Theatre People.....let me ask you this

Has anyone seen a performance of "Shining City" by Conor McPherson? Has anyone done the play? Has anyone read it?

I am looking for some perspective from my TFP friends.

Thank you in advance.

 

crickets

 

The short answers is, "No, I haven't even heard of any of that. Can't help you."

Long answer is,

"Time, you found time enough to love
And I found love enough to hold you
So tonight I'll stir the fire you feel inside
Until the flames of love enfold you
Layin' beside you lost in the feeling
So glad you opened my door, come with me
Somewhere in the night we will know
Everything lovers can know
You're my song, music too magic to end
I'll play you over and over again
Lovin' so warm, movin' so right
Closin' our eyes and feelin' alive
We'll just go on burnin' bright
Somewhere in the night

You'll sleep when the mornin' comes
And I'll lie and watch you sleepin'
And you'll smile when you dream about the night
Like it's a secret you've been keepin'
Layin' beside you lost in the feeling
So glad you opened my door
You're my song, music too magic to end
I'll play you over and over again
Lovin' so warm, movin' so right
Closin' our eyes and feelin' alive
We'll just go on burnin' bright
Somewhere in the night

We'll just go on burnin' bright
Somewhere in the night!!

(We'll just go on burnin' bright)
(Somewhere in the night)
(We'll just go on burnin' bright)

(Somewhere in the night)"

 

So sorry Cdwonderful. I've not seen "Shining City" by Conor McPherson. Best I can say is I think I've heard of him, maybe?
Embarrassing, but true.
I've seen a relatively small amount of theater and I live near freaking Chicago. I love the theatre. And performers in general. Instant love. Such a groupie.

 

thanks Fangirl, he seems to bigger in ireland. But breaking through here, Its ghosty, but not. Mind screwing but not. Like a lot of irish work, it seems to enter on the twin themes of guilt and shame. With a wee bit of humor to let you know youre still alive. but thank you so much for the listen.... ( I am doing the irish dialect as I write this, sure. )

 

Sounds like great fun. Your dialect is spot on!

 

I lit a production of McPherson's "The Seafarer", not that that helps

 

thanks Zen, that was the best advice. I have been following all the outlines and going back to my theatre roots.
Thanks for your time and diligence, it has really helped me an awful lot.
--- merged: Jan 23, 2012 5:24 AM ---
Thank you everyone, its taken me awhile to get back. But I am much more confident now. Seem to be retaining it more. When Zen suggested that I remember how I use to do lines..... it started to click again.
Thank you all, very much.

 

what was the show like? Shining City is very dark and filled with black irish humor and alot of Catholic guilt, makes it hard to get a grip on this character

 

HAH! I thought so ...

Lookit that .... loads of youtube references Including EXCERPTS

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=shining city conor mcpherson&oq=Conor McPherson&aq=4m&aqi=g2g-m3&aql=&gs_sm=c&gs_upl=5143l9310l0l13823l13l7l0l0l0l0l142l521l6.1l7l0

Could be useful.

Also, if, at any point you want perspective on specific passages or speeches, PM me the text and I will PM you mp3. Alternatively, PM me mp3 and I'll try to add perspective with thoughts and ideas.
--- merged: Jan 23, 2012 8:37 AM ---
Hang on, ... I was trying to source the text of the play, but just found a synopsis:

http://www.enotes.com/shining-city

Interesting. Ian has unfinished business, and eventually finishes it. John, with the help of Ian, gets closure, and the sting is that John's closure re'opens' Ian. Mati's ghost 'staying' with Ian at the end is a nice 'countertransference' twist. In the 'play world' Ian's shutting down of his practice and return to his wife and family could give the reader lines of speculation as to why Ian went into being a therapist in the first place? Interesting.

John and Ian seem to be both big parts - which one are you playing?

 

I am john
--- merged: Jan 23, 2012 9:31 AM ---

that is great , the youtubes I have seen are mostly clips of scene 2 and 4, the Ian scenes.
and the end is spooky because you never actually know if Ian sees mari at the door...the lights go down on the turn.
And john does transfer the guilt and shame onto Ian. For the first three weeks I wouldnt read or see the 2nd and 4th scene because I didnt think John should know anything about Ian, which is referenced in the 5th scene. (guess the method is never far below the surface.) Much better synopsis than wikipedia....thanks again Zen
--- merged: Jan 23, 2012 9:35 AM ---
and i will be PMing you thanks. took me an hour to find out what Shining City meant...the local theatre hipsters were going into these deep meanings, just philosophical drivel. Come to find out, like new york is the big apple and chicago is chi town....Dublin is known as Shining City. Which makes much more sense to me. Some yahoo told me it was the Reagen speech that was the basis..... hmmm, not listening to theatre hipsters anymore.
--- merged: Jan 23, 2012 9:37 AM ---
one question, who is Vincent Browne?

 

It was about drunk, depressed Irishmen playing a card game. It's pretty much what McPherson does. Dark humor is right; you're laughing at the characters in spite of their misery

 

10 days till we go up....

 

break a leg!

 

thank you everyone. show went up on friday. got a good review, and now we have all this theatre cred.....
--- merged: Feb 6, 2012 5:37 AM ---
the review
http://www.vindy.com/news/2012/feb/05/shining-city-shines-at-oakland/

 

WOW. YaaaaY!

What a brilliant launch. AND the luxuryy of a couple of weeks to consolidate and reach greater heights.
IF you could make a recording of all or some of this, I would be grateful.

Congratulations, and take care

 

Thanks zen, you were a tremendous help. I will try to sneak out some vid