Michelle Read is a Dublin playwright and theatre-maker. She co-ran the theatre company READCO/Living Space for twelve years with director Tara Derrington. Her theatre awards include the Hugh Leonard Bursary, the Eamon Keane Full Length Play Award, the Stewart Parker/BBC Northern Ireland Drama Award and a Fringe First at the Edinburgh Festival. Her other writing credits include RTE television and radio, BBC Radio 4, the Gaiety School of Acting, Fishamble Theatre and Dublin Youth Theatre. Michelle is part of the Pan Pan Mentorship 2018/19 and the AbbeyWorks Playwriting Programme 2019. She has a masters in contemporary dramaturgy and she is also a facilitator and educator. 

 

Composer/Technical Director Brian Keegan is an award winning composer and sound designer who has written music for live performance and film scores for numerous short films. His compositions have been performed in New Jersey, Milan, Paris & in a number of locations in Dublin (National Gallery, Hugh Lane Gallery, Contemporary Music Centre & Axis Arts Centre). Ensembles & performers have included Concorde, ConTempo, Arioso Quartet, Studenten Orchester der Deutschen Schule Mailand, RIAM Percussion Ensemble. His compositions for film have been heard at film festivals in Ireland and internationally. His music has also been featured on the Nova programme on RTE Lyric FM.

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On A House Like A Fire is an autobiographical, multi-media performance in which Dublin theatre-maker Michelle Read, in collaboration with composer Brian Keegan, attempts to remember her mother, Margaret. Text, music, image, audio and movement are layered together to evoke a glimpsed, fragmentary portrait of Margaret as both a younger and older person.

On A House Like A Fire was initiated this year during the Pan Pan International Mentorship Programme with mentor Johanna Freiburg (SheShePop / Gobsquad). The project was also given a small development grant by Dublin City Council. 

 

We imagine On A House could fit both traditional and non-traditional spaces such as art galleries, people’s homes, adult community settings, academic conferences - in addition to arts centres and theatres. We are looking for feedback on these aspirations and in relation to the content and presentation style. We would like to find advice and partners as we develop the piece towards full production and a potential Arts Council funding application in August 2020. 

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Director – Tara Derrington 

Movement Director – Sue Mythen 

Producer – Noelia Ruiz