New dance show kicks off Irish tour in Tipperary

Carlow-based up-and-coming choreographer Róisín Whelan presents Man Down at Source Arts Centre on Saturday, November 4, kicking off an Irish Tour.

After highly successful premiere performances in 2022, and with support from The Arts Council, Man Down will tour four venues across the country.

A gripping dance production featuring an outstanding ensemble cast of four dancers, set to an original score by fellow Carlow native composer Aoife Kavanagh.

Roisin Whelan’s choreography confronts issues of loneliness and isolation through exquisite dance storytelling.

In this highly theatrical narrative dance, reality isn’t always as it seems. Man Down brings together evocative lighting by Matt Burke and a foreboding set design by Florentina Burcea that amplifies the turmoil of one man’s internal world.

“The Covid-19 pandemic deeply impacted our feelings, emotions and our mental health and wellness.

With more research into mental health, I learned that isolation was a contributing factor to many mental health diseases.

“In 2021, I was back in my hometown of Carlow, having spent much of the pandemic there. The County Council had commissioned a graffiti artist to create large-scale murals around the town on GAA pitches, commercial sites and across housing estates entitled, We need to talk about this.

“From seeing and reading about this, my idea to create a theatrical show, rooted in the physicality of the inner mind of the main character came into being,” said Ms Whelan.

Róisín Whelan and company will also offer a FREE workshop to a limited number of ticket holders on the day of the performance.

This is an exclusive, behind-the-scenes access to the choreography, staging, design and sound elements that come together to make a show.

It’s open to anyone with an interest in dance and theatre. Róisín Whelan is no stranger to Tipperary.

Last year, she was commissioned by Tipperary Dance to create a new children’s dance show, The Galaxy of Occupations, that was presented at the Tipperary Dance International Festival in 2022 as part of their programme for Young Audiences.