ABOUT THE EVENT

Ireland’s housing crisis is played out across the streets and civic spaces of Ballyfermot and Cherry Orchard in Brokentalkers’s vibrant and thought-provoking, re-imagining of the Passion of Christ.

Brokentalkers have been working with local schools and community groups since January to develop the script for The Passion Project. The story that has emerged from this collaborative process is non-religious but it keeps the great themes of sacrifice, redemption and hope and explores them through the confrontation between a homeless young woman and a property developer.

Professional actors Donal O’Kelly and Roxanna Nic Liam head a cast made up of hundreds of local performers, musicians, dancers and singers.  The audience over the two days of the event is expected to exceed two thousand.

From a corporate launch in a local hotel, to a Horse Show in the Cherry Orchard Equine Centre, a huge parade to the Civic Centre, a Best of Ballyer concert and an intense encounter with the brutal realities of our housing emergency, the audience will be challenged and enthralled by Brokentalkers theatrical vision.

WRITTEN & DIRECTED BY BROKENTALKERS

Brokentalkers are a multi-award winning Dublin based theatre company.

Under the artistic directorship of Feidlim Cannon and Gary Keegan, since 2003 Brokentalkers have built a reputation as one of Ireland’s most innovative and original theatre companies by making formally ambitious work that defies categorization. This work has been presented in a variety of spaces, ranging from theatres to public spaces, disused sites and the Internet.

“Brokentalkers, one of the country’s most fearless and path breaking theatre companies” The Irish Times

VISIT WEBSITE

THE EVENT

Saturday will feature a spectacular Horse Show at the Equine Centre, a huge Parade from there to the Civic Centre with Irish dancers, majorettes, sulkys, drummers and local choirs. There will be a Community Forum event where people will have a chance to reflect on the day’s drama and discuss local concerns.

Sunday’s events will pick up at Ballyfermot Library for a new play by Shaun Dunne based on the themes of home and homelessness, with a performance from C& S Variety.  One of the highlights of the Passion Project will include a “Best of D10” concert at the Ballyfermot College of Further Education on Sunday afternoon which will feature Mary Byrne, The Beermats, Nugget and Tom Phelan. This will be a ticketed event with the proceeds going to Dublin Simon Community which supports the homeless in the D10 area.

The Messenger will face a public trial at the Church of the Assumption, before the final episode of the drama takes place at Markievicz Park on the Sunday evening.

STARRING ROXANNA NIC LIAM & DONAL O’KELLY

Roxanna Nic Liam

Roxanna Nic Liam

The Messenger

Roxanna is an actress who has worked on many productions in Ireland and the UK including the Abbey Theatre in Dublin, the National Theatre in London and English Touring Theatre. She is also a drama facilitator and has worked with many young people across Dublin including Dublin Youth Theatre, The Brú in Crumlin and Kylemore college in Ballyfermot.

Donal O'Kelly

Donal O'Kelly

Mr Temple

Donal O'Kelly is probably best known for his leading role in Roddy Doyle’s The Van. He has toured widely with his solo plays including Edinburgh Fringe First winners Fionnuala and Catalpa, as well as Joyced! and Hairy Jaysus. He has recently performed in the Fishamble production of his play Little Thing, Big Thing in Edinburgh, New York and Adelaide. He is an associate director of the Irish peace and justice organisation Afri.

WHY THE PASSION

The Passion story, whether you approach if from a faith perspective or not, is part of our cultural DNA and this Brokentalkers/Community collaboration, while it is non-religious, will be both respectful and inclusive.  The story is being re-framed within the concerns and history of the people of Ballyfermot and Cherry Orchard with the aim of giving a voice to the community while illuminating its talents, energy and spirit.

At the heart of the project, which has been devised by Brokentalkers in workshops with local schools, Men’s Shed and Women’s groups, is the question of what makes a just and fair society and how a community should work towards that.

LOCATIONS

Aspect Hotel, Parkwest, Cherry Orchard Equine Centre, Parade from Equine Centre along Blackditch Road, Ballyfermot Community Civic Centre, Ballyfermot Library, Ballyfermot College of Further Education, Church of the Assumption, Markievicz Park.

EVENT TIMETABLE

Saturday 8th April

2pm        Aspect Hotel, Parkwest, start of The Passion Project

3pm        Cherry Orchard Equine Centre, Horse Show

3.30pm  Community Parade from Equine Centre along Blackditch Road to near Civic Centre

5pm  Community Forum, Ballyfermot Community Civic Centre

Sunday 9th April

2pm       Ballyfermot Library –   Rehearsed reading of  Displaced Family Testimonies which  has been developed with members of the homeless community in Ballyfermot.  Written by Shaun Dunne

5pm      Ballyfermot College of Further Education – The Best of D10 – Concert with Finbar Furey, Mary Byrne, The Beermats, The Martin Healy Trad Band, Nugget.  Doors open 4.30pm. Tickets 10 Euro. Proceeds to Simon Community.

6.45pm  Procession from BCFE to The Church of the Assumption

7pm        Church of the Assumption – The Messenger goes on trial

7.15pm   Procession from the Church to Markievicz Park

7.30pm   Markievicz Park – Crucifixion and Resurrection

SOME OF THE SCHOOLS & GROUPS TAKING PART

St Dominic’s Secondary School, St Ultan’s Primary School Orchestra, Cherry Orchard Resource Centre,  Ballyfermot Men’s Shed,  St John’s College, Caritas Secondary School, Kylemore College orchestra & choir, St John of Gods, The Base@Familibase,  Ballyfermot Library,  City of Dublin Education Training Board,  de la Salle NS, Mary Queen of Angels NS, Basement Productions Drama Group, Cherry Orchard Equine Centre Pony Club, Ballyfermot College of Further Education TV/Media Dept, Eileen Keogh Irish Dance, C&S Variety Group, Inchicore College of Further Education, Ballyfermot Gospel Choir, Ballyfermot Folk Group, Ballyfermot Heritage Group, Ballyfermot Star Project. St Louise’s NS. Dragon Twirlers. BCFE Rock School, BCFE Tourism Dept.

A PARTNERSHIP OF

Dublin’s Culture Connects does as it says – it seeks real change in the city through connecting communities to Dublin City Council’s resources, their National Cultural Institutions, and artists, on projects that are relevant to them. The core value is the public and cultural community working together, connecting Dubliners in significant ways on projects that are relevant to their expressed concerns.

The Arts are a unique and fundamental part of Dublin’s identity. Dublin City Arts Office, based at The LAB, is a specialist service within Dublin City Council, that represents a strategic investment in the arts by the City Council. It has the experience, skills and knowledge to facilitate quality artistic provision, to ensure that the arts remain a vital part of living, working in and visiting the Capital City

Ballyfermot Community Civic Centre is committed to the arts as a way of renewing, developing and enriching life in our area. Following the success of a community arts drama, Lost Voices, in 2016 we are collaborating with Brokentalkers Theatre Company to deliver The Passion Project in April 2017. We believe this will lay the groundwork for a sustainable arts and culture organisation in D10 which will deliver quality artistic experiences for participants and audience.

SOME OF THE LOCAL BUSINESSES SUPPORTING THE PASSION PROJECT. PLEASE SUPPORT THEM!

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