In trying to find an older gay person for my little documentary, I realised how difficult it was to find older gay people to tell their stories. Luckily for me, however, I found Tony, who is a gem in the film. But he only agreed to take part six days before the shoot!
Along the way I realised there is a story to be told about where older gay people go, because the gay “community” is largely pub- and club-based, which is really not ideal. I believe there are many older LGBT people who feel excluded and isolated.
In the light of President Mary McAleese’s admirable project to encourage old men to feel more included in Irish society, I think we should begin to put our own shop in order, and follow her example as a community. For example, the Irish gay rugby and soccer teams could follow the GAA’s example and reach out to older gay people specifically.
So I am happy to publish this press release here, and can’t wait to see the final product, as I missed it the first time around.
Critically Acclaimed Show Returns!
Silver Stars
Now Auditioning“Silver Stars”, an innovative song cycle based on stories from older gay Irish men, is now casting.
Performers with passion required.
There are at least 4 central roles and places in the choir. Seniors and first-time performers are especially welcome.Open casting session will be held on the following day:
Wednesday July 15th; 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.Casting Venue: The Abbey Studio (TEAM Building), 4 Marlborough Place, Dublin 1
The Workshops will take place on Monday the 20th and Tuesday the 21st of July.
Times to be confirmed.Rehearsals: 3 evenings a week from August the 24th through to September the 26th.
Time; 7.00 to 9.30 pmSongwriter Sean Millar has been gathering stories of honour, exile, spirit, survival and love from older gay Irish men and transforming them into powerful and evocative songs. Theatre innovators Brokentalkers have created settings for each song.
The original run of the show was part of the spring 2009 Bealtaine festival. The show was a great success, playing to full houses every night. This current production is in association with the Abbey Theatre and the Dublin Theatre Festival.
The show will be performed in the Cube at the Project Arts Centre and will run from Tuesday the 29th of September through to Sunday the 4th of October, 2009.
SPREAD THE WORD!!!!!Important
If you are interested then let us know!
Pre-register your details by emailing us at brokentalkers@gmail.com
{ 17 } Comments
Yeah, Tony gave a nice little account of a 22 who “ejaculated all the lot” on a 12 year old boy. Quite a gem indeed.
That’s his story. That’s documentary for you.
I said he was a gem. I also think that his story says something about what it was like growing up in the 1950s in rural Ireland. Everyone in the film was asked the same question about their first kiss – this is a collection of answers and reflections following on from that question. Naturally we discussed whether to include that particular response or not in the film, but the consensus we reached was that we preferred truth. Incidentally, why are you writing under pseudonyms and fake email addresses? You’re making a perfectly valid point here.
Some just are happier to remain anonymous on a public forum, plus I don’t even have an email address. I just come on here to exprss how shocked I was at that scene in the film. By your logic, you may as well ask Michael O’Brien (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jHqndf9Kx4) about his sexual experiences and include it because of “what it was like growing up in the 1950s in [...] Ireland”. Anyway, I’m sorry but “Tony” completely ruins your film.
Tony, no quotes necessary, has his story. Which in the early years was marred with fear and alcohol and pill addiction.
The astonishing and brave and extraordinary Michael O’Brien has his story.
One had an early sexual experience that was enjoyable, apparently, but without a loving relationship or the possibility of one for decades. His “gem”-like quality is that he has come through all that and found peace and contentment.
The other had a childhood that was straight out of Dante’s Inferno. How he survived it with such blazing integrity and honesty is beyond me. I cried so much seeing his story on Q&A.
They are both entitled to their stories, surely?
It’s not a question of whether they should have been allowed to express themselves, it’s a matter of appropriateness. Tony’s comment changes the tone of the film like a landmine on Christmas morning.
Well that’s just it, isn’t it? I made a film exploring early sexual/sensual memories, across the generations.
As much as we’d like to believe that everyone’s early awakening was like Christmas morning, for some, it’s not. I didn’t write a film script here, I went asking questions.
I had no expectation that there would be a “landmine” in the answers, but neither did I expect it to be a litany of “Christmas morning” stories.
Lots of people I know did not have their early sexual awakenings go according to how they “should”. But each of them have come to terms with them in their own way.
“Sexual experiences”? I thought the title was “My First Kiss”? Are titles just arbitary now?
Plus, I’d be very embarrassed to go and see this film with straight friends, seriously.
The title is “My First Kiss” because that is the question I asked everyone. It was a starting point for the documentary. I had no way of knowing what the answers would be. Sometimes a first kiss is with sex, most times, I’d say, it’s not.
What if you were to ask around what people’s experiences of their first kisses were? You’d be surprised at the different responses, as I was. Some reply thinking I’m asking about first sexual experiences, some reply talking about the time they kissed a fellow schoolboy/girl on the cheek when they were six!
As for you being embarrassed, I’m not quite sure why other people’s stories should embarrass you, or why people’s orientation would matter.
So you really do defend the inclusion of a pedophilia story in a nice film about first kisses/sexual encounters for LGBT people? This isn’t surprising given your support of another indefensible issue/person; the Cathal Ó Searcaigh scandal. Seriously – do you hate the gay community?
Come out, come out, whoever you are. Name yourself please, I’ve had enough of this anonymous silliness.
Fail.
Fail?
You’ve followed this blog on your computer on broadband, and on your mobile phone, and yet you say you don’t have an email address? Forgive me if that’s hard to believe, or if I suggest that your arguments are lacking credibility as a result.
I’m just interested in the truth of people’s lives. I’ve not been dishonest, nor has Tony, (nor indeed has Cathal Ó Searcaigh, I believe, after meeting him for that one interview.)
Loving truth is not the same as hating a particular community. Indeed, how can you not love a particular community without accepting and respecting people’s truth?
So, your truth please, if you wish to continue dripping shame and embarrassment all around you. Who you are, and why you feel it’s OK to snipe and sneer anonymously instead of coming out and standing over your insinuations.
Have you something to be ashamed of? I don’t, and neither does Tony. It’s his life, his experience, and he’s made his peace with himself.
A. Once again, you side stepped the appropriateness argument with pretentious shit about loving the truth and other nonsence such as how Tony is proud to share his pedophilia story and other such fuckwittery.
B. How naive and retarded can you be? Anyone can see that Cathal is a fucking pedo. Thanks for embarrassing the community with your weak apologetics.
C. If you were as confident on these issues I believe you are, I find it strange that you’d need to investigate whether I use a phone, or a computer, or whether I use broadband (notwithstanding the fact that an IP address/device does not necessarily equal a user). Considering your defence of Cathal and Tony’s remarks, I’m not surprised you’re such a deviant and sick person. Self hating gays like yourself, who whether conscioously or not, sabotage the community should be shot for their regrssive mindset. If you weren’t such a pompous little pseudointellectual hack writer, you’d see that.
A. “Appropriateness” is an interesting turn of phrase to use here, you imply that a part of the story should be excised because it is shocking to you, surely editing the shocking things out of documentaries misses the point? Would you apply this to all documentaries?
B. Calm down, we are all entitled to our opinions, and this is not a clear-cut case.
C. It is fair to challenge the anonymous views of the inexplicably livid.
Cheer up Joe!
Definitely in response to Joeseph Blogger who FEARS to remain anonymous: When one resorts to name calling, they are putting forth the BULLY within because DEEP INSIDE, they are AFRAID.
Life is full of HARSH REALITIES, including those called MISconceptions. The word PEDOPHILE is defined as ‘child love’. Just because some young person had a first kiss from a man, and chose to to tell a documentarian about it, then was brave enough to share the rest of his experience, does not categorize him or his male lover as a Pedophile. If one is too inhibited to view such stories without being biased, and is unable to walk a mile in another mans shoes for a few minutes without hurling insults, then he better begin to look DEEP WITHIN to see why the BULLY WITHIN is crying out so LOUDLY.
BEWARE: “You teach best what you most need to learn.” Richard Bach
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