THE CHILDREN OF LIR

Adapted by James Burrows Directed by James Burrows & Kylie Heron

ACT 1
1 The audience are seated in a semi-circular arrangement; their view should be of an expanse of water in front of them, with a performance space on land... The performance space is lit coldly, from above as Moonlight. A solitary woman, dressed all in white enters as if from the Lake; she takes a drink from the font and clutches at her stomach as if going into labour. A voice echoes over the audience... LIR: TIME UNRAVELS, AND RE-RAVELS AS TIME UNRAVELS, AS TIME... HOW BEAUTIFUL, THAT MOMENT OF BIRTH, IN ALL ITS COMPLEXITY. SIMPLE YET TERRIBLE; EVEN FOR THOSE WHO FEAR NOT THE PENDULUMS SWAY AND THE FALL OF THE AXE. SHE GAVE HER LIFE FOR THEM, MY LOVER, AND MY WIFE. PRIMAGRAVIDA EN UTERO... THEY SHALL BE THE MIGHTEST OF PRINCES. BUT FOR ALL HER PASSION AND HER STRONG WILL, THE RAVENS WILL CLAIM HER THIS NIGHT. VOICE OFF-STAGE: QUICKLY CHILD, TO YOUR MOTHER, SHE IS NOT LONG FOR THIS WORLD. During this speech, the solitary woman nears the centre of the space, her skirts, which she had been holding tight to herself, fall back to the floor, a vast expanse of white material (Like a parachute cloth) expands from her and begins to bellow like a storm. There is choral singing (Karl Jenkins: Roosh-Ka-Ma) and the distant rumbles of Thunder. The wife of Lir looks down, serene in her discomfort towards her belly and it begins to glow, in short pulses as a heartbeat under the billowing skirts. ENTER THE MAIDENS OF LIR

They walk hand in hand through foliage which creates wings, to the stage. Each carries a single candle. Their clothing is white and pure, similar but not identical to their mothers. Their faces are covered in white vales that tie around the neck. 2 As the Maidens enter, solemnly, the sound of thunder morphs into a slow, droning, pulsing bass rhythm... *DANCE TO BE CHOREOGRAPHED WITH PERFORMERS INCLUDES VICKY, NICOLA AND CATHY/KYLIE -This section needs to include the death of the Mother, and the simultaneous birth of Fiachra and Conn.