception: Re-enacting The Green Table with Olwen Fouere and Walter Kuhn (who played The Young Soldier in Kurt Jooss's production).  Tom Hickey close at hand. 
Above: Tom Hickey and Caroline Stephenson (daughter of 1940s tiny tot).
Biddy Wilson (centre) & Jennifer Kearney (left ) newly discovered 1940s Modern Dancing Tiny Tots who shared their memories of Erina Brady with us in the post-show discussion.

Thanks to David Tully for taking most of these photographs, and to all who helped to make this people-powered event happen: Marie Therese McKenna & James Coyle for sponsorship of the wine reception; Sonja Ewen, Sebastian Stephenson, Michelle Sweetman and Caroline Stephenson for contributing delicious canapes; Ruth Barton for hosting, and moderating the post-show discussion; Francis Thackaberry & Mick Canney of Samuel Beckett Theatre; everybody who bought tickets and energised the room and inspired discussion.  Also thanks to all 63+ kind micro-philanthropists who contributed to the crowd-funding campaign for the making of the film.  It's the people.

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