FUEL 2015 Residency 4

Artist name: Martin Maguire

Project name: The Inside Turn

Tell us a little bit about previous projects you have worked on:
JOLT: Volition Theatre development program 2014; Chasing Butterflies by Siobhan Donnellan (best actor award-Cork Arts Theatre); Closer (Anam, Town Hall Theatre). The Honey Spike (Mephisto); Almost a Fantasy (Mephisto); Martin also played in The Bower Wall as part of Druid’s Debut Series

Describe your project:
Unable to accept his shattered new identity, Toddledgy James escapes on an exhilarating journey through his past; when dance fed his soul and he still knew his mind. As his mother always said “if you loose the head the body is no good”. The Inside Turn, a physical rollercoaster, brim full of humor & poignancy.

Why are you making this piece?
Inspired by my Father’s experience with stroke and the duality of his corporeal experience from able bodied to disabled in a single lifetime, I wanted to explore this apparent contradiction of somatic identities, this fractured psychological relationship between how you once were and how you exist presently.

Who or what are the main influences in your work?
Always inspired by work from companies such as Blue Raincoat and Junk Ensemble but in relation to this project the influence dates back to The White-Headed Boy by Barabbas where 3 performers played 11 parts. At one point Mikel Murfi simultaneously is playing a brother and two sisters as Raymond Keane has to open the door to a visit from himself. Highly accomplished & inspiring physical performances that stuck with me.

If you had to describe your performance style in one word, what would it be?
Physical.

What elements of your piece do you hope to develop during your FUEL residency?
Continue to develop the narrative with the writer while exploring the physical landscape of the piece.

Tell us about the people you will be working with during your residency:
Siobhan Donnellan is an award wining writer & actor from Clare. Her new play Going Spare received its world premier recently at Theatre Upstairs and enjoyed a very successful run. She also works as a storywriter for RTÉ’s Fair City. Evan Lordon is a Cork based director & actor and a founding member of Conflicted Theatre. He has been in productions by Everyman Theatre, Broken Crow and, more recently, Gentrification for Corcadorca.

What are you most excited about, with regard to the FUEL residency?
Spending a week working with Siobhan & Evan in such an iconic space.

What do you think will be your biggest challenge during your FUEL residency?
Trying to fit everything into the week, realising that’s not possible then deciding what to leave out!!

When is the last time you were excited or inspired by a performance?
The hauntingly beautiful movement of the winged angel (Dagmara Jerzak) in It Folds by Junk Ensemble & Brokentalkers.

What would you be doing if you weren’t participating in a FUEL residency?
Developing The Inside Turn further and working on various film & personal photographic projects.

Martin is FUEL Artist in Residence from 14th – 19th December.