Anyone passing the Abbey Theatre will notice a striking new poster next to the stage door: yes, that is Pope Benedict’s face propped up on a beefy torso, draped in gold chains, with the word WERK slashed through the centre in bright yellow. A programme of documentary theatre - last month’s The Darkest Corner - is one way to approach the nation’s topical concerns; a subversive poster heralding a season of experimental performance and clubbing is another.
WERK is organised by the company THISISPOPBABY in conjunction with the Abbey Theatre. Programmed by Jenny Jennings and Phillip McMahon, the event will take place on the second Saturday of each month throughout the summer, starting on May 8, with the potential to be an exciting addition to summer theatre and night life.
The Peacock bar will be transformed to accommodate artists, spectators and revelers, although the theatre itself will be out of bounds. Each night will have a current theme, marketed as if an issue of a magazine, although its treatment will be diverse. According to McMahon, “the programmed work will be topical and reflective, but also a lot of fun.”
The theme of the first week, or Issue 1, is We Buy Gold. While its economic resonances are obvious, it might say more about the company’s commitment to creating interesting theatre and performance events on a shoestring.
“We put out a call for submissions and had a brilliant response,” McMahon says. “Even in this grim economic climate, there’s a real hunger for thought-provoking work and new experiences. People want to come together and share ideas in lots of different ways, and THISISPOPBABY wants to help make that happen.”
The evening will be structured according to the principle of “performance roulette”. While there will be some central performances to be observed, other events will happen simultaneously, others spontaneously. Each evening will combine elements of theatre, poetry, music, art and comedy.
Although not releasing the full programme yet, Jennings and McMahon told ITM that Neil Watkins will host the evenings, and is creating a different character for each occasion. In the first week Mark O’Halloran will read a monologue written by himself, and Megan O’Riordan will lead an “intimate encounter” in a corner of the Peacock space. THEATREclub will also make an appearance.
Although venues like Project have run club nights in the past, WERK seeks to engage more deeply with the relationship between socialising and the arts. It also looks like an interesting step for the Abbey, signalling a willingness to collaborate with innovative companies and artists, while potentially attracting new audiences.
WERK, Issue One: Saturday May 8th
10.30p.m. – 2.30 a.m
. www.abbeytheatre.ie.