Junk Ensemble in collaboration with Alice Maher present
The Misunderstanding of Myrrha
13 February 2020 | Mermaid Arts Centre
May 2020 | Dublin Dance Festival

We regret that our performances at Dublin Dance Festival in May can no longer proceed as a result of the Covid-19 Pandemic. More news to come soon.

 
Junk Ensemble collaborate with acclaimed visual artist Alice Maher for their new work The Misunderstanding of Myrrha, which reawakens the tale of Myrrha from ancient Greek mythology and Ovid.
 
From Aphrodite’s curse, Myrrha fell in love with her father and became pregnant with his child. Fleeing Arabia, Myrrha begged the gods to take pity on her and she was transformed from her human form into a myrrh tree. The sap that falls from the tree are Myrrha’s tears of shame and sadness.
 
This tale of transformation from female into hybrid form will be re-imagined so that Myrrha’s story is finally told by a woman - we hear it through Myrrha’s once muted voice. Presented through intricate choreography, text, music and a stunning visual design by Alice Maher, the solo dance work cycles through the tragedy of Myrrha’s curse, the acceptance of her fate, and the hope that is unearthed from the trauma. Myrrha’s existence becomes a thing of beauty as she spits out her fate and declares herself a new being: beyond woman, man or tree.
  

Creation: Jessica Kennedy, Megan Kennedy, Alice Maher

Direction and Choreography: Jessica Kennedy, Megan Kennedy

in collaboration with the cast

Performer: Julie Koenig

Scenography and Costume Design: Alice Maher

Lighting Design: Stephen Dodd

Composition: Denis Clohessy

Design Construction: Ger Clancy

Costume Maker: Sarah Foley

Producer: Gwen Van Spyk

Line Producer: Michelle Cahill

Production Manager: Conor Mullan

Stage Manager: Barry O'Donovan

Photography: Fionn McCann

 
Funded by The Arts Council of Ireland | An Chomhairle Ealaion Arts Grant Fund and Dublin City Council. Commissioned by Dublin Dance Festival and supported by Mermaid Arts Centre, Dance Ireland, Project Arts Centre and Shawbrook Dance

What is the wolf at your door?
 
‘Fear isn't so difficult to understand. Nothing has changed since Little Red Riding Hood faced the big bad wolf. It's just a different wolf.’ Alfred Hitchcock
 
A Different Wolf is a new dance opera created by multi-award winning Junk Ensemble and innovative music-theatre company Dumbworld (Belfast). The production is a poignant exploration of fear, where in a complex and uneasy world we all live with our own form of wolf. A Different Wolf blends visceral movement, text and exquisite song to create a powerful visual & sonic experience for the audience. 
 
Personal testimonies from different communities in Cork give voice to contemporary representations of the wolf as varied as the bank man, loneliness, the world ending and a car not starting. An exceptional cast of four dancers, three singers, six musicians and a 100-strong choir perform in the production. 


A Different Wolf teaser from Junk Ensemble on Vimeo.

When: Sunday 16 June 8pm, Monday 17 June 3pm & 8pm
Where: Cork Opera House, Emmet Place, Cork as part of Cork Midsummer Festival 2019
Book here
 
Conceived by: Jessica Kennedy, Megan Kennedy, John McIlduff, Brian Irvine
Created and Directed by: Jessica Kennedy, Megan Kennedy, John Mcllduff
Choreography: Jessica Kennedy, Megan Kennedy in collaboration with the cast
Composers: Brian Irvine, James Joys
Lyrics: John Mcllduff
Set Design: Sabine Dargent
Lighting Design: Sarah Jane Shiels
Costume Design: Deirdre Dwyer
 
Dancers and Singers: Peter Devlin, Aoife Duffin, Stephanie Dufresne, Karl Fagerlund, Lucia Kickham, Stephen Moynihan, Amy Ní Fhearraigh
Musicians: James Joys, Michael Marshall, Declan McCarthy, Gerard Skelly, John Walsh
Choirs: Cork School of Music, Cór Gael
 
Producers: Gwen Van Spijk (Junk Ensemble), Susanna Lagan (Dumbworld) 
Line Producer: Michelle Cahill
Associate Producer: Rachel Bergin
Researcher: Michele O’Connor-Connolly
Production Managers: Sean Dennehy, Conor Mullan
Chief LX: Veronica Foo
Stage Manager: Barry O'Donovan
Assistant Stage Manager: Sue Crawford

Proudly supported by Arts Council of Ireland Arts Grant Fund. Presented in partnership with Cork Opera House and Cork Midsummer Festival and supported by Cork City Dance Artists-in-Residence Scheme at Firkin Crane and Dance Ireland. Junk Ensemble are Project Artists at Project Arts Centre, Dublin.

Soldier Still is currently touring to four venues throughout Ireland in November. A beautiful and harrowing evocation of the impact and of violence, realised through the collaboration between an international team of artists and former soldiers.

Tour Dates:
Nov 1 Pavilion Theatre, Dun Laoghaire
Nov 6 Town Hall Theatre, Galway
Nov 13+14 The Everyman, Cork
Nov 22 Dance Limerick
 

Our new work The Bystander premiered as part of Dublin Theatre Festival 2018 at axis:Ballymun in addition to performances at Mermaid Arts Centre in October and Project Arts Centre on 9+10 November.

‘I didn’t want to get involved.' Anonymous Neighbour
The Bystander is an intriguing and adventurous production by multi-award winning dance theatre innovators Junk Ensemble. Taking its name from the bystander effect phenomenon of the murder of Kitty Genovese outside her apartment in New York City in 1964, whereby thirty-eight witnesses saw or heard the attack, yet none of them called for help, The Bystander brings to the surface some of the murkier and complex behaviours of contemporary society.

Performed by an internationally acclaimed cast and drawing on the expertise of a psychologist, The Bystander gets under the skin of how we behave as individuals and groups. What makes us help someone and what makes us simply stand by?


The Bystander promo from Junk Ensemble on Vimeo.

‘The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don’t do anything about it.’ Albert Einstein

Creation, Direction and Choreography: Jessica Kennedy, Megan Kennedy
In collaboration with the cast

Set Design: Sabine Dargent
Lighting Design: Zia Bergin-Holly
Costume Design: Sarah Foley
Music & Sound Design: Denis Clohessy
Dramaturgy: Feidlim Cannon
Consultant Sociologist & Collaborator: Ciaran Smyth

Performers: Steve Blount, Stephanie Dufresne, Stephen Moynihan, Tilly Webber

Additional performance dates:
Friday 12 October Mermaid Arts Centre, County Wicklow 
9 & 10 November Project Arts Centre, Dublin

Junk Ensemble are Project Artists, an initiative of Project Arts Centre.
This production is funded by the Arts Council of Ireland. Presented by axis:Ballymun in association with Dublin Theatre Festival.

Behaviour of the Body Workshops at Dance Ireland
Junk Ensemble invite you to work with them in a series of three workshops this summer, which will assist their research for their new work, The Bystander.

• Telephone: +353 1 855 8800
• Email: info@danceireland.ie

Our new production Man At The Door (Number 54) will premiere at Cork Midsummer Festival in partnership with Firkin Crane and Cork City Council. Performed in the atmospheric Sunbeam Bingo Hall in Blackpool Cork, the idea of the doppelgänger is played out, exploring themes of care and the beautiful banality of life. What happens when your double knocks on the door? How does the story of your life play out through a bingo game?
 
Direction and Choreography: Jessica Kennedy, Megan Kennedy
Created in collaboration with the cast

Visual and Lighting Design: Sarah Jane Shiels
Composition and Sound Design: Peter Power
Costume Design: Laura Perrem

Performers: Jessica Kennedy, Megan Kennedy, Lucia Kickham, Siobhán Ní Dhuinnín, Hugh Scannell, Luca Squillacciotti

Photography: Luca Truffarelli
 
WHEN
Friday 15, Saturday 16, Sunday 17 June at 3pm
Friday 22, Saturday 23, Sunday 24 June at 3pm
 
WHERE
Sunbeam Bingo Hall, Blackpool, Cork

Funded by The Arts Council’s Cork City Dance-Artists-in-Residence Scheme at Firkin Crane. Supported by Cork City Council, Firkin Crane and Sunbeam Bingo Hall.
 
Book here

Dolores  recently premiered at Dublin Dance Festival from 8 - 13 May 2018 at Chocolate Factory in Dublin.

Inspired by Vladimir Nabokov’s visual and disturbing novel ‘Lolita’, Dolores is a powerful and uncompromising work finally told by a silenced girl. Dolores gives a voice to the neglected and traumatised child, the candy girl full of hope and the enraged woman full of fire and revenge. Performed by the acclaimed Mikel Murfi and Amanda Coogan, Irish & international dancers and musicians and exquisitely designed as an off-site piece, Dolores digs into the poetry of the novel and exposes the unsettling abuse and tragedy of a young girl through imagery, song, dance and text.

More info and booking here


DOLORES from Junk Ensemble on Vimeo.

Direction and Choreography: Jessica Kennedy, Megan Kennedy
created in collaboration with the cast
 
Scenography: Valerie Reid
Lighting: Sarah Jane Shiels
Music: Denis Clohessy
Costumes: Sarah Foley
Dramaturgy/Collaboration: Jo Timmins
Videography: Luca Truffarelli
Photography: Fionn McCann
 
Performers: Amanda Coogan, Danny Forde, Deirdre Griffin, Julie Koenig, Mikel Murfi, Conor Sheil

Dolores is funded by The Arts Council / An Chomhairle Ealaíon and commissioned by Dublin Dance Festival. Supported by Dublin City Council, Project Arts Centre, Dance Ireland, Dance City Newcastle. Junk Ensemble are Project Artists at Project Arts Centre and Cork City Dance Artists-in-Residence at Firkin Crane.
 

Jessica Kennedy and Megan Kennedy of Junk Ensemble have curated a two-strand symposia entitled 'The Book and The Body' in National University of Ireland Galway and University College Dublin in April 2018, as part of Dublin Dance Festival, partnering with Dance Ireland and Live Collision Festival. This is surrounding a new Junk Ensemble dance-theatre production, an off-site work titled Dolores, which is inspired by Vladimir Nabokov’s visual and disturbing novel ‘Lolita’, and will premiere in May 2018. 

'The Book and The Body' Symposia will comprise of panel discussions, masterclasses, a viewing of an open rehearsal, roundtable discussions and international keynote speakers, and will take place at the National University of Ireland Galway: 13-14 April and University College Dublin: 20-21 April, covering themes which include: body & literature, gender & performance, sexuality and abuse, trauma & memory, how the body is represented in literature through the male perspective, and Vladimir Nabokov’s novel ‘Lolita’.

Detailed schedule and booking here

Soldier Still will perform at the prestigious Belfast International Arts Festival in association with The MAC on October 17 & 18 at 7:45pm. There will be a post show discussion with Professor Jay Winter after the performance on October 17.
Book tickets here

***** The Arts Review 'Raw power and palpable elegance ... Stirring, poignant ... Not to be missed ... Exquisite.'
**** The Irish Times 'Junk Ensemble’s most visually focused work to date.'
**** The Reviews Hub 'Dynamic and rich contemporary contemplation of the trauma of militant violence.'


Soldier Still - Promo show from Junk Ensemble on Vimeo.

Junking good wishes to everyone! Catch up with our latest news and junk's busy year here

Junk Ensemble are currently in residence at Dance Base in Edinburgh, researching their new show Soldier Still, to premiere in Autumn 2017. Megan and Jessica Kennedy are in development in the studio from 5 - 9 December.

Junk will teach company class on Thursday 8 December from 10 - 11:30am and lead an Artists Talk on Friday 9 December at 5pm at Dance Base.  More info here

Bird with Boy is currently touring the United Kingdom throughout May - July 2016. Bird with Boy originally performed in the basement of Kilmainhaim Gaol for Dublin Fringe Festival 2011 (Winner Best Production) and was re-mounted in a Georgian house in Henrietta Street for Dublin Theatre Festival 2012. We have cast the six young boy dancers locally at each venue.

27 and 28 May: Castle Keep, Newcastle (Dance City) 6pm & 8pm
18 June: The Old Police Station, London 6:30pm & 8:30pm
9 and 10 July: Attenborough Centre, Brighton (South East Dance) 6:30pm & 8:30pm
13 and 14 July: South Hill Park, Bracknell 6pm & 8pm

‘UNSETTLING, RAW AND EVEN BEAUTIFUL’ THE IRISH TIMES *****

‘COMBINING A STUNNING SET DESIGN WITH LIVE MUSIC AND DANCE, JUNK ENSEMBLE HAS SERVED UP A TREAT’ THE SUNDAY TIMES *****

‘ADMIRABLY AMBITIOUS IN ITS SCALE AND STRUCTURE AND IMAGINATIVE IN ITS USE OF SPACE AND THEATRICS’ TOTALLY DUBLIN

Creators: Jessica Kennedy, Megan Kennedy, Jo Timmins
Performers: Eddie Kay, Lucia Kickham, Tilly Webber
Live Musicians/Composition: Tom Lane, Bryan O'Connell
Visual Design: Valerie Reid
Costume: Emma Downey
Photography: Luca Truffarelli

Produced by CUE in association with Sarah Trist Dance Management Agency
Supported by Culture Ireland as part of the Ireland 2016 Centenary Programme and using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England

We have just completed performances of Walking Pale as part of GPO: Witness History Commission for Dublin Dance Festival's Embodied - a series of six new dance solos by female choreographers.

Walking Pale is performed by Olwen Fouéré with live music composed by Raymond Scannell. Performed in the 'Lightwell' in the GPO in April 2016, Walking Pale explores failure and rebellion and how the Irish Proclamation has failed the women of Ireland today.

Responding to the 1916 Irish Proclamation and how it resonates today, Embodied is a series of ‘physical proclamations’ by choreographers Sibéal Davitt, Jazmín Chiodi, Jessie Keenan, Junk Ensemble (Jessica Kennedy & Megan Kennedy), Liv O’Donoghue and Emma O’Kane, to be performed in the GPO. The project is directed by choreographer Liz Roche and with a exhibition by Luca Truffarelli.

Performance Dates: Wed 20 April, Thu 21 April, Fri 22 April
Times: 8.00pm, 8.45pm, 9.30pm nightly
Duration: 75 mins approx
Location: The GPO, O'Connell Street, Dublin 1

It Folds by Junk Ensemble and Brokentalkers will perform at Bristol Old Vic as part of Mayfest Bristol 2016, with support from Culture Ireland. It Folds premiered at The Abbey Theatre on the Peacock Stage at Tiger Dublin Fringe 2015 and was awarded Best Lighting Design for Sarah Jane Shiels (Irish Times Theatre Awards) and Best Performer for Ben Sullivan (Tiger Dublin Fringe).

Performance dates at Bristol Old Vic:
Friday 20 May at 8pm
Saturday 21 May at 8pm
Sunday 22 May at 8pm

More info and booking here

In the fading light of dusk it’s difficult to discern what is real and 
what is imagined….

Dusk Ahead completed its tour around Ireland in November 2015 performing in Dublin, Dun Laoghaire, Cork, Limerick and Belfast. 

‘Enthralling’ The Sunday Times
‘Mesmerising’ The Irish Times
'Delicately beautiful' The Irish Independent
‘Anything seemed possible in this skilfully wrought work of illusion and disenchantment’ Irish Theatre Magazine 

Tour dates:
Project Arts Centre, Dublin
Friday 6 November & Saturday 7 November at 8pm 
Book here

Pavilion Theatre, Dun Laoghaire
Tuesday 10 November at 8pm 
Book here

Firkin Crane, Cork
Friday 13 November at 8pm 
Book here

Lime Tree Theatre, Limerick
Wednesday 18 November at 8pm 
Book here

The MAC, Belfast
Monday 23 November at 8pm
Book here




Dusk Ahead is supported by the Arts Council of Ireland’s Touring & Dissemination Award and the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Dance Ireland and Project Arts Centre, where junk ensemble are Project Artists.

It Folds received two nominations at The Irish Times Theatre Awards 2016: Best Lighting Design for Sarah Jane Shiels and Best Sound Design for Denis Clohessy. Sarah Jane Shiels was awarded Best Lighting Design for her designs for It Folds and PALS by Anu PRodutcions.

It Folds received two nominations at Tiger Dublin Fringe Festival 2015, for Best Ensemble and Best Performer Award. Ben Sullivan was awarded Best Performer or his role in It Folds.

junk ensemble and Brokentalkers' joint production It Folds recently premiered at Tiger Dublin Fringe in September 2015 at The Abbey Theatre on the Peacock Stage.
Fusing the highly distinctive choreography of junk ensemble with the innovative theatricality of Brokentalkers, It Folds offers a poignant and humorous portrait of life in a modern city and the tragicomic events that shape our everyday lives. Featuring a cast of strangers brought together to perform a series of physical tasks, texts and songs, It Folds takes a surreal look at an assortment of characters who attempt to find a connection through their shared humanity. 

Created by: Feidlim Cannon, Gary Keegan, Jessica Kennedy, Megan Kennedy
in collaboration with the cast

Lighting and Visual Design: Sarah Jane Shiels
Composition: Denis Clohessy
Costume Design and Design Assistant: Louise Brady
Producer: Beccy Fitzpatrick
Photography: Luca Truffarelli

Brokentalkers and junk ensemble are Project Artists, an initiative of Project Arts Centre
 ‘junk ensemble’s creativity continues to impress’ The Stage, UK
‘One of the country’s most fearless and path breaking theatre companies’
The Irish Times on Brokentalkers
Performance dates:
7 - 12 September at 7pm
Preview: Saturday 5 September at 7pm
Matinee: Saturday 12 September at 1pm
Book tickets here
 

Sometimes We Break, originally commissioned and performed at Tate Britain in 2012, performed in Dublin's new site dance festival Mind Your Step in the Docklands on Sunday 8 March at 12:30pm and 3pm.

Dusk Ahead performed at La MaMa Moves Festival, co-presented by Irish Arts Centre and La MaMa Experimental Theatre in May 2015.

The Falling Song has completed its UK and Irish Tours.
UK TOUR 2014
An Incredibly Rare production in association with Sarah Trist Dance Management Agency

Junk Ensemble is excited to announce Dance Travels, a new initiative for dance founded by five of Ireland’s leading dance organisations. 
Dance Travels exists to celebrate the art form and develop audiences both at home and abroad.
Over the coming months, the founders, CoisCéim Dance Theatre, Dance Ireland, Irish Modern Dance Theatre, junk ensemble and Liz Roche Company will work together to develop Dance Travels to serve the dance community and to build audiences for the art form.

Have a look at the new website, designed by Justine Doswell: 
dancetravels.net

Watch our short film Blind Runner here
Blind Runner was commissioned by Dance Ireland for their 21st Anniversary Programme and directed by John Mcllduff.

Dusk Ahead performed at Dublin Theatre Festival 2013 at Project Arts Centre Upstairs to excellent critical acclaim.
Performance times:
October 1st - 3rd at 6.30pm
October 4th - 6th at 6pm
You can read what the press say here

We are delighted to be back in residence at Dance City in Newcastle in June for research and development on Dusk Ahead. The relationship between junk and Dance City began in 2011, when we were researching and developing Bird with boy with Jo Timmins.

Our new production Dusk Ahead will premiere at Kilkenny Arts Festival in August 2013 and Dublin Theatre Festival in October 2013. You can book tickets here
Kilkenny Arts Festival performance dates and times at The Watergate Theatre:
Saturday August 10th at 9pm
Sunday August 11th at 6pm
Monday August 12th at 8pm
Dusk Ahead is commissioned by Kilkenny Arts Festival to mark its 40th Festival. Co-produced with Kilkenny Arts Festival and Project Arts Centre and supported by The Arts Council, Dublin City Council, Dance City Newcastle and Dance Ireland.

The Falling Song performed at Ulster Bank Belfast Festival at Queens on October 23-24th at The MAC.
Tickets: www.belfastfestival.com
Performance times: Tuesday October 23rd & Wednesday October 24th at 7.45pm
Location: MAC Theatre, 10 Exchange Street, Belfast

Bird with boy performed at Dublin Theatre Festival 2012 from October 4th - October 7th at 6pm and 9pm daily.
Bird with boy is performed in a crumbling old house on Henrietta Street for DTF. Go to 'video' to watch the Bird with boy promo.

To find out more go to: www.dublintheatrefestival.com

Watch 8 minutes of the Sky Arts documentary on the process of The Falling Song at Dublin Dance Festival 2012 here:
http://skyarts.sky.com/sky-arts-at-dublin-dance-festival-2012-video-2
The 25 minute documentary is regularly aired on Sky Arts 2 in HD, check their website for times.

Five Ways to Drown is back after great acclaim at Dublin Dance Festival 2010. Touring throughout Ireland in June 2012, catch us along the way.

We are delighted to be in a new documentary by Sky Arts featuring two dance companies from Ireland. In collaboration with Dublin Dance Festival, the process of The Falling Song and junk ensemble's history will be televised globally from May 2012 until May 2013 on Sky TV.

The world premiere of The Falling Song will be presented at Dublin Dance Festival 2012.

Junk Ensemble has been selected to attend the Association of Performing Arts Presenters Conference (APAP) as part of Culture Ireland's delegation. The conference is held in New York City from January 6th-10th, 2012.

We are pleased to announce that junk ensemble will be in residence at Tate Modern and Tate Britain in early 2012 with a performance installation on February 17th.

Bird with Boy was awarded Best Production at the ABSOLUT Fringe Awards 2011. 

junk ensemble were recently in residence at Dance Ireland, Dublin and Dance City in Newcastle upon Tyne, working on Bird with boy, performed in Kilmainham Jail as part of ABSOLUT Fringe 2011. 

junk ensemble attended the New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA) Dance Conference and Festival. This was held in Boston and Vermont in early June.

Junk Ensemble will attend the Association of Performing Arts Presenters Conference (APAP) in New York City in January 2011 as part of Culture Ireland's delegation. APAP takes place annually as part of Culture Ireland's strategic arts initiative to showcase Irish arts in the United States in 2011.

junk ensemble have been appointed Artists in Residence for Fingal County Council. This includes teaching a weekly class at Donabate/Portrane Educate Together National School.

junk ensemble were commissioned to make a new work in July 2010 in Aix-en-Provence, France as part of Une Nuit Sans Opera Festival.

Pygmalian ReVisited is an original collaboration between two architects, two sound designers, and junk ensemble taking the story of Pygmalion as its starting point. The performance occured in Cézanne's Atelier and surrounding gardens at dusk.

Performance dates: Friday July 9th + Saturday July 10th at 8pm in Cezanne's Atelier, Aix-en-Provence.

Information and Tickets: www.sobha.fr

EXTRA PERFORMANCE ADDED!
Both performances of Five Ways to Drown sold out so an extra show was added at 2pm on Sunday May 9th.
See 'press' for reviews.

The living room strewn on the front garden for all to see.

junk ensemble's world premier of Five Ways to Drown performed on Saturday May 8 & Sunday May 9 at Project Arts Centre at 8pm.

Choreographed and created by: junk ensemble
Producer: Richard Wakely
Visual and Lighting Design: Aedín Cosgrove
Sound Composition: Denis Clohessy
Costume Design: Catherine Fay
Video Design: Kilian Waters


Performers: Lee Clayden, Joshua Dyson, Jessica Kennedy, Megan Kennedy, Mary O'Connor

Booking:
www.dublindancefestival.ie / +353 1 672 8815

Commissioned by Dublin Dance Festival 2010 and supported by The Arts Council, Dublin City Council, Project Arts Centre and Dance Ireland.

See 'productions' for more details and 'press' for reviews.

junk ensemble's short film Box of Two was shown at The Lighthouse Cinema in Smithfield, Dublin in July 2009 as part of Dublin Dance Festival's DANCE ON FILM.

Elusive, mesmerising and deceptive, Box of Two plays with gravity from the confines of a wooden box.

Box of Two can be viewed by clicking on video.

junk ensemble were Dance company in Residence at Hugh Lane Gallery. The residency culminated in a site-specific piece in the gallery in June 2008.

www.hughlane.ie


junk ensemble facilitated dance workshops at the Ark Cultural Centre as part of Dublin Dance Festival 2008.

www.dublindancefestival.ie / www.ark.ie