BWW Interviews: Show: 6 New Productions at Triskel Arts, Cork

Can you tell us a little about Theatre Development Centre?

The Theatre Development Centre (TDC) was established by Corcadorca Theatre Company in 2011, and is housed in the Triskel Arts Centre - the central arts venue in Cork city, which has been in existence for 35 years. Unique in Ireland, the TDC is a studio space dedicated to the development of professional theatre in Cork. It was created with the aim to address a gap in theatre practice and theatre community in Cork.

Theatre companies and practitioners who are making new work for the stage are given free residencies, of 1 to 3 weeks duration, as well as technical support. This enables the theatre makers to write, work with actors, develop the technical aspects of a piece, and above all have a supportive environment in which to create work for the stage. On Fridays at the conclusion of each residency there is a free public showing of the work in development followed by an audience Q&A. Since opening, the TDC has housed over seventy projects by many different companies.

Any existing or emerging theatre practitioners/artists/makers resident in Cork and beyond are eligible to apply to use the space. We do not discriminate between more and less established practitioners when deciding who may use the space. The space is also used for the development of professional theatre work through workshops, talks, masterclasses and other events.

Can you introduce "SHOW" ?
SHOW is a new initiative by the Theatre Development Centre to provide a venue and opportunity for local companies/artists to produce and show new work. For many companies and individuals who have had residencies in TDC it has been difficult for them to get their work seen or staged after the developmental phase. SHOW provides the stage. The aim is to give companies and artists the opportunity they deserve: to SHOW their work. That's what theatre is about after all!

SHOW is 6 new productions by 6 companies performed in 1 space over 10 days. Audiences have the opportunity to see all 6 shows in one weekend, with shows also scheduled for midweek. The 6 featured companies are Asylum Productions, BrokenCrow, Conflicted Theatre, JustMadeIt Productions, Round House Productions, and Tada - ambitious young companies, selected because they have recently developed exciting and engaging new work in TDC residencies. The performances are all finished pieces, and are varied formats and lengths.

And can you give a brief intro to each piece...
Asylum Productions present 'A Practical Guide to Women'. Michael MacManus presents a darkly comic insight into the psyche of an uncommon Irish bachelor. From first date to final fling, Michael will selflessly share his insight and wisdom. A self-help lecture for the tragically inept, Michael's expert analysis comes complete with impractical demonstrations.

BrokenCrow presents 'Lifedeath', an absurd satire where the sands of truth and reality are constantly shifting beneath Thom and Carol. Lifedeath breaks the constraints of plot, structure and character to explore the fractured roles of a dysfunctional family, raising questions on identity, morality, life and death.

Conflicted Theatre present 'Mirror', a physical and energetic re-imagining of Snow White. We all know what happens, or do we? Conflicted return to the earliest versions of the fairy tale and strip the story back to its essentials to see it in the here and now. There will be dancing, vanity, hate, love, obsession and selfies.

JustMadeIt Productions present 'wish i was...', which follows twenty-five year old Aisling as she journeys through Thailand and Australia. She travels through landscape after landscape, pacing and placing herself in tomorrow while leaving the rest of the world in yesterday. "Stories are like maps/paths, they change as we use them."

Roundhouse Productions present 'One'. Taking themes and atmospheres from Grimms Fairy Tales, 'One' is the story of a man stuck in a modern day system that has become the story of his life. Using heightened poetic language, sound art and performance the authors of this piece craft a theatrical language that is both exciting and engaging.

Tada presents 'X and Y'. "...It is about being a girl in a mans world, it is about being a good liar, it is about loss, it is about grief, it is about there being no way out."

It's a great idea. Are there any plans for putting on 'Show' in another town, or what are the hopes for each production post-SHOW?

While it would be a great idea to bring SHOW to another city, we wouldn't have the capacity to do that. The primary aim was to give companies an opportunity to create new work as part of a showcase event. SHOW is scheduled in such a way that people can see all 6 shows over one weekend, thus giving programmers, funders and producers an opportunity to see a lot of work in a condensed time. Alongside the performances on the weekends, the Theatre Development Centre will host informal meetings between the makers and key people coming to see the work, so the hope is that some if not all of the work will have a life beyond SHOW, whether that be with a run at a venue or festival in Cork, or elsewhere.

Full info and tickets at: http://triskelartscentre.ie/show-tdc/
Or see our Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/tdc.corcadorca