Maggie Hannon

Workshop with actor and theatre maker Maggie Hannon. The workshop is conducted in English without interpretation.

Text from Maggie Hannon:

An artist’s life can be and often is uncertain. So we start in uncertainty. Can I be a good artist and remain in control? Maybe. A great artist? Unlikely. What is the difference between control and grounding? You probably know this. But do you really?

I am only now getting an embodied sense that there is a differentiation. And it has been a very slow process, though filled with wonderful insights and enjoyments as well as dark depressions. A wonderful Irish actress talks about the black dog that lies with her periodically. Mine is a cat. All I can see are the eyes.

Anyhow, let us come with an intention. Whatever that may be for you—to enjoy, to learn, to let go.

I believe that acting (for me, acting is the passion; what’s yours? Insert it here) is easy. And also very difficult. This is what my singing teacher in DAMU would say. And there is infinite deep joy in letting go. For better or worse. An actor friend of mine comes into every rehearsal with the intention of “being shit.“ I prefer Samuel Beckett’s way of putting it: “Fail again. Fail better.“

We will look at ways of letting go and failing better. It is a never-ending joyous quest. As Helena Walshe, a wonderful Irish teacher, puts it, “the task is enjoyment.“

We will explore ways of grounding. I will share exercises that have made an impact on my practice. We will make several improvisations from ‘nothing’ and from prompts, observations, and questions. I saw a stunning dance theatre piece in Dublin recently—“Dances Like a Bomb“—which was built around questions.

We will start from where we are. And where we are is different in every moment. We will discover that we are enough. Day one will focus on solo exploration, but not in isolation. Day two we will ‘think’ as an ensemble or several ensembles.

Maggie Hannon:

Maggie is an actor and theatre maker working as a freelance artist based between Dublin, Cork, and Donegal. She qualified with an MA in Authorial Acting from the Theatre Faculty of the Academy of Performing Arts (DAMU) in Prague in June 2018.

She has a passion for unearthing little-known local stories and sharing them through theatre, for making classical texts relatable, and for sharing skills. She has been supported in her work by bursaries from The Arts Council of Ireland, Donegal County Council, An Grianán Theatre, and The Arts Council NI through Echo Echo Dance Theatre Company.

Maggie is bilingual in Irish and English and has been a regular actor on TG4’s Ros na Rún since 2019. She has just finished filming for a new six-part untitled crime drama for TG4 and BBC NI.

Praktické informace:

• A DAMU student who attends both days of this workshop is entitled to 1 credit.