Articles and Reviews
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THE IRISH TIMES review of The Bystander, Dublin Theatre Festival 2018

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THE REVIEWS HUB review of The Bystander, Dublin Theatre Festival 2018

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THE ARTS REVIEW review of The Bystander, Dublin Theatre Festival 2018

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IRISH TIMES review of Man At The Door (Number 54), Cork Midsummer Festival 2018

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IRISH TIMES review of Dolores, Dublin Dance Festival 2018

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IRISH INDEPENDENT review of Dolores, Dublin Dance Festival 2018

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EXEUNT MAGAZINE review of Dolores, Dublin Dance Festival 2018

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THE ARTS REVIEW review of Dolores, Dublin Dance Festival 2018

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THE BIG LIST NI review of Soldier Still, Dublin Fringe Festival 2017

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THE IRISH TIMES review of Soldier Still, Dublin Fringe Festival 2017

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THE ARTS REVIEW review of Soldier Still, Dublin Fringe Festival 2017

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EXEUNT MAGAZINE review of Soldier Still, Dublin Fringe Festival 2017

THE REVIEWS HUB review of Soldier Still, Dublin Fringe Festival 2017

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THE SCOTSMAN review of It Folds, Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2016

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THE STAGE review of It Folds, Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2016

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THE HERALD review of It Folds, Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2016

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EXAMINER.COM review of Walking Pale, 2016

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THE IRISH TIMES review of Dusk Ahead, 2015

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THE IRISH TIMES review of It Folds, 2015

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THE STATE OF THE ARTS review of It Folds, 2015

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BROADWAY WORLD review of It Folds, 2015

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LE COOL review of It Folds, 2015

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THE NEW YORK TIMES review of Dusk Ahead, 2015

TANZ MAGAZIN review of The Falling Song, 2014

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EXEUNT MAZAZINE review of The Falling Song, 2014

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THE PUBLIC REVIEWS review of The Falling Song, 2014

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THE STAGE review of The Falling Song, 2014

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THE IRISH TIMES review of Dusk Ahead, 2013

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THE SUNDAY TIMES review of Dusk Ahead, 2013

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EXAMINER.COM review of Dusk Ahead, 2013

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IRISH THEATRE MAGAZINE review of Dusk Ahead, 2013

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IRISH INDEPENDENT review of Dusk Ahead, 2013

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THE IRISH TIMES feature on junk ensemble and Dusk Ahead, 2013

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IRISH EXAMINER review of Dusk Ahead, 2013

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THE IRISH TIMES review of The Falling Song, 2012

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IRISH THEATRE MAGAZINE review of The Falling Song, 2012

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RACHEL DONNELLY review of The Falling Song, 2012

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TOTALLY DUBLIN review of Bird with boy, 2012

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THE SUNDAY TIMES review of Bird with boy, 2011

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IRISH THEATRE MAGAZINE review of Bird with boy, 2011

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THE IRISH TIMES review of Bird with boy, 2011

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THE VIEW on RTE TELEVISION review of Five Ways to Drown, 2010

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THE IRISH TIMES review of Five Ways to Drown, 2010

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IRISH THEATRE MAGAZINE review of Five Ways to Drown, 2010

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THE IRISH INDEPENDENT review of Five Ways to Drown, 2010

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IRISH HERALD review of Five Ways to Drown, 2010

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DANCE EUROPE review of Drinking Dust, 2009

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THE IRISH TIMES review of Drinking Dust, 2008

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THE METRO review of Drinking Dust, 2008

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IRISH THEATRE MAGAZINE review of Drinking Dust, 2008

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THE IRISH TIMES review of The Rain Party, 2007

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THE IRISH INDEPENDENT review of The Rain Party, 2007

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THE METRO review of The Rain Party, 2007

IRISH HERALD Wednesday May 12 2010

Five Ways to Drown


We all know what to expect when we enter a theatre: we troop dutifully to our appointed seats, or else we grab whatever's available.

In Project's Space Upstairs, people generally cluster in the section that is immediately accessible from the door -- crossing in front of the huge bank of seats is too performative for some, perhaps, and latecomers hustle past, ducking their heads, as they scramble into the protective anonymity of the audience. Those who failed to neck their jars in good time had another thing coming at junk ensemble's Dublin Dance Festival premiere last week.

Project's space was completely transformed, and spectators were lead, thanks to Aedin Cosgrove's creative set design, up some stairs that were never there before, past a huge terraced platform, and down more stairs to cross the stage to our seats -- an assortment of kitchen and dining room chairs.

We were fully and completely placed in the essence of 'home', and were given to feel the discomfort of visitors who are in a familiar construct, but with an unfamiliar narrative. We recognised 'home', but weren't sure what it was going to mean.

This transformation of space is essential to the work that artistic directors Megan and Jessica Kennedy perform as junk ensemble.

Joined by 11-year-old Joshua Dyson, 70-year-old Mary O'Connor and in-his-prime Lee Clayden, the performance investigated the roles we play, the rules we follow, the desires we thwart and the annoyance of hanging wallpaper, all in the name of family.

The telling of the story was aided by projections (which were sadly under-used as a device), live music, real grass, real water and a couple of trampolines.

What it all meant was that our youth is always with us, and that our twilight years are waiting patiently for us to join them.

If the former is seen merely as neurosis, and the latter perceived with fear, then Five Ways to Drown has given us the opportunity to look at it in a light-hearted, yet moving way.

The choreography and pacing was perfectly pitched, and the skills of all the dancers were used in the best possible fashion.

It's rare to wish that something wasn't over when the lights come up, and this was that very rare thing indeed.

And it also, perhaps, cured a few people of their chronic lack of punctuality.

SUE CONLEY

IRISH HERALD review of Five Ways to Drown, 2010