Rough Magic Theatre Company Presents PHAEDRA Sept 30-Oct 10

Rough Magic Theatre Company presents PHAEDRA with TEXT: Hilary Fannin MUSIC: Ellen Cranitch
as part of the Ulster Bank Dublin Theatre Festival

30 September - 10 October
Project Arts Centre
Director: Lynne Parker
Dramaturg: Maureen White

Cast: Stephen Brennan, Michèle Forbes, Sarah Greene, Darragh Kelly, Allen Leech, Gemma Reeves and Catherine Walker.
Music ensemble: Cormac de Barra, Aingela de Burca, Fionnuala Gill, Robbie Harris, Rory Musgrave, Paudie O'Connor and Cathy White.

Music Director: Ellen Cranitch
Set and Lighting design: John Comiskey
Costume design: Bláithín Sheerin
Sound Consultant: Alexis Nealon
Rough Magic returns to the Ulster Bank Dublin Theatre Festival with this hugely anticipated new show, which probes the forbidden desires lurking within an exceptionally volatile family. The timeless story of Phaedra's dark obsession with her stepson is placed in a contemporary Ireland that has become a fertile playing field for the capricious gods.

Racine's masterpiece of the French theatre - itself drawn from Euripides - and themes from the baroque score of Rameau's operatic response to this mythic tale, have provided the springboard for a dynamic collaboration between writer Hilary Fannin and composer/musician Ellen Cranitch.

Through Fannin's scathing humour, Rough Magic's powerful production explores the extremities of passion, and the psychology of a doomed family in its attempts to outwit fate. The music is performed live by an ensemble of Ireland's leading musicians, under the inspired direction of Ellen Cranitch.

NOTE ON GENESIS OF THE PROJECT:

Phaedra is an original Rough Magic idea and a world premiere. Ellen Cranitch was commissioned to rescore Rameau's baroque melodies from the opera Hippolyte et Aricie for traditional Irish instruments in a cutting-edge, contemporary approach. Rough Magic subsequently commissioned Ellen Cranitch and Hilary Fannin to collaborate on a new version of Phaedra with music inspired by Rameau's score and a text inspired by Racine's play.

Ellen Cranitch completed some of this work while on a residency at the Centre Culturel Irlandais in Paris where the first public presentation of excerpts from Phaedra took place in March 2009 with the support of Culture Ireland. The development of Phaedra was part-funded by the Arts Council's Deis scheme. A second public presentation of excerpts was presented during RM25 - Rough Magic's 25th anniversary celebrations and also as part of the in-development strand of the 2009 Ulster Bank Dublin Theatre Festival.

From 30th Sept - 17th Oct the Ulster Bank Dublin Theatre Festival will present 363 performances, 31 productions from 10 countries over 18 days. International work; Focus on Polish Theatre and culture; new Irish productions; Festival shines a light on you the audience; Family Season; Festival on Tour; ReViewed and Special Events.

BOOKING DETAILS: Online: www.dublintheatrefestival.com Tel: 01 677 8899

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