Northern Ireland Theatre Lecture--Initial Response

Needless to say, I was very excited to hear the guest speakers from Belfast, both because of my family history and interest in the political situation in Northern Ireland, and because of my interest in theatre. If it weren't for the conflicts between Catholics and Protestants and Northern Ireland, my family would never have moved to America in the first place! One thing I definitely got from their lecture is that I can pursue my interest in these two different areas together. Their ideas about using post-conflict theatre to help resolve issues is really interesting to me because it could be a viable solution to internal conflict all over the world. It reminds me of the calenders we are selling for a group that does Theatre of the Oppressed, which also aims to use theatre as a vehicle for positive growth. In the future I would like to explore the similarities and differences of site-specific theatre and theatre of the oppressed.

Something that excited me about their work was their practice of site-specific theatre, and their interesting choices of venues in their relation to Belfast. It would have never occured to me to stage a production in one of the thousands of black taxis that buzz around Belfast, or in the creepy old abandoned jail and courthouse, which both represent a highly volatile period of Irish history. In that way, the Kabosh Theatre Company has changed my perspective of theatre. Something does not have to take place in a conventional space to be theatre, and their work in unconventional spaces is really shaped by their choice of venue.

That idea that the devising proccess can originate from a general idea and a choice of space has also changed how I view theatre. I can see that there are many benefits of this style of theatre. For one, it allows audiences into places they may not otherwise see. This is definitely true with Two Roads West, where they cross the Falls and Shankhill Roads in taxis, two streets I have heard about all my life.

[A promotional picture for a Belfast Black Taxi Tour Comany--very popular in recent years]

Also, the space can provide a good framework for elements like time, and the size and distribution of audience. It was very interesting to hear them say that location and time can be a character in a play. This statement resonated with me, because while it had never occured to me, it makes sense. As an audience member, the way a piece of theatre is timed really affects me. I can also imagine that the same would be true for the location. This concept was explained very well in terms of Conviction, where only small groups of 20 could be in some spaces at a time, and there were no public rest rooms, so they would have to guide people through relatively quickly. In many ways, using an odd space is a great starting point for structuring a play.


[It is easy to see how somewhere like the Crumlin Rd. Courthouse could provide vivid backdrop for theatre]

Something else that really jumped out at me about one of the plays in particular, Convictions, was the use of humor. I thought the scene in the bathroom between the photographer and the journalist was genious, and very on point about the mindsets in Belfast at the time. The Troubles squashed virtually all of the tourism industry in Northern Ireland, which has a bad effect on the economy, and especially in the early 2000's, people were looking to re-enstate some tourism. Part of what made this scene so funny was its relavance, but also there was a distinctly Irish, even Northern Irish, sense of humor that they used. I suppose this is obvious because it is written and produced by all Irish people, but still the comedy in that scene was very funny, but also very different from American comedy. In part, it is because the humour is so politically based there.

In the question-answer session I asked if they thought the work they were doing was helping to mend fences after The Troubles, and she said definitely YES. This is because it challenges pre-conceived ideas, and forces people to think outside of their comfort zones. The whole idea that theatre can be a way to resolve conflict is something I want to research further, and I'd also be interested to know what other post-conflict theatre has been done in Belfast. Also, it would be interesting to get some background on the history of Irish theatre, for my own interest if for nothing else.

PHOTO CREDITS:
http://www.uahs.org.uk/cmsfiles/images/Building%20of%20the%20month/crumlin_rd_courthouse__building_of_the_month_pic.jpg

http://www.wolfhoundtours.com/images/gallery/5dayn/2.jpg