Who belongs in the limelight and who spends their life waiting in the wings, destined to be the understudy? The new show MESPIL IN THE DARK LIVE presented by Pan Pan at the Samuel Beckett Theatre comes with the tagline ”The only talent you need for acting is hard work”.
This world premiere featuring Pauline Hutton, Ahmed Karim Tamu, Robert O’Mahoney and An Cailín Ciúin’s Andrew Bennett follows on from last year’s four 15-minute films where we peered through the curtains of Ireland’s first modern post-war flat complex to observe the daily journeys of a group of actors and artists as part of the MESPIL IN THE DARK digital series.
In that series we followed the solo rat runs of each of their normal days and how they treaded in and out of each other’s lives. We observed their daily habits, both private and public. We heard about their dreams and nightmares and experienced with them their hopes and fears and the small coincidental accidents that shape their destinies. It was a sensitive, sometimes surreal, voyeuristic experience watching these eight individuals leading lives of quiet desperation just about staving off failure and making a living.
Some questions posed in the digital series still apply, does the flat complex and its community of residents offset loneliness or can living in close proximity with many people become intrusive? Do the residents support one another – or is there an illusion of support which simply serves to maintain social diplomacy? Will these eccentric characters living in this unconventional dwelling be able to continue to live there?
But this time, the new MESPIL IN THE DARK LIVE also seeks to ask the question: what can theatre do that film can’t? Will we ever be able to turn off the emergency exit light? What do the Scottish play, the green room and break a leg all have in common? What moments remain with us when the lights go out? With this new live rendition, Pan Pan invites you to take a closer step into their bohemian oasis in the centre of a contemporary city.
MESPIL IN THE DARK LIVE will preview on Monday 5th September and open on Tuesday 6th, running until Saturday 10th September at the Samuel Beckett Theatre. All showings at 7:30pm.
The MESPIL IN THE DARK LIVE project is supported by the Arts Council‘s Commissions Award 2020, Brightening Air and Arts Council Strategic Funding.
