Interview: A Wake-up Call from Dublin

THISISPOPBABY discuss bring WAKE to Sadler’s Wells

We’ve found ourselves at Sadler’s Wells quite a lot recently, after a few years where we didn’t cover much dance at all. It’s something that we’re more than pleased to be reviewing again though, and judging by the eagerness of some of our reveiwers to grab the tickets when they are offered, it’s clear we won’t be letting up on our dance reviews any time soon.

But it’s always fun to dig a little deeper behind the show, and that’s why our latest interview finds us chatting to Dublin based THISISPOPBABY, who are just about to bring their show WAKE to London’s premier dance location.

WAKE plays at Peacock Theatre from Wednesday 2 to Saturday 5 April. Further information and tickets available here.

Wonderful to meet you, so what has brought you to Sadler’s Wells Peacock Theatre then?

The Sadler’s team flew to Dublin to see our euphoric Dublin and loved the show.

And what is WAKE all about then?

WAKE is spectacle theatre. The kind of event that defies categorisation and exceeds expectation. It’s a cultural mash up; a heady cocktail of trad instruments, live band, Irish tap, fierce spoken word, outrageous cabaret, jaw dropping aerial and big production numbers. It’s foot stomping, heart pounding, hands-in-the-air fun. We’ve poured our passion into making it, and the performers leave everything on that stage each night.

What started the project originally?

The creation trajectories of WAKE sparkled into being way back – at the very moment that any of us first stepped out on a dance floor, each of us at different times, different points in the primordial constellation of Dublin, each now suddenly energised by the power and potential of music and lights and the night, the promise of a new family of friends and loves, and the absolute revolutionary joy of it all. And everything that we have done since has been propelled by the power of community gathered on the dance floors of our own making.

Is there one moment that you love during the show?

After the beautiful chaos of the show, there’s a moment of pause when we see the full company united. It’s a magic moment that honours the amazing performers as a whole and an invitation to the audience to join the cast in song. It’s very powerful.

What is it you hope the audience thinks after watching the show?

WAKE is also an invitation to come together. In these times of division and isolation, it’s a reminder of the power of theatre, of live events. To be in big rooms with fellow citizens, friends, loved ones. To enjoy a night out together, to share joy, to have blazing craic with a theatre full of like-minded folk. To laugh, breath, roar, cry, together. It’s about collective joy and catharsis. That’s the Irish wake – demanding we get together, live.

Are you aiming the show at any specific audience?

WAKE is oldschool entertainment with a very modern twist. The show is for anyone who wants a visceral joyful night out. It’s big house entertainment and a wild window into modern Ireland.

How has working on this show changed your perspective at all?

I’m struck time and again with this show about the power of live performance and how vital theatre can be in shaping a shared future.

Was there a moment in rehearsals when you felt something magical was happening?

When you hear the beat of an Irish drum, the bodhran, in a rehearsal room, the hairs on your neck stand up. There’s something about irish music that just gets the heart thumping. Our band are magic.

The show was described by the Irish Times as “Riverdance for Club Queens” – is that what you hoped to achieve?

We didn’t set out to achieve that, but Riverdance was a major cultural milestone, where Irish dance could be wild and sexy. We pick up that mantle and showcase the best of our culture right now. We love that quote – our hearts remain in dancefloor culture.

What will fans of Irish folk traditions think of the show?

The show is both reverent and irreverent about traditional culture. Lovers of Irish trad will love the twist and admire the traditional skills underpinning the wild party atmosphere.

How do you expect a London audience to react to the show compared to the Dublin audience?

Any Londoner up for a heart thumping good night will have a blast. The show is a clarion call for community and togetherness – every city can identify with the need for that.

How does traditional Irish dancing feed into the show?

Two words: Gold Hotpants.

Irish wakes are known for their energy and sense of celebration in a time of mourning, how do you hope to achieve this on stage?

There’s a saying in Ireland; You have to be invited to a wedding, but anyone can show up to a wake.

An Irish wake is the ultimate all night party. A gorgeous liminal space and time filled with music, story, dance, hijinx, and shared catharsis.

This was the opening impulse for our spectacle entertainment, WAKE. We wanted to make a show that platformed the very best of the extraordinary talent on the island of Ireland, as well as showcasing Irish culture through a high-octane contemporary lens. And so, we built a show around the skills of our family of performers with the Irish wake as the show’s narrative spine.

Are all the performers Irish? If so, did they all grow up Irish dancing/with trad music and how did this impact the development of the show? If not, how did this affect the development of the show?

The show’s cast are all people who call Ireland home. Irishness is elastic enough to embrace other cultures and those who want to make our island their home. Everyone arrives on stage with a specialist skill and then come together for group production numbers. We built the show around the beautiful brains and bodies in the room.

Thank you to THISISPOPBABY for taking time out of rehearsals to chat with us. WAKE plays at Peacock Theatre from Wednesday 2 to Saturday 5 April (tkts here), before moving to Manchester from Thursday 17 to Monday 21 April (tkts here).