Mysteries 2003 Kieran McNulty. Production Designer People

When I began to work on this production the first task was to understand what story the co-directors Richard Hayhow and Mikel Murfi had, how they wanted to tell it and through what style.

I then embarked on a period of research, gathering information and visual references from children's bibles to Byzantine icons. Building a folder of photographs, postcards, my own sketches, swatches of fabrics, colours and location/venue snapshots. During this initial phase I was very interested in the architectural features of the ruins of Coventry Cathedral and of the contemporary art representations housed in the New Cathedral. They are physically linked so I looked for a visual link between the two, as a result much of the forms on the set and props developed from this.

Into the visual melting pot came other strong influences such as Salvador Dali and Hieronymous Bosch. From early meetings in a cottage in the west of Ireland slowly a visual iconography emerged. At all times we wanted to retain a timeless quality to the production, visually drawing from the biblical era to the medieval period and yet retaining a contemporary accessibility to it, I guess a balance.

The complex task in designing for a production of this scale is to keep things simple. Whilst designing structures, props and costumes far in advance of rehearsals, you have to keep in mind that performers will have to use and inhabit what is drafted on paper. Add to that lighting, a score, voices and movement in a space filled with audience.

Working on this production I saw my role as a visual interpreter of the directors ideas and the head of a team of extremely creative and talented artists, carpenters, welders, puppeteers and propmakers. In addition to all this a costume team whose skill has made a mammoth task an achievable one.

The late nights and many journeys are long forgotten when you see everyone's contribution come together. A production of this scale is a cyclical collaboration of all that became involved, a continuous motion of questions, answers, problems and solutions, and for you, the audience, I hope that this production invites you into this motion as the final link in the chain.

Kieran McNulty Designer

Education.

School of Art and Design, Limerick.

 

Residencies.

Tyrone Guthrie Centre, Ireland

Kostrzyn, Poland

 

Public Artwork Commission/Exhibitions

2003	Public Artwork commission , Luas, Dublin.
2000	Public Artwork commission by Dublin Corporation, to be sited in Inchicore early 2002. A public artwork created collaboratively over a period of 12 months with a small group of young children from Myra Close, Inchicore, Dublin.
2000	Shortlisted for City Quay Public Artwork Commission.
1996	Sofia `96, Sofia, Bulgaria. Exhibited in International Exhibition of Painting.
1996	Borders project, Kostrzyn, Poland. Participated in International Symposium
1996	Art Me Arse, City Arts Centre, Dublin. Interactive Artwork for late night club.
1996	Ampersand 5, City Arts Centre, Dublin. International Mail Art Exhibition.
1995	Group show, Irish Life Mall, Dublin.
1995	Touch, Art Hive, Cork.
1994	Touch, City Arts Centre, Dublin, Solo Exhibition.

Kieran McNulty - Egg - Mysteries 2003

Other

Member of `Association of Artists in Ireland`.

Member of `Sculptors Society of Ireland`.

Member of `The National Sculpture Factory`.

Member of `Artists Team`. Irish Museum of Modern Art, Dublin.

Member of Artists Team, The National Theatre, Education Outreach Department, Dublin.

Theatre Design Work

2003	The Mysteries, Production Designer, Macnas/ Belgrade Theatre, Coventry and Galway.
2003	The Woman Who Walked Into Doors, The Helix, Dublin.
2002	Grainne Mhaol, Production Designer, Macnas, Galway, Coventry and Dublin.
2001	Macnas Parade, Designer, Galway Arts Festival
2000	The Plains of Enna, Production Designer, Fishamble Theatre Co. Tivoli Theatre and nationwide tour.
1999	A Good Deed, Production Designer, the City Arts Centre and nationwide tour.
1998	Nuns Wood, Production Designer, Fishamble Theatre co., Project@the mint and nationwide tour.
1998	Friends, Production Designer, Team Theatre Co.
1996	Along Came a Spider, Production Designer at the City Arts Centre, Samuel Beckett and nationwide tour.
1995	No Need to Argue, Production Designer at the City Arts Centre the Samuel Beckett and nationwide tour.
1994	Cromwell, Production Designer, produced by Galloping Cat at the City Arts Centre.
1994	Big Bang Samba Festival, Production Designer, in various venues in Dublin.
1993	The Dublin Mysteries, Production Designer produced by Galloping Cat at the City Arts Centre.
1993	DA, Special prop designer, directed by Joe dowling at the Gaiety theatre.
1991	The Grogan Budgies, Set Designer.a Gaiety School graduation production at the Project.
1991	The Road to Mecca, Set Designer, Gyre and Gimble City Arts Centre.
1990	Ennis 750, Clare. Designed set for street and stage pageant.
1990	Tell Tale Theatre Co. Designed costumes and set for shows in Andrews Lane Theatre and the Royal Hospital, Kilmainham.
1990	Open House Project, Andrews Lane. Designed set and costumes for a series of four one act plays written and directed by people such as Conall Morrison. Project Coordinator was Andy Hindes.
1989	'A Flame in Spring', Belltable, Limerick. Set Design.

Kieran McNulty - Egg Palm - Mysteries 2003

Community Arts Work.

The Irish Museum of Modern Art Dublin.

1998/9	Wall of Myths, IMMA, Dublin. Worked with local community groups/school groups focusing on Andy Warhol Exhibition resulting in visual art response.
1997/8	Mapping, sound project, IMMA, Dublin. An art based programme involving young people from local Dublin communities and IMMA.
1997	Seen Unseen, IMMA, Dublin. A visual arts programme involving schools from disadvantaged areas across Dublin City.
1997	The Sparkling Seven. A creative and development arts project where I worked alongside a group of young people making art which was both multi-media and multi-sensory.

 

The National Theatre, Education Outreach Department.

2001	Lourdes Youth and Community Service. Training for local area youth workers in the planning and in the working of collaboratively devising summer projects with visual artists.
2001	St Vincents Girl's National School Working through drama and the visual arts to create a multi-media performance in the National Concert Hall Dublin.
2001	Street Theatre/Parade, Various disadvantage communities in Listowel, Co. Kerry. Developing skills in the creating of costumes, masks and large scale visuals culminating in street events.

 

Selected Other work.

2002-2004	Artist in the community, Fatima Mansions, Dublin.
1996-2002	Co-ordinator of visual art project with participants from Enable Ireland, run by Temple Bar Galleries and Studios and Enable Ireland.
1995-2002	Various other freelance community arts work with Dublin Corporation, Wet Paint Arts, The Ark, Act 1 and Act 2 a Horizon funded project with City Arts Centre, Dublin.

e-mail. Kandc@eircom.net