With a long history of socially-engaged theatre behind her, in 2023 Vanessa brought a brand-new translation of Tennessee Williams’ The Rose Tattoo to the Irish stage. Reimagined in the context of a modern Irish Traveller community, it was accompanied by a forum to discuss the rights of women, Travellers, and the emergence of Traveller feminism.
She retranslated the original play, half written in Italian, into Traveller dialect with Traveller activist Catherine Joyce, and engaged other Traveller people to be involved in the performance, composition and music, costume and props, hair and makeup, voiceovers and imagery.
(Production shot from The Rose Tattoo)
The cast was led by Denise McCormack and included two Traveller actors, while the set was immersive, with audiences on three sides of the stage. The play’s opening night was attended by President Michael D Higgins and Sabina Higgins, to a standing ovation. This opened the door to further collaborations with the Traveller Community including the launch of Traveller Pride and a concert by acclaimed Uilleann piper Paddy Keenan.
(Production shot of The Rose Tattoo)
Vanessa's work is a powerful demonstration of theatre's potential to enact social change and through The Complex she continues to champion the principles of the Theatre of the Oppressed, creating a dynamic space where art and community converge to address and transform societal issues. Her next production is the Irish premiere of Budd Shulberg with Stan Silverman’s well-known narrative On the Waterfront, a play adapted from the classic 1954 film.
(The full cast of The Rose Tattoo, 2019)
This production will feature actors Lloyd Cooney and Luke Griffin and hopes to address issues around the stigma and disenfranchisement of marginalised single men, themes that are prevalent in our current social discourse. It also hopes to attract and unite audiences from the east and west inner-city areas, from which the Irish dockers derive, by celebrating their legacy and sharing their experiences with new generations. Early-bird tickets are available here for a limited time only.
Vanessa’s work has always been situated in Dublin 7 and she has led The Complex through five incarnations, transforming vacant spaces into places for professional arts practice. The Complex is now based in Arran Street East in the markets area and stands as a testament to Vanessa’s vision of creating a space for socially engaged theatre in Dublin. The Complex has become a significant hub for artists and the community, housing 16 artist studios, a contemporary art gallery, The Cooler (a 50 seat space for jazz and improvised music), and a new 350-seat open-plan warehouse venue called The Depot. Vanessa's dedication to immersive and participatory theatre is evident in her programming, which bridges the gap between arts and non-arts sectors and champions the rights of all people to access the arts.
(Lloyd Cooney at the Dublin Docklands for an On the Waterfront promotional image, shot by George Hooker)
The Complex has received significant support from the Arts Council, the Department of Media, Culture and Arts and Dublin City Council, ensuring its sustainability and ability to continue fostering socially engaged theatre. Vanessa's vision for The Complex, coupled with her extensive experience and proactive community engagement, has solidified its place as a cornerstone of Dublin's cultural landscape.
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