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On 9 September 2008 WYA presented the world premiere of "Etcetera", devised by the cast of older Members and written and directed by
Liam Meagher


Stage manager
Sile Penkert
Video design
Ken Coleman
Sound & music
Joe Harney
Movement
Trish Murphy
Lighting
Deaa Aldeen Sami

 

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SILENT FILM SEQUENCE

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MICKEY POWER SEQUENCES

PRESS RELEASE:

WYA are busy with their 2008 Summer Project directed by Liam Meagher. The show is called 'etcetera ...' and follows the usual story of boy meets girl and they fall in love - etcetera ....

This is a devised show with the 27 teenagers and is sure to be exciting, funny and a real piece of theatre. The style of the show sounds very interesting and even has a silent movie recorded and shown as part of the performance.

Liam is well known locally because of his work with Little Red Kettle over the years and he also has the distinction of directing WYA's first Summer Project 'Alice Through The Oxygen Mask' back in 1997. 'Alice ...' was listed that year by the Sunday Tribune as one of the theatre highlights of the year by Jocelyn Clarke who just happened to be in Waterford to do an interview with some Red kettle actors.

The cast has worked with Liam fulltime during the month of August and will be involved in all aspects of the show from the content to the design. The adults on the crew include : Sile Penkert (Stage Manager), Ken Coleman (Video), Yvonne Crotty (Publicity), Anna Jordan, Robert Browne and Ollie Breslin (Production).

Here's a review by Plugged in:

This is the latest production by Waterford youth arts, it’s a ‘boy meets girl’ story but told in a very unusual way. It is a play about making a film told in an extremely comical way. The play begins by all the cast storming the stage, leaving the audience bewildered as to whether the play has begun. The extremely angry and intimidating stage manger directs orders to everyone involved in the movie to come up with a full story as all they have is ‘boy meets girl’. An argument breaks out as to which way the story should unfold with hilarious consequences!

The cast of the movie bounce around ideas ranging from cheesy clichés to completely off the rail plots but can never agree to which direction to take the play.
One of these plots which they have filmed involves an artiste approach of abstract dancing and the flashing up of the word ‘pain’ which I found to be hilarious. Another idea bounced around is that of the father of the girl is an abusive alcoholic father and during the discussions the father is shown upon the massive screen, bearing a can of Dutch in one hand and a boxing glove in the other, this left me crying with laughter!
There was an excellent use of film and choreography which really added to the realism of the play.

There was a great cast in this play that really communicated well in this production. An essential element for good comedy is body language and great timing and this play oozed both! There was a real sense that this was not actually a play but that I had just stumbled upon a group of teenagers attempting to write a film. It’s real credit to the ability of the cast that I felt like this. The director Liam Meagher described the cast as “a fantastically talented group of individuals…boisterous, colourful, imaginative, outrageous….” These characteristics that Liam mentions are all the characteristics that worked in the casts’ favour, towards making this production a truly enjoyable show.

It is great to see such young talented actors emerging from our city. The great direction of Liam Meagher, a very successful director which I have had they pleasure of working with, showed his ability of inspiring confidence and enhancing acting ability in his actors. As Aoife Barron reflected “Liam gave us the freedom to step up and make the play our vision rather than the writers. He allowed our characters and our strange sense of humour creep into the play along with certain scenes we just had to do.” Robert Browne also comments “He (Liam) possesses a unique quality that separates him from other practitioners in the arts, in that he is able to get the best from young people”

Waterford Youth Arts must be credited with the great work they have done over the years and this production does this Company a great justice. I eagerly await the next instalment which Waterford Youth Arts brings to Garter Lane.


Photos by Cecilia Carelse