MÁM
Dancers of the Teaċ Daṁsa company
Musicians of stargaze
Cormac Beagley (concertina)
Michael Keegan-Dolan – choreography
Sabine Dargent – Set design
Hyemi Shin – Costume design
Adam Silverman – Lighting design
Reviewed by: G.J. Dowler
Reviewed: 5 October, 2023
Venue: Sadler’s Wells Theatre
An air of mystery and hidden meaning pervades Michael Keegan-Dolan’s atmospheric MÁM which makes a welcome return to Sadler’s Wells, having last been seen in 2019. Much has changed in the world since then, but MÁM taps into something timeless about the Irish psyche, life and traditions. The Teaċ Daṁsa ensemble was established in 2016 when Keegan-Dolan’s Fabulous Beast Dance Theatre moved from the Irish midlands to the West Kerry Gaeltacht on the Southwest coast of Ireland. It has attracted performers from far and wide, so much so that of the twelve adult dancers who appear in MÁM, not one is Irish, although that makes no difference in itself.
MÁM is a powerful work, set in a village hall, where first communions, weddings, wakes, film screenings, dances and get-togethers are all evoked in a constantly shifting stage picture which purposely does not anchor itself in any one interpretation or narrative. The opening tableau is striking: a young girl in white lies on a dining table while a ram-headed being sits in vigil wreathed in smoke. The devil? An ancient Irish spirit? The head is removed to reveal the Irish concertina virtuoso Cormac Beagley who begins to play. The sense of dislocation is magnified as the black curtain behind them tilts and slips off its hanging to reveal the twelve seated dancers dressed in Sunday best, their heads covered by paper bags. Once these are removed, the movement begins. What follows is an exhilarating experience, as hints of narrative appear and disappear as the group move in a dizzying variety of styles, from social to modern dance, vernacular to stylised. The dancers of Teaċ Daṁsa are talented indeed, artists chosen for their interpretative qualities rather than physical uniformity, and they engage totally with the concept, drawing us all into this strange world. It is a world which veers from the amusing and touching to the menacing and violent, as groupings come together and fracture, anger and frustration frequently bubbling up and voiced in unexpected screams. The world is unmistakably Irish, the Gaelic word ‘mám’ itself possessing meanings ranging from ‘a mountain pass’ to ‘a handful’ and ‘an obligation or duty’, the sense of a place far from the world of North London intense.
Matters take a turn when the white curtain in turn slips away to reveal the seven members of the Berlin-based collective stargaze who shift the musical world from Beagley’s traditional concertina sounds, rhythms and melodies to add their contemporary voice. They work and interact with the dancers, just as any band would do in an event in an Irish community hall, so the sense of place is not altered, however, they bring in another sound dimension as the work progresses. Throughout, the white-clad girl (Keegan-Dolan’s own daughter, who premiered the work aged eight in 2019) acts a sort of visual focus as she weaves in and out of the dancers, participates in some movements, and sits others out.
If there is a criticism to be made, it is that, at 90 minutes, the work is too long. It ceases to become intriguing and mysterious, as we settle into our acceptance of the strange world before us. There are no more surprises, just more impressive, often frantic movement – only the last tableau adds something new and unsettling, the strangeness reestablished before the lights finally dim.
Keegan-Dolan’s MÁM is, in many ways, his take on several of the tropes of Germanic Tanztheater, as exemplified by the late Pina Bausch’s output; the sense of a community occasion, the pedestrian nature of some of the movement, the lack of narrative or sense of motivation, the depiction of elements of emotions and the human condition are all there. However, while this work may not be entirely perfect, the choreographer confirms his extraordinary inventiveness which never feels self-indulgent or perversely incomprehensible, as well as his ability to create atmosphere and a powerful sense of place. For those interested in the creative process, Sadler’s Wells Digital Stage presents The Dance, a behind-the-scenes documentary about rehearsals of MÁM, which is available until 3rd November.