From Scéal to Stage: Reinventing Ancient Folklore for the Modern Audience.

Welcome back, all! It’s hard to believe that in just five short weeks it’ll be opening night of Diarmuid and Gráinne! This week’s post investigates the ways in which we can still enjoy old myths and legends, especially when they’re updated to appeal to today’s demographic! Grab your favourite beverage, some popcorn and let’s go embark on this journey!

Way back when, long before social media was even a twinkle in our eyes, people would share stories through word of mouth. Without electricity, the people relied on each other for their entertainment. Stories about ghosts, ghouls and faerie folk (and some much scarier tales – ever heard of the banshee?) would be told, particularly in rural corners of Ireland. There were also stories, however, about heroes and warriors. Sound familiar? With little record of these legends being recorded in writing, we can assume that they were passed down through each generation by tongue.

            As times change, however, these old myths that have been carried through families and friends for eras also alter. Due to technological factors and the rise of new forms of entertainment, it is regrettable to observe that the art of storytelling is becoming obsolete, a dying art that is fading away with the older generations of Ireland. But fear not, for this does not mean that the stories have to die with it! We’re bringing the art of storytelling back, but with a twist: The Stage. Theatre has become an increasingly popular method of showcasing and allowing spectators to see old folklore through acting, singing or even Irish dancing. As Paul Mercier revives an old classic tale by reinventing both its time and social setting, it automatically places Diarmuid and Gráinne in the 21^st Century and gives the legend a platform to breathe in our current climate, allowing old traditions to thrive in a new space and place.

            Although by placing these myths in the theatre alone certainly gives many people the opportunity to discover old tales that were previously unknown to them, Mercier takes this a step further and experiments so much more with his script of Diarmuid and Gráinne by bringing it into the world as we know it. Warriors become gang members, a princess becomes an affluent, troubled young lady and the audience get to see the world around them placed directly on the stage facing them, a constant reminder of the topical issues facing the population of Ireland. Regardless of whether it is staged in 2001 or almost two decades later in 2020, these issues remain prevalent in our society.

            Regarding our own adaptation of the production, we wanted to strike the perfect balance of magic and modernity, striving to create a realm of myth while still retaining a sense of reality, encouraging the audience to be conscious that they are watching a performance. This was achieved by using props such as trollies and a set constructed of scaffolding, bringing this dreamlike, mythical state into our current climate with these items that people instantly recognise as being contemporary, material symbols. The legend becomes a stark, harrowing and somewhat spellbinding actuality when the nature and message of the play is brought to the forefront. By staging a contemporary adaptation of the myth, it becomes less of a cathartic experience and it perhaps lends itself to more of an encouragement for people to reflect on the themes and issues displayed onstage, to question what they have seen because it is so unfortunately present and ongoing. The combination of fact and fiction blend together seamlessly to create a performance that ebbs and flows with ease and fluidity, a refreshing mixology for all!