NÄHER... CLOSER, NEARER, SOONER
★★★★
“… exquisitely choreographed… “Näher…closer, nearer, sooner” resonates most powerfully, transforming the Goethe-Institut into a living, breathing, resonant space full of hope and memory.”
CHRIS O'ROURKE, THE ARTS REVIEW
Näher...closer, nearer, sooner is a site-specific dance piece commissioned in 2018 by Goethe-Institut Irland to celebrate the grand reopening of their newly refurbished Georgian home on Merrion Square in Dublin. A cast of fifteen dancers brought audiences on a captivating and emotional journey through the exquisite site, sharing visceral and moving memories, texts and dances.
Co- created by choreographer Liz Roche and playwright Shane O'Reilly, with sound design by Berlin based designer Roy Carroll and costumes by Catherine Fay, the piece explored the crossover and connections between the texts and concepts of W.B. Yeats and the life and works of Goethe.
Liz and Shane began the devising process with dancers Kévin Coquelard, Finola Cronin, Anne-Laure Dogot, Henry Montes & Senior Dancers from Dublin Youth Dance Company. Inspired by Yeats' notion that for a time, when someone dies, they dream backwards through the more personal deeds and thoughts of their lives, Näher...closer, nearer, soonerexplored the moments of significance that can and might arise on this imagined introspective journey. The piece encouraged audiences to think about the best moments of their lives, revealing the cyclical nature of experience and learning in Yeats' work, echoed in Goethe's poetry and observations on his early family life.
The piece premiered as part of Dublin Fringe Festival 2018, with a further run of performances in February 2019.
With support from The Arts Council/An Chomhairle Ealaíon, Goethe-Institut Irland and Dublin City Council, Liz Roche Company and Invisible Thread Films have made a short film, Näher, based on the live piece. Näher is directed by Alan Gilsenan, with Director of Photography Colm Horgan and music by Ray Harman. The film's performers are Kévin Coquelard, Finola Cronin, Liv O'Donoghue and Grant McLay. Näher will premiere in late 2021.