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Event
The Bad Arm Confessions of a Dodgy Irish Dancer
Theatre Asylum Presents
The Bad Arm Confessions of a Dodgy Irish Dancer
CELEBRATE PADDY'S DAY WITH ANTIDOTE TO RIVERDANCE
Raw rhythms, tall tales, arse-clenching comedy
The Bad Arm Confessions of a Dodgy Irish Dancer is an uproarious drama comedy by Máire Clerkin, directed by Dan O'Connor. Following critically acclaimed performances in Hollywood, Santa Monica, Chicago, Dublin and New York; the laugh-till-you-cry show returns to Los Angeles at last.
Clerkin jumps in and out of hornpipe shoes in a provocative account of being English in Ireland, Irish in England and a pink-haired punk in a grey city. Pungent vintage photos of not-so-swinging London illustrate a bitter-comic personal history as the disappointing daughter of an Irish Dancing teacher in '70s England.
Amid astounding bursts of rhythm and physical theatre, this ugly-duckling-never-quite-swan recounts her experiences of sex and booze and rock and roll like only a convent-educated girl can. A scowling London-Irish misfit who should know better, in an outrageous antidote to Riverdance! And it's not just for the Irish initiated.
'Glorious riffs of Irish dance animated impersonations and snapshot transitionsa world Clerkin captures so meticulously - GO" Stephen Leigh Morris, LA Weekly
"At times poignant and at times hysterically funny." Brooke Alberts, Folkworks
"Clerkin is a gifted writer-actor." Dany Margolies, Backstage Critic's Pick
"Her wit and self-deprecating humor are both hysterical and heartfelt. Directed by Dan O'Connor, the simple staging with the mixture of dancing, projected photos and music wonderfully aids Clerkin's flawless and magnetic stage presence. Funny, unique definitely a must see." Ashley Steed, LA Theatre Review
"Clerkin jigs among various accents and precise characterizations with ease".
Zachary Whittenburg, Time Out, Chicago
"A show filled with moments of clarity, insight, loose morals and moral victoriesthis classic underdog tale a bittersweet joy to watch".
Scott Stiffler, Downtown Express, New York
"An entertaining, informative blend of storytelling makes for a fine time of theater"
Melanie N. Lee, NYTheatre.com
"The Bad Arm of a sure footit's the deep dish from the real deal".
Gwen Orel, New York Irish Arts
www.maireclerkin.com
Biographies
Máire Clerkin (Writer-Performer) trained in Performing Arts at Middlesex University. She co-founded The Hairy Marys in 1984 directing and performing at the Edinburgh Festival, Dublin Street Carnival, Brighton Festival, Brixton Academy with The Pogues, and throughout UK and Ireland. Máire and her sister, Angela created Sods in Space The Science of Irish Dance (dir. Phelim McDermott, Improbable Theatre), before founding Clerkinworks Irish Dance Theatre. Clerkinworks appeared at Royal Opera House (Unconnected Soundings); Royal Festival Hall (Cinder Reilly); Purcell Room (Centenary Knees Up); UK tour (Malice in Wonderland); The Place Theatre (Fennels, Flannels, Funnels / John Hegley). Máire choreographed for Peter Sheridan / Charabanc; and for Colin Dunne and Jean Butler's Dancing on Dangerous Ground at Theatre Royal Drury Lane and Radio City Music Hall, New York. She trained as a broadcast journalist and has presented on BBC TV and radio. She runs education programs in dance, literacy and drama for LA Music Center, STAR Education, Aimee Arts Productions and Segerstrom Center for the Arts. Teaching credits include at Loyola Marymount University, and University of Limerick. A qualified teacher and adjudicator with the Irish Dancing Commission in Dublin, Máire led Clerkin School of Irish Dancing 1980-93. Since moving to California from London in 2003, she has choreographed for Cadence Dance Company; A Gaelic Gathering at Walt Disney Concert Hall and school assembly programs; and created numerous dance-drama works for Irish Dance academies, winning regional titles, and top national and world championship places. Máire's first and most influential dance teacher was her mother, Sheila Clerkin. The Bad Arm Confessions of a Dodgy Irish Dancer was originally produced in 2008, by Heather Woodbury's Fomenting Arts Unlimited Inc and Bang Theatre, and was funded by The Durfee Foundation. At the Hollywood Fringe Festival, Máire's show was selected for Best of Fest at Theatre Asylum and garnered rave notices at Chicago Fringe, Dublin's Ceim Eile and New York Fringe festivals. She is currently working on her follow up show and has dug out her work-in-progress movie. watch this space.
Dan O'Connor (Director) is co-founder of Impro Theatre, (top 10 Best Theatre of 2009, LA Weekly), co-director for Jane Austen UnScripted, Shakespeare UnScripted and Sondheim UnScripted. Theatre credits include Improbable Theatre's Lifegame (Off-Broadway), A Christmas Carol, Horatio, and Puck in A Midsummer Night's Dream at A Noise Within (Dramalogue Award for Best Actor), Ferdinand in The Tempest at Shakespeare Santa Cruz, Joey in The Homecoming at The New Conservatory in San Francisco. TV credits include Seinfeld, Campus Ladies, Malcolm In the Middle, and The Newz. He co-created the NBC/ION television improv comedy show World Cup Comedy. TV directing credits include Sons and Daughters and Campus Ladies. Dan teaches improvisation for Cirque du Soleil and for Dreamworks Animation. His show Jane Austen UnScripted is currently running at the Carrie Hamilton Theatre at the Pasadena Playhouse. www.improtheatre.com
Mitchell Roché (Technical Manager) has performed under the direction of Richard Donner, Anthony Perkins, and recently, Matthew Robinson & Ricky Gervais on The Invention of Lying. He is most proud, however, of his role in the HBO movie, Lansky, which put him only two degrees from Kevin Bacon. Mitchell can be seen improvising at Bang Comedy Theatre, in Los Angeles, when Lady Clerkin allows him the time off.
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LocationAsylum Lab (View)
1078 Lillian Way @Santa Monica Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 94111
United States
Categories
| Minimum Age: 16 |
| Kid Friendly: No |
| Dog Friendly: No |
| Non-Smoking: Yes! |
| Wheelchair Accessible: Yes! |
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