Brokentalkers bring their acclaimed new production Bellow to the Lime Tree Theatre this April, placing the remarkable life of traditional musician Danny O’Mahony centre stage in a work that is as much meditation as performance.
Bellow tells the extraordinary real-life story of Danny O’Mahony, one of Ireland’s foremost accordionists, whose life has been defined by an unrelenting dedication to traditional Irish music and the mastery of his instrument. The production weaves together original electronic composition by Icelandic composer Valgeir Sigurðsson, new writing, and contemporary dance, set against O’Mahony’s sublime live playing.
The Irish Times described the show as occupying “a rarefied zone”, praising the pairing of a traditional musician with a maker of contemporary theatre as “an ingenious odd couple”. Audience responses have been equally effusive, with one describing it simply as “one of the best things I’ve ever seen.”
Performers Danny O’Mahony, Gary Keegan, and Emily Kilkenny Roddy guide audiences through a raw and intimate journey, revisiting pivotal moments in O’Mahony’s life — from his first encounter with music as a child and the mentors who shaped him, to the all-consuming pursuit of artistic mastery.
Bellow was written and created by Feidlim Cannon, Gary Keegan, and Danny O’Mahony. It is produced by Brokentalkers, the multi-award-winning Dublin company founded in 2001 by Cannon and Keegan, who have spent more than two decades making formally ambitious, genre-defying work that has earned them a reputation as one of Ireland’s most innovative theatre companies.
Danny O’Mahony is a traditional musician from Ballyduff in North County Kerry.
He grew up playing music with the older generation of musicians in his locality. His late father Mick had a very positive influence on Danny as a young child and nurtured his keen ear and interest in traditional Irish music.
Both imaginative and fearless in his interpretation, Danny’s musical style is expressive and deeply personal, and reflects his affinity with the music of past masters.
His performance abilities have been acknowledged through winning Junior & Senior All-Ireland titles and graduating from the University of Limerick with a Masters in Performance.
Brokentalkers bring Bellow to Limerick’s Lime Tree Theatre on Thursday April 9.