Legend gets modern twist in high-energy ‘Trickster’

It’s not a musical, it’s not a concert, it’s not a drama.‘Trickster'' , a new show combining elements of all of these art forms as well as lots of special effects, will premiere at the City’s Black Box Theatre this Friday and Saturday.

Trickster is the work of Galway company That’s Life and UK based Mind the Gap, and it follows Odysseus, the hero of Greek mythology, on his long journey back home after the Battle of Troy.

That’s Life is a group people with intellectual disabilities who are involved in creating art as part of a programme run by the Brothers of Charity here in Galway.

Mind the Gap, meanwhile, is England’s largest learning disability theatre company, creating work for UK and international audiences. Its members include Jez Colborne, an actor and composer with a condition known as Williams Syndrome. This genetic condition causes cardiovascular disease, developmental delays, and learning disabilities.  These occur side by side with striking verbal abilities, highly social personalities and an affinity for music. And that is true of Jez, who could sing before he could talk and who has an absolute passion for all kinds of music.

Last autumn Mind the Gap applied for money from a new initiative, Ignite, which is funded by the Arts Councils, Arts and Disability Ireland, and various local authorities, including those in Galway. Ignite was set up to assist people with disabilities make new work, explains Claude Madec, one of That’s Life’s leaders.

The group’s application was successful, with one condition being that That’s Life would have to build relationships with potential partners, explains Claude. He had heard of Mind the Gap and was especially interested in Jez Colborne’s work. Claude made contact with Jez and, having got to know each other via Skype, they decided to pool their companies’ talent for a co-production here in Galway.

That is Trickster, which was inspired by Jez’s fascination with making music, using sirens, foghorns, cranes and all things industrial.

Then the pair needed a venue, so Claude approached Fergal McGrath of the Town Hall, who was “100 per cent behind us and became part of the partnership”.

That’s Life is a tiny company compared to Bradford based Mind the Gap, so initially the Galway artists “were a bit shy”. But with Fergal McGrath’s reassurance, they realised that they had their own skills and talent to bring to the table, skills which Mind the Gap were anxious to avail of.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.