Fresh from appearing in the National Theatre with Tommy Tiernan in ‘The Cave’, Cavan native Aaron Monaghan travelled to Graignamanagh in Co. Kilkenny on Sunday 31stAugust where he facilitated a drama workshop on script analysis and physical theatre.
Aaron is the artistic director and founder of Livin’ Dred Theatre and ensemble member of Druid Theatre Company. He has performed all over the world and spent most of his career with The Abbey Theatre and Druid, as well as in a host of well-known Irish films including The Banshees of Inisherin.
The workshop, was a week after the highly successful Town of Books Festival the previous weekend. The workshop had 25 participants with 14 drama groups from around the region, and indeed around the country represented with participants travelling from Kilkenny, Wexford, Wicklow, Carlow, Dublin, Waterford & Clare. The group was a mixture of people who compete on the All-Ireland drama circuit and those that bring drama to their own community. These participants will now return to their respective drama groups and share the learning gleaned from Mr. Monaghan. Aaron, in this very informative workshop, took participants through all elements of performance in the context of traditional Irish Dramatic Texts: from initial research, first readings, rehearsal process and performance. The workshop explored the physical and vocal elements of performance, incorporating movement and voice elements, as well as plenty of table work with script analysis and character studies in a range of texts varying from Shakespeare to Brian Friel. The day also included a delicious lunch which allowed an opportunity for the group to mingle, share knowledge and immerse themselves fully with their drama peers.
The local workshop coordinator Edward Hayden said: “The funding provided by the Creative Communities section of Kilkenny County Council resulted in the opportunity to host such a prestigious and highly sought after workshop in Graignamanagh”. Edward went on to thank Majella Keating for her unyielding support to this project and indeed Aaron for his insights and tuition on the day”.]
