Murmuration
Murmuration is a Dublin-based collective of theatre artists, making live, narrative sound installations in nontraditional spaces. We create rich, intricate soundscapes with the aim of fostering new ways of listening in our audiences. Our work is all about big-hearted close listening.
Through our work we seek to reposition audiences in relation to their surroundings, creating vivid imaginary worlds. We have performed in bars, shopfronts, glass-walled galleries, cafés, theatre foyers and public squares, without physically augmenting any of those spaces; aiming to find the extraordinary in ordinary and unlikely locations. We believe this approach to be particularly urgent now, when cultural spaces seem to be shrinking. We remain resolutely optimistic about Dublin, and are committed to finding performative potential in its existing spaces, through the transformative power of sound and live performance.
Murmuration formed in 2018 to present Summertime at Dublin Fringe Festival where it was nominated for a Judges Choice Award, before being shown at Drogheda Arts Festival and at the Abbey Young Curators’ Festival the following year. In 2020 our second production, Will I See You There, premiered at the Gallery of Photography in Temple Bar as part of Dublin Fringe Festival. In a four-star review, the Irish Times referred to the experience as like “eavesdropping on speed”, and listed director John King among its ‘50 People to Watch in Ireland’. 2020 also saw us present a work-in-progress of a Christmas show for a shopping centre, so close i noticed my breath on the glass, as part of Corcadorca’s SHOW festival. In 2021 we were commissioned to make our third show You’re Still Here at Dublin Castle, co-presented by Dublin Fringe and the Abbey Theatre. While Artists in Residence at Bewley’s Café in 2022, we were commissioned to make One Moment Now, an audience-led audio experience for a solo listener at a café table. One Moment Now completed a three-venue US tour in 2023 (Baker’s Daughter and Woolly Mammoth, Washington D.C.; Tiny Dynamite, Philadelphia), presented by Solas Nua with support from Culture Ireland.
John King (he/him)
John is a director and theatre-maker based in Dublin. He is director of Murmuration, with whom he has made the headphone shows One Moment Now (Dublin, Washington D.C., Philadelphia), You’re Still Here (Dublin Fringe commission, co-presented by the Abbey), Will I See You There (Dublin Fringe), and Summertime (Dublin Fringe, Drogheda Arts Festival, Abbey Young Curators’ Festival).
John’s other directing work includes Emergency, The Cyclone Kid (Bewley’s) and The Overcoat (Omnibus Theatre, London). His work as playwright includes side-walks, somewhere in the Future Dark (Solas Nua) and ERIS (Bunker Theatre, London, 2018; staged reading at the Irish Rep, New York, 2023; published by Methuen). He has worked as assistant director on Audrey or Sorrow, The Quare Fellow (Abbey Theatre), Faust, Maria Stuarda (Irish National Opera) Conversations After Sex (thisispopbaby), The Children, Queen of Basel, Kings and If I Forget (Studio Theatre, Washington D.C.). John is a Resident Director at the Abbey Theatre, and an Associate Artist of Solas Nua.
Ellen Kirk (she/her)
Ellen is a production designer working across theatre, film and music. Ellen is co-founder and designer with Dublin collective Murmuration, Project Arts Centre Artists 2024-2027. She was a THISISPOPBABY associate artist, 2023.
Some recent work includes: Set and costume design for This Solution by Shaun Dunne (Dublin Theatre Festival, 2023), MOSH by Rachel Ní Bhraonaín (Dublin Fringe Festival, 2023) G.O.D. by Lee Coffey (Dublin Theatre Festival, 2022), Party Scene by Phillip McMahon and Philip Connaughton (Cork Midsummer Festival and Project Arts Centre, 2022) and Lúminaria by Fionnuala Gygax (Irish tour, 2022). Costume design for Club Salty by THISISPOPBABY, 2023, Privilege: The Musical by Louise White (Mermaid Arts Centre, 2022), Straight to Video by Emmet Kirwan, directed by Phillip Mc Mahon (Landmark Productions, Civic Theatre and Project Arts Centre, 2021); set design for Masterclass by Brokentalkers and Adrienne Truscott (Project Arts Centre, Dublin Fringe Festival, 2021, Awarded Fringe First Award, Edinburgh Fringe Festival, 2022; Sydney Opera House, 2024); scenography and costume design for Rescue Annie by Eoghan Carrick and Lauren Shannon Jones (Peacock Stage, Abbey Theatre, Dublin Fringe Festival, 2021), Will I See You There by Murmuration (Meeting House Square, Dublin Fringe Festival, 2020); costume/styling for Pasolini’s Salò Redubbed by Dylan Tighe (Peacock Stage, Abbey Theatre, Dublin Theatre Festival, 2019); AV design for minefield by Clare Monnelly (Nominated for Best Design at Dublin Fringe Festival, 2019).
Ellen has worked closely with various music artists designing stages, costumes and videos including Kojaque, Soft Boy Records and Soda Blonde. Ellen has been nominated for an Aer Lingus Discovery Award at the Dublin International Film Festival and a Kinsale Shark Award for her work in production design for film.
Finbarr Doyle (he/him)
Finbarr Doyle is a theatre maker from Dublin and is a core member of Murmuration. He has co-written two pieces with John King, 2023’s One Moment Now (Bewleys, Solas Nua Washington D.C. & American Tour), and You’re Still Here (Dublin Fringe Commission 2021). He performed in You’re Still Here as well as 2018’s Summertime and 2020’s Will I See You There.
For Sickle Moon Productions, with Jeda de Brí he co-wrote the stageplays Slippers, Tactics, Spectres and TRYST (nominated for the Fishamble New Writing Award) – performing also in the latter three. In 2018 he was selected for Fishamble’s A Play For Ireland initiative and wrote a piece for Home Theatre Ireland for Draíocht, Dublin Theatre Festival 2018. He directed Angie’s Easy by Biaina Ryan for Scene+Heard 2023 and Let’s Try Swingin‘ by Leo Hanna for S+H 2024.
He has been working as an actor for 15 years in over 50 stage productions – most recently Guest Host Stranger Ghost (DTF 2023), Enemy of the Republic (Kildare Decade of Commemorations), and Macbeth (Tour 2022). Onscreen he most recently appeared in Christmas In Notting Hill for Hallmark, as well as the award-winning short films The West Kerry Cowboy and Procession. He is a member of the Dreamgun Film Reads ensemble.
Jenny O’Malley (she/her)
Jennifer is a composer and sound designer based in Dublin who is a classically trained multi-instrumentalist and vocalist. She primarily composes electronic and orchestral music, often blending the two using her cello (among other acoustic instruments) and synthesisers while her sound design explores moving from organic to non-diegetic sound worlds.
Some of her theatre credits as a Composer and Sound Designer include Summertime (Dublin Fringe, 2018), Iphigenia In Splott (Smock Alley Theatre, 2018), We Can’t Have Monkeys In The House (Peacock Theatre, 2019), Sauce (Bewley’s Cafe Theatre, 2019 & 2021), Restoration (Project Arts Centre, 2020), Venus In Fur (Project Arts Centre, 2020), SHIT (Project Arts Centre, 2020), Will I See You There (Dublin Fringe, 2020), Before You Say Anything (Dublin Fringe, 2020), Ar Ais Arís (Brightening Air, 2021), Goodnight Egg (Civic Theatre, 2021), Where Sat the Lovers (Dublin Fringe, 2021), Masterclass (Dublin Fringe, 2021), You’re Still Here (Dublin Fringe, 2021), Absent The Wrong (Dublin Fringe, 2022), Good Sex (Dublin Theatre Festival, 2022), and Haunted/If These Wigs Could Talk (Peacock Theatre, 2022).
Tilly Taylor (she/her)
Tilly is a Dublin-based Producer working across theatre, dance, and multidisciplinary performance. She is Producer for Dead Centre as well as creating new works as an Independent Producer, supported by field:arts.
Recent projects include To Be a Machine (Version 2.0) (Dead Centre, Dublin Theatre Festival), Beckett’s Room (tour to Sejong Arts Centre and Seoul Performing Arts Festival), MOSH (Project Arts Centre, Dublin Fringe Festival, 2023); Queen of the Meadows (in development, previewed at Dublin Dance Festival, 2022); Glimmer (Live Collision International Festival, 2022); You’re Still Here (Murmuration at Dublin Fringe Festival 2022); and Heat Sink (Dublin Theatre Festival +, 2022).
Prior to returning to Ireland in 2020, Tilly worked at Headlong, where she was Assistant Producer across the company’s stage productions and short films, and toured across the UK’s leading regional venues. Other companies she has produced with include Dublin Dance Festival, Landmark Productions, New York Live Arts, Live Collision International Festival, Amanda Coogan, and Dublin Theatre of the Deaf.
WORK
One Moment Now | A brand new table-top audio-play especially designed for Bewley’s Café, Grafton Street
8 – 24 May, 2023
Some people find it hard to sit in a café. Alone. With just their thoughts. Don’t worry, we’re going to keep you company this next while.
One Moment Now is an invitation to sit alone at a café table for a few minutes. Through headphones, you’ll hear a story – about memory, about grandsons and grandmothers, about coffee shops and hospital visits – and be invited to participate as it plays out on the table in front of you.
One Moment Now
by Murmuration
Performed by Helen Roche, Bairbre Ní Chaoimh and Austin Casey
Written by John King and Finbarr Doyle
Sound Concept by Jenny O’Malley
Sound Design by Leon Henry
Produced by Tilly Taylor
Developed by Ellen Kirk, Jenny O’Malley, John King, Finbarr Doyle and Tilly Taylor
Photography by Donal Talbot
With thanks to David Horan and the team at Bewleys Café and Bewleys Café Theatre
You’re Still Here | Dublin Fringe Festival 2021
22-26 September, 2021
“But it’s just this peaceful moment,
When the town and all about it
Is around you, but not on you.”
Siblings Sam and Niamh are back living in their family home. Lately, they’ve been falling into the same old patterns, which is either comforting or depressing – they’re not sure which. For Sam, days of working at their late father’s garage and coming home to First Dates on the telly suits her just fine. For Niamh, there’s something missing.
The quiet story of their lives, of day-to-day rhythms set in the hometown they’ve never truly left, changes completely when their older brother Jack returns home after disappearing more than half a lifetime ago. With all that has happened, why has he chosen to come back now? And what does his return mean for their family?
Murmuration returns with You’re Still Here, their third show after Will I See You There and Summertime. Created in collaboration across three countries, You’re Still Here uses an intimate, intricate textual score, to explore togetherness, estrangement and what we owe to one another.
You’re Still Here
by Murmuration
Text by Finbarr Doyle and John King with the company
Concept development and additional text by James Elliott
Director John King
Scenographer Ellen Kirk
Composer & Sound Designer Jennifer O’Malley
Associate Sound Designer Padraig Ryan
Cast Hazel Clifford, Finbarr Doyle, Eavan Gaffney
Co-devisor Danielle Galligan
Production Manager Owen Clarke
Producer Tilly Taylor
Photography by Ellius Grace
With thanks to Dara Ó Cairbre and the team at Dublin Fringe Festival
Will I See You There | Dublin Fringe Festival 2020
“I am so sick of being so lost somewhere that ought to be home.”
Dee is back in Dublin, after several years away. Fin never left and is hiding in plain sight.
Viewed through a window and heard through headphones, witness a chance encounter between two people unaware of how much they need to be heard. This intimate show is an invitation to listen in as they strive to tune out the city around them, and the noise within.
…their interaction is thrilling in Jennifer O’Malley’s innovative, subtle and technically assured audio sound design and composition.
★★★★ The Irish TimesMurmuration knows that in art, no less than in life, eavesdropping is a way to pick up on what we miss. Digging through the layers of this touching reunion, we discover a crushing misconnection, a cry for help that was made but quickly got lost in the Dublin din.
★★★★ Musings in Intermissions
Will I See You There
by Murmuration
Written by James Elliott with the company
Director John King
Cast Finbarr Doyle
Nessa Matthews
Co-devisor Danielle Galligan
Design Ellen Kirk
Sound Design Jennifer O’Malley
Assistant Sound Design Leon Henry
Production Manager Owen Clarke
Production Assistant Aoife Daly
Producer Dara Ó Cairbre
Consultant Producer Kate Lennon
Aisling O’Brien
Photographer Anthony O’Connor
Summertime | Dublin Fringe Festival 2018, Young Curator’s Festival, Abbey Theatre, Drogheda Arts Festival
“I try not to listen
But I don’t think he’s realised
Just drinks his pint
Like everything’s alright.”
Stash is an artist who works in a pub. Steve is her boyfriend. Their relationship is in trouble and they want to tell you how it happened. In unison, if they can.
When one thoughtless comment knocks the pair out of sync, the fallout causes a rift that only deepens over the course of a summer. Hear both sides of the story, intricately rendered with a dynamic sound design from Jenny O’Malley.
Summertime
by Murmuration
Written by James Elliott
Director John King
Design Ellen Kirk
Sound Design Jennifer O’Malley
Associate Director Ursula McGinn
Cast Danielle Galligan
Finbarr Doyle
Producer Dara Ó Cairbre