The White Quadrangle (2005)
moon seed
winter sweet
pomegranate
fire bush
You’re always finding fairy tales everywhere. It’s ridiculous
The White Quadrangle was one of two commissions half/angel received from the Executive of the European Capital of Culture: Cork 2005. The work was a large-scale site specific performance made for the central quadrangle at University College Cork (UCC) involving 123 performers and performed on 17th March, 2005 (St. Patrick’s Day).
Performers included forty children from Ballyheada National School, Ballinhassig and St. Vincent’s Convent School in Cork City; thirty gardeners, students and academics from UCC; twelve drummers; fifteen singers; a circus performer who span fire on chains and the man who calls ‘Echo!’ outside the General Post Office in Cork.
The White Quadrangle involved large scale choreographies based on the Ogham alphabet, a collaboration with sculptor Pauline O’Connell, and a narrative involving Saint Finbarre (Patron Saint of Cork) and Queen Victoria (Finn & Vicky) meeting as teenagers in the quadrangle, innocent of their histories. An original score by Richard Povall and large scale projections combined to make this a visual and choreographic spectacle which ended with the image of a thousand white windmills placed in the grass of the quadrangle.
FINN: There are things we don’t know
NARRATOR: he said.
VICKY: I know
NARRATOR: she said.
FINN: There are a lot of things we don’t know.
VICKY: Yes
FINN: I feel them. They’re kind of waiting.
VICKY: I know
NARRATOR: she said.
VICKY: I know.