Megalomaniac

Megalomaniac is about a Syrian immigrant living in The Coombe who, after fifteen years adjusting to life in Ireland, finally received Irish citizenship as the Syrian war exploded. Her story opens up a complex perspective on the geopolitics of the middle-east from a uniquely local Western perspective.

Megalomaniac was the theatre outcome of a long-term collaboration with the first generation Muslim community of Dublin 8, specifically with a Syrian Palestinian woman, who has just become a new Irish citizen.

This local conversation was brought to the ancestral home of our participant in Ramallah, West Bank. Here we collaborated with Iman Aoun of Ashtar Theare, Ramallah, as performer and maker, in finalising the blueprint for performance. Iman Aoun also played the role of protagonist Noor in the play.

Design was integral to the performance to depict the “clean, safe West” versus the reality of war. Set designer Get Clancy built a revolving set which transformed from a crisp white pharmacy lab to a caged hospital bed as war took root in Noor’s psyche.

In our collaboration with sound and video designer Craig Cox we experimented with combined media to portray Noor’s declining mental state as war impacted her from a distance. Scenes were filmed, performed via voice over and performed live.