The Irish Equity AGM will take place on Sunday 13th April 2014 For more information click here [Read more…]
1913 Tapestry
View in the 1913 Lockout Tapestry in the GPO
ICA Centenary Commemoration
On Saturday, March 22nd, there will be a Commemoration at Liberty Hall from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. including a dramatic interpretation by ANU Productions, Music by Des Geraghty and Friends, a Lecture on Foundation of the ICA by Ann Matthews and much more. More info [Read more…]
Open meeting for all actors
The Executive of Irish Equity is holding an open meeting for all actors in the Republic of Ireland on March 9th at 2pm in Liberty Hall Theatre.
The purpose of this meeting is to engage the broader acting community in a conversation about the issues and challenges facing actors in modern day society.
The meeting is open to all actors, both members of the union and non-members are welcome and encouraged to participate in the discussion.
Eanna Casey from the Recorded Artists Actors Performers (RAAP) will give a presentation on the role of the collection society with emphasis on payments that accrue abroad because of legislative entitlement. RAAP for is an Irish not-for-profit organisation set up to ensure that performers receive the performance royalties that are due to them both nationally and globally.
Stephen Spence, Assistant General Secretary Equity UK will also address the meeting.
We look forward to a good discussion on the day.
ICTU Women’s Conference calls for immediate release of Margaretta D’Arcy
Delegates at the ICTU Women’s Conference have overwhelmingly backed an emergency motion calling for the immediate release of 79-year-old peace campaigner Margaretta D’Arcy on humanitarian grounds.
The conference in Whites Hotel, Wexford, heard that D’Arcy, who is being treated for cancer, has been imprisoned for eight weeks for refusing to swear a bond that she will not trespass on Shannon Airport runway.
D’Arcy is an actor, playwright, author and a founding member of the artists association Aosdána. She is a veteran peace campaigner who in recent years has led protests against the use of Shannon Airport by the US military.
Proposing the emergency motion that Minister for Justice, Equality and Defence, Alan Shatter, move to release D’Arcy, SIPTU Campaigns and Equality Organiser, Ethel Buckley, described her as “a truly remarkable woman.”
“That a person who has always strove to highlight the best in humanity should be subjected to what she has described as amounting to a form of ‘sensory deprivation’ in the Irish prison system is a moral outrage,” she said.
“It is entirely appropriate that Justice Minister Alan Shatter should request that the Government instruct President Michael D Higgins to utilise the powers under Section 7 of the Criminal Procedure Act 1993 and pardon Margaretta and bring her ordeal to an end,” she added.
ICTU Women’s Committee Secretary, Margaret Browne, said: “Margaretta D’Arcy is an amazing woman and, at 79, she is still campaigning and standing up for the disadvantaged”
Following the conference’s unanimous endorsement of the motion, Ethel Buckley, said: “Conference has sent a strong message the continued imprisonment of this renowned feminist, artist and campaigner is completely unacceptable. Minster Shatter must take action now to set Margaretta free.”
A Night of Music & Spoken Word to celebrate the naming of the Rosie Hackett Bridge
A Night of Music & Spoken Word to Celebrate the Naming of the Rosie Hackett Bridge organised by SIPTU and the IWWU Commemorative Committee READ MORE
86th Academy Awards
Check out this years winners at the 86th Academy Awards which took place on Sunday 2nd March.
The Inquiry
In the autumn of 1913, as the social and political maelstrom of the Lockout raged around them, legendary union leader James Larkin faced his nemesis William Martin Murphy across a conference table in Dublin Castle. It was here, in the seat of British power in Ireland, that the two men passionately articulated their respective visions for the coming Irish state.
Ronnie Masterson
The death has occurred of Ronnie Masterson (4th April 1926 – February 10th 2014).
Ronnie was a long time member of Irish Equity and a member of the Executive. She trained at the Abbey Theatre and first appeared on stage there in 1944.
At the Abbey, she met and then married actor Ray McAnally (deceased) in 1945. Ronnie is mother to Conor, Aonghus, Máire and Niamh.
Irish Equity would like to express our sincere condolences to her family and friends.
SIPTU Vice-President, Patricia King, who knew Ronnie personally has also expressed her sorrow at the parting of the actress and Equity member.
“I wish to express my deepest sympathy to the children and family of Ronnie Masterson. May she rest in peace,” Patricia King said.
Funeral arrangements:
Reposing at Stafford’s Funeral Home in Portmarnock from 2 p.m to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, 12th February and from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursday, 13th February.
Removal on Thursday 13th February arriving at St. Fintan’s Church, Sutton, at 5.30 p.m.
Funeral Mass on Friday 14th February at 11.00 a.m.
A one-week workshop lead by Donnacadh O’Briain at The Lab from February 24th – 28th
Preparation & Instinct – creating a living performance
Artistic director of Natural Shocks and Royal Shakespeare Company alumni, Donnacadh O’Briain, leads an intensive, exploratory one-week workshop for working actors (with two places for directors).
This workshop will look at the two distinct strands of preparing for a role – the process of preparing in isolation; both before the beginning of rehearsals and through the rehearsal process; and the very different and distinct process of working through a play with other actors and a director.
The group will work through a series of methods for maximizing the effectiveness of both of these periods which will give the participants an understanding of how to release their instinct, to help them find the elusive ‘being in the moment’.
Actors are invited to apply as pairs, or individually.
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“I feel inspired and emboldened.”
“Of all of the Shakespeare classes and workshops I’ve taken, this was the most useful… I’ve never understood it from an actors’ perspective before. I feel like I’m not just guessing Shakespeare anymore…”
“I feel more confident that I have practical tools I can use when first approaching any text”
(From O’Briain’s workshop series, |An Actor Prepares – Shakespeare|, London & Dublin, annually from 2009 – 2013)
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Who Is this for?
The workshop is aimed at actors working in the profession, though recent drama school graduates will be considered. Numbers are kept low, between 8 and 12 actors. Directors are also invited to apply, for no more than one or two places.
How to Apply?
To apply, please email a CV to naturalshockstheatre@gmail.com
The deadline for applications is Friday 21st of February.
How much does it cost?
€200, to be paid on acceptance.
For more information email naturalshockstheatre@gmail.com
Where and when?
The workshop will take place at the Lab on Foley Street, from the 24th to 28th of February, each day from 10am until 5:30pm.
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Alongside directing plays, Donnacadh has in recent years, worked as a director and acting teacher for amongst others, RADA, LAMDA, and Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. He has been privileged to, and much influenced by, working alongside the likes of Cicely Berry, Michael Boyd, Greg Doran, Dominic Cooke, Simon McBurney & Emma Rice as well as actors too numerous to mention individually.
Donnacadh… is based London and Dublin; his productions have been described by the Irish Times as ‘inspired’ and ‘as good as it gets’. He is the creator of unique cross art form pop-up theatre PEEP, which featured at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2012 & 2013, and up coming projects include, a major new musical, and a Shakespeare performance with a full chamber choir at the National Portrait Gallery, London. As well as PEEP, recent projects include Balzac’s Eugenie Grandet (Assembly – Edinburgh Fringe); a revival of his award winning production of Mathematics of the Heart (London’s Theatre 503); Mark O’Rowe’s From Both Hips, Philip Ridley’s Mercury Fur (Both RADA); Harold Pinter’s Betrayal (Theatro dell’orologio, Rome); and Leo Butler’s The Early Bird (Finborough, London & Project, Dublin), ‘an imaginative tour-de-force’, Sunday Times. Work in Ireland & the UK includes of A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Civic), Twelfth Night (Crypt), Richard III (Better Bankside Shakespeare Award) and King Lear (Second Age). He spent three years with the Royal Shakespeare Company working on ten productions including the multi award-winning Histories Cycle (The Guardian’s ‘Production of the Decade’). He has directed new plays and adaptations in London, Dublin and Edinburgh including The Comical Mysteries; Kilt; Hush; Blue Velvet, and Between Life and Nowhere Amongst others; he has worked with Kneehigh, Complicité, The Gate Theatre and the National Theatre Studio.
