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'Electra'
Written by Nick Payne
Directed by Elizabeth Swanson
Assistant directed by Jan Schneider
Designed by Áine O'Hara
Composed and musical-directed by Kim V Porcelli
Produced by the Lir Theatre, August 2014

The score featured seven discrete pieces of music, all of which were performed a cappella by a cast of five adults and two children. Several of the pieces utilised a single drum.

Singers/cast: Danielle Galligan (main soloist), Katie Honan, Úna Kavanagh, Gerard Lee, Robert Thompson, Ava and Ben

You can hear the drumbeat speed and slow in this performance, and the intonation push and pull, but trust me when I tell you that this didn’t matter, and possibly heightened the effect, live and in person. Again, the organic nature of Áine's set really aided with this, because everything you hear was taking place cheek by jowl with the audience. The fact that the music was ‘imperfectly’ rendered made it so much more primal. I still get chills when I hear it. I love when Danielle grabs a chair and pounds it near the very final chorus, while Electra (Katie Honan) screams. I didn't tell her (Dani) to do that! The outro was electrifying in person.. I’m afraid my mic technique on the day wasn’t up to capturing it.
I remember telling the cast something like, 'Think PJ Harvey.' As in, ugly, female, beautiful, powerful, raw. I think they got there! I also owe Elizabeth a huge debt of gratitude: an earlier version of this piece was more, to use her word, polite. She pushed me to go further. --Kim

lyrics

(original text by Nick Payne):

Why is it,
when we see a
cloud of starlings,
acting with great
care towards those
that gave them life,
we are unable
to take note?

We're not sure
that the plague
that runs through
this house
can any longer
be labelled
lack of love.

Alone at sea,
daughter
swims toward her father.
Ever grieving,
daughter is pulled under.

Like a nightingale,
reckless,
unafraid of death,
she denounces life.

She lives now,
above her enemies,
drawing strength
from their shame.

She lives now
bathed in tears,
drawing strength
from her fate.

credits

from from 'Electra' (by Nick Payne) (2014), released August 1, 2014
Photograph: Instagram snapshot (by Kim) of part of the set, designed by Áine O'Hara

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Kim V Porcelli image

Kim V Porcelli Dublin, Ireland

Composer
cellist
theatre-maker
writer
abstract expressionist

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