Mind The Time Programme A Stage Beyond Film

Mind The Time…

A Stage Beyond Film

2021

PROGRAMME

Stage Beyond Stage Beyond is an award-winning Theatre Company for adults with learning disabilities. Established in 2002, the company is the first of its kind to offer professional training in a wide variety of arts disciplines. Our focus is inclusion, access and excellence.

Covid and its impact potentially derailed our plans. However, we rose to the challenges presented creatively and fearlessly. Noticing that many artists had transferred their work to camera, we saw an opportunity for Stage Beyond to do the same.

The difficulty was, how could we create a project that could energise and help the company continue their excellence within the restrictions of Covid.

We decided to get family and carers involved; asking them to work with our members to film a memory on their phones in isolation and post it.

However, we soon realised that there was momentum with this idea. We decided that if we were to offer some kind of mentoring or coaching to the actors within the company, that could benefit the project. There were 16 actors. We would focus on 12 actor memories then use the remaining 4 actors as a chorus. As you will see tonight the chorus actors themselves form an integral part of the film.

Due to the continued support and funding from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, we were given the opportunity to work with 15 of the finest arts practitioners. The talent and skillset they brought to the project was overwhelming, as was their commitment and generosity.

As restrictions eased and Stage Beyond was able to gather (although still interrupted) with the foundations already in place, scripts in hand we were ready to go.

This was wonderfully rewarding. A true adventure for us all. There is a real depth of talent in our theatre company. They responded creatively and energetically to the transfer from Stage to Camera. Also, there was real joy from the experience. Ruairi, Carol, Frank, Kate, Paul, Jean, Caoimhe and myself have had so many highs and very little lows. There were challenges, along the way; Covid, technical, location availability, but the hard work and commitment of the company was unwavering. This was a magical project from beginning to end.

Dee Conaghan

Foreword

From the start I had decided that Marcel Proust's novel “Remembrance Of Things Past''

was to be our guide – in particular his theory of “involuntary memory”, where a sense, a smell, an object, a colour, places that memory in our consciousness. We don’t recall, it just arrives.

I contacted Paul McEneaney, Frankie McCafferty and Carol Moore. Kate Guelke was already attached to Stage Beyond. This is where Covid worked to our advantage, as these accomplished theatre makers were available. These four artists and myself would build relationships with the various performers and develop the memory into a form. This had to be achieved via Zoom and other technology as we were unable to meet. In some ways this was one of the most rewarding parts of the process. We had time. A rarity in the arts and also the buy-in of family and carers. There was a tremendous richness in the information gathered and genuine joy and fun in the discovery.

As you will see tonight much of the company embraced the Proustian idea for their memory, some adapted it in their own way and one rejected the whole concept altogether and I thought that was great. Why not? They were in charge, it was just a guide.

I wrote a Prologue and Epilogue to frame the memories using extracts from Proust's novel, but also from Brian Friel whose poetry of memory is so beautiful. Anne Friel was more than generous in her consent and support. I optimistically made the Prologue and Epilogue epic in their sweep, never imagining I would be able to film them properly in that form. But with the ambition of our actors, the patience and fortitude of the Stage Beyond team, and the talent of our cinematographer and composer Eoin O Callaghan this was all achievable. In fact all our camera people, Eoin, Chris Thompson, Fiachra O Longain, and Nick Hutchinson were incredible, not just in their skillset but also in their commitment and generosity to the project.

We are so excited to present MIND THE TIME to you this evening and to share the unique talent of this special Theatre Company. Get ready for a laugh, a dance, a sing and a cry. Hopefully an evening that will last long in our memories.

RUAIRI CONAGHAN ( Co Producer, Writer and Director )

Prologue The Prologue stands as the philosophical set-up for the film as a whole. Our players travel to a cottage that holds pieces of each memory in Mind the Time.

Throughout the Prologue they play with translations of Marcel Proust’s novel A La Recherche du Temps Perdu, finally arriving at a Derryism that is also a direct translation: Do you mind the time? In this way we are both elevated and grounded, skirting the line between the real and the wondrous.

Director – Ruairi Conaghan Director of Photography and Editor – Eoin O’Callaghan Boom Mike Operater Kitty O‘ Callaghan

This Is Me… Catherine Campbell

Catherine’s film is best understood as a ‘slice of life’; a showcase of her personality and family history. We shot at two locations: her apartment, and Gwyn’s Café in Brooke Park, where she would often go with her sisters. The aim was for everything to feel as organic as possible – the dialogue was barely scripted – so as to get a real sense of what it is like to be Catherine, with all her talents, surrounded by love.

We were lucky enough to shoot the café scene on a glorious day, which as soon as we’d wrapped turned to torrential rain!

They shared funny and difficult events in their lives and committing those moments to the page very much illustrates how they were prepared to be vulnerable and challenge themselves as writers and actors – Carol Moore, director

Director – Carol Moore

Director of Photography and Editor

Chris Thompson

The Derry Milky

Bar Kid

Frank Nelis

Frank’s film focuses on a fancy dress competition he won when he was six years old.

This was our most complex shoot, with a fully immersive set piece. The girls from our outreach drama group stood in as Young Frank’s competitors, made up as everything from grandmas to witches. A particular challenge was to stay true to the time period, with vintage-style lemonade bottles and unbranded clothing. The shoot went off without a hitch, and everyone had a fantastic time!

Getting to know my actors, their life experiences both positive and negative, their hobbies, and what gives them joy in their lives, is always essential to the development of that working relationship – Carol Moore, director

Restaging and filming memories is a difficult thing to pull off which made it very satisfying when we managed to succeed – Chris Thompson, Director of Photography and Editor

Director – Carol Moore Young Frank-Noah

Director of Photography and Editor

Frank’s Sister – Gabrielle Duffy

Chris Thompson

AFriend For Life Isobel Sharkey Isobel’s film is unique in that it is mostly animated. Isobel illustrated a story she had written about her dog, Jack, and Jack McCloskey from the Nerve Centre managed to breathe life into her drawings, with adorable results! Jack was very professional during the shoot, and a joy to work with!

Giving the actors the creative tools to create their own scripts and then seeing them grow in confidence in front of the camera and flex their acting muscles, was a joy to watch – Carol Moore, Director

Director – Carol Moore

Director of Photography and Editor - Chris Thompson

Animation – John McCloskey (The Nerve Centre)

Susannah's

GardenSong Susannah Mc Clay

Susannah’s film was inspired by her love of gardening, cultivated at The Playtrail. We were blessed with beautiful weather on the day, and were allowed to shoot in a variety of interesting locations. Susannah was delighted to have fellow Stage Beyond members take part in her shoot, as well as the incredibly talented Swinging Starlets!

Director –Kate Guelke Writer – Keith McAlister

Director of Photography and Editor –Chris Thompson Performed by the Swinging Starlets

Roxie

Bernadette Foley

Bernadette’s film centres a poem she wrote with Charles Way about an experience she had as a child with a dolphin in Orlando. With gorgeous imagery that transports us to a deep-sea world, and the final reveal of a photo taken of Bernadette and Roxie, this film is deeply personal, yet magical.

Director – Paul Bosco McEneaney

Writer – Charles Way-Music – Garth McConaghie

Director of Photography and Editor – Nick Hutchinson (BNL Productions)

Dream Big

Shania Irwin Shania’s film tells the story of her decision to join Stage Beyond. With a sombre, grounded start that dissolves into a dream world populated by lions and fairies, this film reminds us that anything is possible when you dream big. Involving almost every member of our company, the shoot was tremendous fun and gave everyone an opportunity to demonstrate the magic and supportive message of Stage Beyond.

Dee Conaghan - Writer and Director

Jean Dunne - Writer and Director

Caoimhe Downing - Writer and Director Chris Thompson - Director of Photography and Editor

Clickety Clack Jude Kuzma

Jude’s film is one of three in Mind the Time that are centred around musical performances. The majority of the shoot was done in one take – but that didn’t make it any less complex! It was vital to capture the energy and charisma of Jude’s performance, along with the complexity of music production, hence the equipment scattered everywhere, and the contrast between Jude and the generally static observers. No doubt we will all have Clickety Clack stuck in our heads for a long time!

Director – Ruairi Conaghan

Director of Photography and Editor – Chris Thompson

Clickety Clack Written and Performed by Jude Kuzma

Steps Alison Smyth

Alison’s film perfectly captures the emotional intensity of performing live. We follow her as she chooses her favourite dress, travels to the Millennium Forum, gets made up and walks out on stage as her mother reads a poem by Charles Way. The journey is exhilarating and fantastical, and a wonderful reminder that our members are primarily stage actors, looking forward to when they can once again experience the inimitable feeling of being on stage.

Director – Paul Bosco McEneaney

Writer – Charles Way

Music – Garth McConaghie

Director of Photography and Editor – Nick Hutchinson (BNL Productions) Poem Read By Pearl Smyth

You’ll Never

Walk Alone Kevin Harkin Kevin’s film is a series of vignettes taking us through the most important moments of his life, interspersed with him taking on the role of iconic figures. This shoot was very intricate, with its flash-in-the-pan scenes requiring multiple quick changes of costumes, cast and props. The resultant stitch of varyingly emotional, funny and joyful scenes is well worth the effort!

Director – Frankie McCaffert

Director of Photography and Editor – Fiachra O’Longain

Cameraman – Rory McSwiggan (R&D Media)

Boom Operator – Danny Kelly (R&D Media)

The Life

Of Brendan Lavery

Brendan Lavey

Brendan’s film is both a true to life retelling of certain moments from his life, and an illustration of the darkness we are all capable of seeing inside ourselves. Loosely inspired by Jekyll and Hyde, the scenes where Brendan is embodying his dark side are both unsettling and mischievous, a testament to the emotional depths he and Frankie McCafferty unearthed to make this film.

Director – Frankie McCafferty

Director of Photography and Editor – Fiachra O’Longain

Cameraman – Rory McSwiggan (R&D Media) Media)

Boom Operator – Danny Kelly (R&D

Snowy

Beth’s film is a re-enactment of

Beth Mc Gettigan

how she fell in love with her favourite toy, Snowy. This film felt very special to make, as we can all relate to the bonds we make with teddy bears (in this case, rabbits!), and the affection Beth feels for Snowy comes through strongly in the film. This film is also an example of one of our Prologue players being instrumental to the plot – can you find the others?

Director – Frankie McCafferty

Director of Photography and Editor – Fiachra O’Longain

Cameraman – Rosry McSwiggan (R&D Media)

Boom Operator – Danny Kelly (R&D Media)

Stages Niamh Sheridan Nimah’s film is a psychedelic pop music video for a song she wrote with the talented Pete McCauley about the potency of happy memories. We follow Niamh on a journey through a portal into a world of recollections, through which she is led by the brilliant Philippa O Hara, who sings the uplifting, infinitely danceable track. Niamh had an absolute blast filming this video, and her enthusiasm and passion for the song are evident in every second. Stages now stands as the perfect anthem for Stage Beyond!

Director – Paul Bosco McEneaney

Writer – Pete McCauley

Singer – Philippa O’Hara

Choreography – Niamh Sheridan Director of Photography and Editor – Nick Hutchinson (BNL Productions)

Epilogue The Epilogue not only brings all our Stage Beyond members together, but also the facilitators and carers who make our projects possible. The players from the Prologue are transported to the present day, and surrounded by the people whose memories they have previously discovered.

Caoimhe Downing

Director - Ruairi Conaghan Director of Photography and Editor- Eoin O’ Callaghan

Behind The Scenes

Many Thanks To… Pat Doherty at the Famine Village

Pitchers at Link 48

Una Cooper at Culmore Community Hub

Marie at Changing Faces

The Playtrail

Gwyn’s Café, Brooke Park

St Columb’s Allotment

McLaughlins & Sons’ Hardware Store

Cahoots NI

The Sandwich Company

David McLaughlin, Lisa Heaney and Lorcan McLaughlin at the Millennium Forum

Gerard Gormley Photography

Strabane Golf Club

The Stage Beyond Board

Eoin O'Callaghan, Amelia Records - Music and Final Edit of Mind the Time

Caoimhe Downing - Production Manager

Jean Dunne - Stage Beyond Facilitator

Stage Beyond Team

Anne Friel

Nestle For Song Permission

Artistic Director Dee Conaghan

We are very grateful for the generosity of both our local community and further afield. These films would not have been possible without the accommodation and support of these businesses and individuals. Thank you so much!