PYGMANKENSTEIN [pɪgmænkənstɑjn] is:
A portmanteau of Pygmalion and Frankenstein, two tales of Creation
Committed exclusively to producing horror theatre
The brainchild of Nora Kelly Lester and Lauren-Shannon Jones
Nora and Lauren first collaborated on a show called Grow in 2013, where they discovered a shared love for the uncanny, the unsettling and the macabre. In 2014 they worked together again on The Assassination of Brian Boru, funded by Unesco and commissioned by The New Theatre. This year they were selected by to lead The New Theatre’s first residency program. Olympia will be their debut show as director and writer in residence.
OLYMPIA [olɪmpiə]:
Grew from the seeds of a chilling 19th century short story by ETA Hoffmann
Promises to petrify
Follows in the tradition of Gothic storytelling behind du Maurier, Gaiman, and Poe
Olympia tells the story of of Nathaniel, a neurotic but brilliant medical student, who falls madly in love with the strange daughter of his anatomy professor. Professor Coppola’s obsession with matching him with her daughter reveals itself to be something much, much darker; and Nathaniel’s pragmatic fiancee Clara and his hedonistic roommate Lothaire become his only hope to survive.
How Der Sandmann became Olympia:
Last January, Nora Kelly Lester sheltered from the rain in an antique bookshop. Remember the rain last January? It was terrible. As she pretended to browse the shelves and waited for the storm to pass a title caught her eye - Der Sandmann. She bought it mainly out of obligation, but as she read it on the journey home she was struck by its dark, paranoid atmosphere and its totally ahead of its time fixation on body-horror. It would (she thought) be perfect for the stage…
How can you help?
As a new company we are completely unfunded and so, we are looking for financial support to cover production costs including venue rental, stage materials and promotional materials. Any contribution big or small that you can spare would be greatly appreciated. And as a thank you, check out the list of rewards to see what you could get in exchange for your support.
The Faces Behind 'Olympia':
Conceived by PYGMANKENSTEIN
Directed by Nora Kelly Lester
Written by Lauren-Shannon Jones
Sound Design: Dylan Tonge Jones
Lighting Design: Conor Byrne
Set Design: Fionn McShane
Make-up: Gill Lambert
Stage Management: Cein Sookran
Marketing: Mark Ball
Design: Andre K'por
Producer: Ailish McCarthy
The Cast:
Michael-David McKiernan
Shane Robinson
Aenne Barr
Erin Gilgen
Claudia Kinahan
Nora Kelly Lester (director)
Nora Kelly Lester is currently Resident Director at The New Theatre. To date she has worked on The Assassination of Brian Boru (National Tour 2015) and is currently in production with Writer Dylan Coburn Gray on a new play Drawing Crosses On A Dusty Windowpane for this year's Tiger Dublin Fringe. Other recent work includes According to His Need (Reds Theatre Company) at The Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Grow (The Virgin Eclectic) and UCD Dramsoc's leaving cert show Macbeth in 2014. Nora graduated from UCD in 2012 with an honors degree in English and Drama and received her qualification in Drama Facilitation from NAYD in 2013.
Lauren-Shannon Jones (writer)
Lauren-Shannon Jones is a playwright and filmmaker from Dublin. Her first two plays opened to critical acclaim: Grow (The Virgin Eclectic, 2013) and The Assassination of Brian Boru (The New Theatre, 2014/15). She completed an honours degree in film production from Wolverhampton College this year. Her graduate film Enclave was awarded best screenplay, best direction and best overall production of the class of '15. Lauren is a member of the Irish Playwrights and Screenwriters Guild and the Screen Directors Guild of Ireland. Recurring themes in her work include future shock, sibling rivalry, cults, paranoia, body horror, and the utter unreliability of memory.
"..this young production shows great verve and promise....clever with plenty of twists and turns.." - Le Cool Magazine (Grow)
"Lauren-Shannon Jones’s play is entertaining, well-cast and very well written." ****
- Michael Moffatt, Evoke.ie (The Assassination of Brian Boru)
“...astute, clever and evocative.”
-Una McMahon, Entertainment.ie (Grow)
Olympia will run in The New Theatre Temple Bar from the 12th - 24th October 2015