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Poetry, sizzling summer festivals and screenwriting!

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billy-collinsI have revised my love for the American poet Billy Collins. Now I adore him. I’ve been working on a personal project this summer which has been consuming a lot of my attention. I am writing writing writing all the time but now I am dedicating my free time to learning the craft of screenwriting. I never forget my true love – poetry – the origin of all great writing and theatre. I’m feeling very fortunate to have stumbled upon the great teaching talent that is Mary Kate O Flanagan. Now there is a person who understands story on the screen. Discussing her work would require another post – or several – which I will get to. Here’s her own website if you are curious. Anyways, earlier in June, I was down at the Festival of Ideas and Writing in Borris, Co. Carlow and I was over the moon the finally hear and see and eventually meet the great poet Billy Collins. As I have most recently been studying story structure his poem Aristotle is so fitting. Have a read.

Aristotle by Billy Collins

This is the beginning.
Almost anything can happen.
This is where you find
the creation of light, a fish wriggling onto land,
the first word of Paradise Lost on an empty page.
Think of an egg, the letter A,
a woman ironing on a bare stage
as the heavy curtain rises.
This is the very beginning.
The first-person narrator introduces himself,
tells us about his lineage.
The mezzo-soprano stands in the wings.
Here the climbers are studying a map
or pulling on their long woolen socks.
This is early on, years before the Ark, dawn.
The profile of an animal is being smeared
on the wall of a cave,
and you have not yet learned to crawl.
This is the opening, the gambit,
a pawn moving forward an inch.
This is your first night with her,
your first night without her.
This is the first part
where the wheels begin to turn,
where the elevator begins its ascent,
before the doors lurch apart.
This is the middle.
Things have had time to get complicated,
messy, really. Nothing is simple anymore.
Cities have sprouted up along the rivers
teeming with people at cross-purposes—
a million schemes, a million wild looks.
Disappointment unshoulders his knapsack
here and pitches his ragged tent.
This is the sticky part where the plot congeals,
where the action suddenly reverses
or swerves off in an outrageous direction.
Here the narrator devotes a long paragraph
to why Miriam does not want Edward’s child.
Someone hides a letter under a pillow.
Here the aria rises to a pitch,
a song of betrayal, salted with revenge.
And the climbing party is stuck on a ledge
halfway up the mountain.
This is the bridge, the painful modulation.
This is the thick of things.
So much is crowded into the middle—
the guitars of Spain, piles of ripe avocados,
Russian uniforms, noisy parties,
lakeside kisses, arguments heard through a wall—
too much to name, too much to think about.
And this is the end,
the car running out of road,
the river losing its name in an ocean,
the long nose of the photographed horse
touching the white electronic line.
This is the colophon, the last elephant in the parade,
the empty wheelchair,
and pigeons floating down in the evening.
Here the stage is littered with bodies,
the narrator leads the characters to their cells,
and the climbers are in their graves.
It is me hitting the period
and you closing the book.
It is Sylvia Plath in the kitchen
and St. Clement with an anchor around his neck.
This is the final bit
thinning away to nothing.
This is the end, according to Aristotle,
what we have all been waiting for,
what everything comes down to,
the destination we cannot help imagining,
a streak of light in the sky,
a hat on a peg, and outside the cabin, falling leaves.
Our next beginners creative writing class begins on September 25, 2018. Read more about it.

Book into next Beginners Acting. Hurry!

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tootootEmail us at actthemaggot@gmail.com or call/text 087 3744926 if you want to join our next class starting May 10th. Read more here. You can take an acting class at any stage of your life. Whether you are eighteen or fifty-eight! The benefits are enormous. Get out of your comfort zone and have fun this summer with our flagship Beginners’ Acting class in city centre! Every week for six weeks, join a bunch of like-minded people and have heaps of laughs tapping into your creativity in ways you have totally forgotten. Most people say it’s such a tonic allowing yourself to play and have craic in a safe, respectful environment. There are only two more courses running before we take our summer break. The next course starts next Thursday, May 10th and runs until June 14th! After that there will be one final course starting on June 28th and finishing up on August 2.

Here are just some of the comments from previous maggots.

“Act the maggot took me to a place I haven’t been since I was a child. A place of pure joy. You meet great people from all walks of life and form firm friendships. I got to express myself in a way that I could never do in any conventional adult learning scenario and it made me feel like I was 10 feet tall.”
– Shane Lynam, Director, Elearn.ie

“I signed up to Act the Maggot to try something a bit different, I wanted to venture into the wilderness beyond my comfort zone but I soon found that I was totally comfortable outside of my comfort-zone. Act the Maggot just expands your comfort zone so that’s all there is. Classes like this are only ever as good as the person running them – luckily Amy is super fun, a master at her craft and really down-to-earth. She has a way of getting you to do things you wouldn’t usually do and she does it in such a way that it’s not scary at all. Everyone in the class was really friendly and willing to throw themselves into the thick of it. If you’re looking for a lot of laughs and a weekly holiday from reality this course will be perfect for you!”
– Alice Walsh, Librarian, Getty Images

“I would highly recommend the course to anyone who is looking to get an enjoyably informative and casual introduction to acting! Act the Maggot gives you a little taste of acting and public speaking while working as a medium through which you can meet some really interesting and really nice people that you would never meet otherwise! It definitely left me dying to try the next class and see what else Act the Maggot has to offer!”
– Sharon Moorhouse, TV3

Email us at actthemaggot@gmail.com or call/text 087 3744926

Beginners Acting class go on stage for first time!

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lev2-may3They knocked it out of the park! Yes. Our Level 2 Acting class took their polished monologues to the stage last night to a rapt and appreciative audience. They had shown up to class and worked consistently over the past five weeks and that imagination and effort definitely paid off. It was hard to believe that for most of them, it was their very first time to perform in front of a live audience. Although their hearts were all rattling around inside their chests – the audience was none the wiser – they got rounded characters with great stories to tell. Well done all. We were sorry that a number of classmates, due to work or health issues were not able to take part in the showcase. They were missed. They can always hop onto the September Level 2 class. It is wonderful to watch the transformation of these students.  They arrive as complete beginners. Most of them start out even a little intimidated or shy! Yes. Hard to believe. But the metamorphosis that takes place is beautiful to see. The foundation of the six week Beginners Acting class has given them a clear understanding of what is expected in order to work towards a first time performance.  Then in just five short weeks they get themselves ready to take the stage with a memorised and fully rehearsed character. Really well done to all of them. The audience feedback was excellent. Definitely looking forward to seeing how these maggots develop in Level 3. If you think acting is something you might like to try, get in touch. Maggots come for a myriad of reasons. Some sign up to learn the rudiments of acting, others join us to develop confidence for public speaking engagements, others for the social aspect. One thing is for sure, that everyone comes to laugh and act the maggot once a week for a few hours. Take a look around the website and read our testimonials

If you’ve got any questions, don’t hesitate to drop us a line at acthemaggot@gmail.com.

The act of writing by hand engenders true mindfulness

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quote1-w“The Creative Writing course with Act the Maggot opened my mind to the world of words. I have always written creatively and this course made my writing better and gave me a better sense of what and how I write. Thanks to the teacher, we were able to explore the art of writing and poetry in depth. ”
Testimonial from Marluce Lima, student from January 2018 group

The following is an extract from an interesting article published in Forbes Magazine proposing an argument that writing with pen and paper in longhand is a powerful tool for learning, relaxation creativity and connection.

Stephen King purportedly wrote Dreamcatcher in longhand — using a Waterman cartridge pen. J. K. Rowling penned The Tales of Beedle the Bard — all 157 pages of it — in longhand, and the leather-bound tome sold for almost $4M at auction. F. Scott Fitzgerald did it, as did Hemingway, Kafka and countless others, each of whom had access to either a typewriter or, later, a computer. They all chose to put pen to paper and see where it took them. This is perhaps the true magic of a pen: It transports us to unexpected places, on wings that require no more than a timely shot of ink to keep them aloft, destination unknown. And in the process, the mindfulness writing engenders encourages calm and creativity. Here are three proven ways that handwriting is good for your brain…

1. Handwriting increases neural activity in certain sections of the brain, similar to meditation. According to a study performed at the Indiana University, the mere action of writing by hand unleashes creativity not easily accessed in any other way. And high-tech magnetic resonance imaging has indeed shown that low-tech writing by hand increases neural activity in certain sections of the brain much like meditation.

2. Handwriting sharpens the brain and helps us learn. Writing is good for keeping one’s grey matter sharp and may even influence how we think, as in “more positively,” studies show. Apparently sequential hand movements, like those used in handwriting, activate large regions of the brain responsible for thinking, language, healing and working memory.

3. Handwriting forces us to slow down and smell the ink. Another often-overlooked benefit of writing by hand is that it just plain forces us to slow down and enjoy the moment — a novelty in today’s world where immediacy reigns. Mindful writing rests the brain, potentially sparking creativity, according to neuroscientist, Dr. Claudia Aguirre.

Want to try it out? Book your spot today on our next six-week Creative Writing class aimed at beginners. It starts on Tuesday, April 17th. You will cover character, plot, structure, poetry and do lots of writing exercises in class. It’s guaranteed to have you scribbling your way through Spring! Read about our course here. Drop us a line – actthemaggot@gmail.com if you wish to book or if you want to ask any questions.

 

Get out of your comfort zone! Booking now open for all three of our Spring courses.

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screen-shot-2018-02-16-at-17-48-07“Act the Maggot took me to a place I haven’t been since I was a child. A place of pure joy. You meet great people from all walks of life and form firm friendships. I got to express myself in a way that I could never do in any conventional adult learning scenario and it made me feel like I was 10 feet tall.” – Shane Lynam, Director, Elearn.ie

level3

Try one of our signature beginner classes and you won’t regret it! Always been curious about the acting game? Try our six week Thursday night class in Beginners’ Acting for Adults starting March 22. quote4-wFond of developing story-lines and characters but don’t know how to get started with a writing project or just haven’t developed a good discipline? Try our six week class Tuesday night class in Beginners’ Creative Writing.

Or have you always liked drawing or just want to try it out? It’s a fantastic way to unwind and relax. Try our six week Tuesday night class in Beginners’ Drawing.

Life drawing #pencil

Life drawing #pencil

At Act The Maggot – everyone is a beginner!! Some of our maggots have tried all three at different times of the year. Take a look around and make up your mind. We answer queries at acttthemaggot@gmail.com

Write it out! Join a fun, creative writing for beginners

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cw2018Would you like to write down your ideas and thoughts and play with story and character? Writing is such a wonderful hobby to develop, especially for those cosy, indoor afternoon and evenings in the coming months. Here are some testimonials from our previous courses.

“I went into with a good attitude and I wasn’t let down. My teacher was brilliant. He had an amazing passion for writing that he shared with all of his students. He shared good resources with us all and gave us a beginners insight into the writing world. Something that other courses don’t offer. I couldn’t recommend the course enough and I’m looking forward to doing another course with Act the Maggot.”

quote3-w

“Act the Maggot was an excellent experience and I would thoroughly recommend it to anyone with an interest is developing their writing skills or adapting their knowledge to serve an alternate purpose. With a diverse group of those looking to achieve different goals and pursue various methods of writing, we each have greatly gained from the course.”

“It was excellent and our teacher was amazing.”
“This was a great experience. It stretched my abilities and gave me confidence to carry on scribbling. Thanks to the teacher for his encouragement and easy manner. Keep up the good work.”

Read about the next Creative Writing course. If you have any queries please email us at actthemaggot@gmail.com

Creative Writing delayed by one week

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tootootDue to unforeseen circumstance the beginners’ creative writing class will commence a week later than advertised. It will now run from Tuesday Jan 30 to Tuesday March 7 inclusive. All classes are 7.30pm to 9.30pm. Contact us at actthemaggot@gmail.com if you would like to know more or book a place.

Friday Pick: HOME at The New Theatre Jan 23 to Feb 3, 2018

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home-megan-image-4New play HOME kicks off The New Theatre’s spring season of new work by female playwrights.
The play is centred around the trial of Anna Kelly, a first year college student who finds herself in court for allegedly defying an injunction put in place to prevent her from having for an abortion. The audience act as jury and vote on the outcome of the trial, deciding the end of the play and Anna’s fate.
HOME was inspired by the urge to explore what consent means in regard to Irish law, and the legal risk associated with seeking an abortion in Ireland. The audience are given a rare opportunity to interrogate what can often be considered the “grey areas” of consent and abortion law in Ireland in light of where the law stands in relation to these topics. The play is certainly topical, given the weight the recent #metoo campaign has carried in the media and the Dáil who are about to resume session to finalise plans for the Eighth Amendment referendum in 2018.

Preview Jan 22nd 7.30pm // Jan 23rd – Feb 3rd at 7.30pm

Anna is a first year college student who is on trial for allegedly defying an injunction put in place to stop her continuing with her plans to have an abortion. It is now time for you, the jury; to listen to the facts of the case and decide the verdict.

Imagine you’re a fresher. Newly single in the big city, you’re mad for two things: The Sesh and Tinder. Now imagine waking up with no recollection of the night before and your Tinder date is creeping out of your room because he thinks you are still asleep.

With over 60 Scenes, 10 Characters, 4 Actors and a verdict to decide, HOME will have you fighting to be on jury duty. 

First presented as a work in progress at the Scene + Heard festival in February 2017, Megan O’ Malley’s new play HOME is an exploration into what happens when the authorities get involved in the often-regarded “grey areas” of consent and abortion law in Ireland. HOME puts the verdict in the audience’s hands, giving you the opportunity to anonymously vote on Anna’s fate after being presented with both sides of the case.

HOME is written by Megan O’ Malley, a graduate of the Gaiety School of Acting’s full time course, and current MA in Theatre Practice student in UCD. Megan performs the role of Anna in HOME. As an actor, Megan has worked with Smashing Times Theatre Company on Women in 1916, starred in Kerry Gold’s TV commercial, was awarded the Gaiety Bursary and the F.A.B. bursary award for Best Actress 16-21. As a writer, Megan was the first in the school’s history to premier her own work ‘MJ’ for the GSA graduation industry showcase. She also worked alongside Paul Meade for her Manifesto piece The Mourning Seat. From there Megan worked with Paul Meade over 2016 in developing her idea for HOME. Director Fiona Frawley is a graduate of the Gaiety School of Acting and an MA in Advanced Theatre Practice (Royal Central School of Speech and Drama). She has cowrote, and performed in shows such as That’s So 90’s (2017), and Welcome to Sidebank (2017) in London and Beauty Queen Dreams (2016) in Dublin.
 
HOME is performed by
Megan O’ Malley
Gordon Quigley
Ethan Dillon
Gemma Kane
 
Directed by Fiona Frawley
Produced by Kelley Gissane
Lighting Design by Shane Gill
Set Design by Áine O’ Hara
Stage managed by Megan Lynch
BOOKING INFO
The New Theatre 

Happy New Year 2018

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Wishing all you maggots, non-maggots and maggots-in-the-making much health and happiness for the coming year. May you entertain and be entertained.

Improv can change your life

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Spotted a great article recently in the Guardian newspaper about the power of Improv to help fight anxiety and build confidence. Perhaps 2018 will be your year to move outside your comfort zone and try a beginner’s acting class. Our beginner’s acting class teaches you the rudiments of improvisation. We create a fun, supportive environment where participants can learn to truly act the maggot! No-one is judging and everyone spurs one another on. Here are some of the latest testimonials:

“Act the Maggot was a wonderful addition to my week. I enjoyed every class and learned a lot as I let my creative side free. Thank you.”

“I was very satisfied with the level 1 acting course. It had what I was hoping for – taking me outside of my comfort zone, meeting fun people and having the craic.”

“Enlightening”

“It was fantastic, really well spread out and the increase in difficulty each week was great as it really took me out of my comfort zone.”

“It was brilliant. Fun and learned lots.”

“Enjoyed the experience, meeting lovely people in a playful environment.”

There are still places available on our end of January course. Contact us with any queries – actthemaggot@gmail.com – If you don’t think acting is your bag you can always sign up for our fun creative writing or drawing courses. All of our six week courses take place in Dublin city centre on Middle Abbey Street.