Projects
The Armagh Rhymers
The Armagh Rhymers
Research and develop new technology to create an immersive storytelling, traditional music, and masked performance bring Ireland’s rich folklore to life for visitors to Armagh.
Our tradition of mumming or rhyming is ancient, with some records placing it as far back as 2500 years ago in Ireland. The tradition is deeply democratic, with all performers having their own role, little to no barriers to participation, low tech needs and designed to unite communities. It is an ever-evolving practice, and each group of mummers and rhymers use the foundation of the tradition to tell their own unique local stories.
We have a current gap in our programme for an ‘always-on’ Armagh Rhymers experience. We believe every visitor to Armagh should experience our tradition and we feel that there must be a technological solution to have the next best thing to a live performance available at all times. Our audience is a part of our performance, and we encourage active participation. The magic of our performance cannot be conveyed through basic film or audio, the audience must suspend disbelief that our performers are indeed half man, half beast and be immersed in this ancient, rural world.
We are not ‘cos-playing’ as mummers, it is a living, breathing tradition. Just as the mummers used what they had to hand to tell their stories; straw from the floor to make masks which then became more complex, characters that evolved from Celtic Gods to Christian Saints, the kitchen floor became a stage and the oral story was eventually captured on radio and film; the delivery changes but the tradition remains the same. We see immersive technology as a new method for delivering this story.
Explore
£5,000
Aims of the Project
This fund will give us the opportunity to learn what technology is available and determine the best use of technology to enhance our work, not detract from the live experience.
It will upskill our performers giving them an opportunity to explore new performance techniques and writing styles. We want to explore examples of the use of technology in the sector to identify what can be done, what works, and what doesn’t.
Meet the artists
The Armagh Rhymers
Lead artist
The Armagh Rhymers are one of the most celebrated traditional music and theatre ensembles on the island of Ireland. Founded in the 1970s, The Rhymers delight audiences in schools, community spaces, museums, and festivals throughout Ireland and around the world.
Through music, storytelling and ritual drama, they provide an experience that is both entertaining and educational. Their fantastical costumes and masks evoke a sense of tradition and history and encapsulate the spirit of the Wren boys and the ancient house visiting traditions of Ireland, where the kitchen floor became the stage making it the true ‘theatre of the people’
They to learn what technology is available and determine the best use of technology to enhance their work, not detract from the live experience. It will upskill their performers giving them an opportunity to explore new performance techniques and writing styles.
Dara Vallely
Dara Vallely, Co-Founder & Artistic Director, The Armagh Rhymers
Anne Hart
Anne Hart, Director, The Armagh Rhymers
