PAINTED BIRD

PAINTED

BIRD

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About Us

Painted Bird makes experimental theatre and film.

We use cultural history, with an emphasis on archive material, as a source for story and through artistic collaboration, shape this material into something that resonates.

Each work relies on a unique and diverse set of collaborative artists. We are interested in making work that breaks boundaries, poses important questions and places the audience at the centre of a new theatrical experience.

Creative Artists

Fiona McGeown is artistic director at Painted Bird. She is originally from Lurgan, County Armagh and now lives in Cork. Fiona trained in acting at the Gaiety School, Dublin and physical theatre at L’Ecole de Mime Corporeal Dramatique, London. Fiona has received the Fishamble Best New Writing award with co-writer Thomas Conway for Between Trees and Water, Painted Bird’s first production. 

Fiona has been an actor for 30 years and is currently starring in Tinderbox Theatre Company’s new play by Kat Woods, Birds of Passage in the Half Light, bound for Edinburgh Fringe Festival and Belfast later this summer. 

Gwen Van Spÿk is a Producer, Consultant and Mentor working across the full breadth of the live performance sector. After working in the commercial sector in the USA and UK, Gwen moved into arts management. She was Administrative Director for Motionhouse Dance Theatre 1992 - 1997 after which she embarked on a career as an Independent Producer and Consultant working with artists including: Hetain Patel, Russell Maliphant, Carol Brown, Rosemary Butcher, Nigel Charnock and New Art Club as their manager and project and/or tour producer.  

Currently Gwen has an ongoing role as Executive Director of Lone Twin for whom she produced The Boat Project, one of the highlights of the 2012 Cultural Olympiad. Since moving to Ireland, in 2018 Gwen has been producing work for a portfolio of Irish artists and companies that includes Pan Pan,  Junk Ensemble, Luke Murphy/Attic Projects, Croi Glan,  One Two One Two and Dylan Tighe.

Naomi Faughnan is a multi-disciplinary designer, maker, stylist and tutor working in Theatre, Film, TV and Fashion. A graduate from The Lir Academy at TCD with an MFA in Stage Design and a Degree in Fashion Design. 

Jutta Geike is a dancer and movement teacher. She was one of the lead dancers in the original ‘Kontakthof’, directed and choreographed Pina Bausch. 20 years later, Pina with Jo-Ann Endicott and Jutta as movement directors, re-staged this masterpiece with two groups of performers, over sixty-five’s and teenagers. Over the course of 12 months two superb and poignant reincarnations were staged that revise the codes of seduction in a raw and nostalgic way and reveal more than ever what animates every human being: the simple need to be loved.

Neil O'Driscoll is a multidisciplinary artist based between Ireland and the UK with qualifications in art, crafts and film-making. He has worked in the fields of illustration and film for the past ten years, writing and directing several short films and a web series, whilst expanding into video design for theatre and working as a writer and artist of comic books. His personal work is largely rooted in the history and lived experience of Ireland and its people. Neil has also worked on public commissions such as Local Heroes, run by Dublin City Council Culture Company, where he created a series of comic book portraits of Dublin community figures.

Mags Mulvey is a video designer and filmmaker/editor interested in an interdisciplinary approach to film and mixed-media in live performance. Mags has enjoyed an extensive career in the arts for over 20 years working closely with highly respected directors, choreographers, designers and other creatives in productions for The Abbey, The Gate, Pan Pan, Rough Magic, Opera Ireland and Dublin Dance Festival to name a few. Her experiential wealth has informed and lain the foundation for film practice. Mags process is anchored in collaboration and finding new pathways to communicate the ideas, thoughts and emotions inherent in the work through visuals. Mags most Recent work includes editing "A close up by a long shot" by CoisCeim and "Born to read the stars" directed by Beta Bajgart (selected for Indie Shorts Awards Cannes & The Richard Harris International Film Fest. The Cobblestone’s pub session filmed and edited for RTE. Filming/editing for the Project arts centre. The Irish times Theatre awards round up video, and much more.

Thomas Conway works as a theatre director, dramaturg and theatre instructor. As a dramaturg, he has worked with Druid, Pan Pan, Painted Bird, Fabulous Beast and Barabbas, among others. He is the editor of The Oberon Anthology of Contemporary Irish Theatre and is currently head lecturer in Contemporary Theatre at Masters in Fine Art Playwriting at Lir Academy. 

Denis O’Connor is a motivated sound engineer, multi-media artist & DAW technician for theatre, film, TV and radio. Currently involved in various live performance projects, exhibition works and podcasts. With two years’ experience as an assistant engineer & foley editor and four years in online radio, Denis’s skill set is broad.

Commitment

Painted Bird is committed to make available through our website an archive of all all the stories we receive. To get to know better how to respond to those who have survived disaster.  To join the conversation—and to help others to join—about the reality of death and being okay with it.

Consent 

Painted Bird asks that storytellers consent to give your story to us in the form of a written or a verbal account, to advise us on how to interpret your story, to collaborate with us on how to edit your story and to waive your right to anonymity. 

Acknowledgement

Painted Bird acknowledges that your stories will only ever be told in your own words. We look to you to define what disaster means today. We recognise the challenge it is for you to have your story told publicly. We are mindful of the changes the experience of disaster has brought to you. We are further mindful of the changes its retelling in the theatre may yet bring.

Reminder

Painted Bird reminds storytellers that we place the emphasis on storytelling. We value storytelling for what it gives the listener and we believe that a theatre production can have no therapeutic value for the storyteller.

Copyright

Painted Bird retains copyright of all stories donated through the website. 

Commitment

Painted Bird commits to making available through our website an archive of all the stories we receive. 

Consent 

Painted Bird asks you to give us your story as an audio recording through Whatsapp or as a written account directly through the website, to advise us on how to interpret your story, and to collaborate with us on how to edit your story.

Acknowledgement

Painted Bird acknowledges that your stories will only ever be told in your own words.  

Reminder

Painted Bird reminds you that we place the emphasis on storytelling and asks you to recognise that this theatre production can have no therapeutic value for the storyteller.

Copyright

Painted Bird retains copyright of this production, which is devised from stories donated through the website.