Olwen Fouéré: In Conversation

The Samuel Beckett Summer School 2016 is proud to welcome Olwen Fouéré, one of Ireland's most creative and multi-faceted artists. As part of our "In Conversation" series designed to explore the creative process of notable interpreters of Beckett, Olwen will discuss Beckett's impact on her theatrical interests, approaches, and styles. The powerful voice of this contemporary practitioner will reveal the ongoing significance of Samuel Beckett for artists in Ireland and beyond.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Olwen Fouéré, born in Ireland of Breton parents, is an actor, director and creative artist.

Recent work for theatre includes her internationally acclaimed performances of riverrun in her own adaptation of the voice of the river in Finnegans Wake by James Joyce and her performances of Lessness by Samuel Beckett, which were produced by her company TheEmergencyRoom in association with Galway International Arts Festival and Cusack Projects Ltd.

Other recent stage work includes her role as the Nameless Woman in Yael Farber’s Salomé (Shakespeare Theatre Company DC) and her role as Death in Death at Intervals (Galway International Arts Festival and the upcoming Dublin Theatre Festival 2016).

She is currently collaborating with the artist Jesse Presley Jones who will be representing Ireland at the Venice Biennale 2017.

Recent film includes the award-winning feature The Survivalist, written and directed by Stephen Fingleton, and The Wake, a short film by Oonagh Kearney.

Olwen has received numerous awards for her work, including, most recently, the Herald Archangel Award of the Edinburgh Festivals 2014, The Stage Award and the Irish Times Special Tribute Award 2013 for her outstanding achievement and contribution to Irish Theatre. In April 2016, she was conferred with an Honorary Doctorate (Doctor of Philosophy-Honoris Causa) from Dublin City University for her outstanding contribution to the arts and culture in Ireland.

Her performances of work by Samuel Beckett include Lessness (Barbican International Beckett Season and Galway International Arts Festival 2015, Project Arts Centre 2016) ; Catastrophe (Gate Theatre Dublin and Barbican Beckett Festival 2007) ; Play and Come and Go (Gate Theatre Dublin and Lincoln Center NY 1997); Not I (Focus Theatre, Dublin 1979); Endgame (in Players Theatre,TCD, 1976).

Image Credit: Olwen Fouéré in performance during riverrun, © Colm Hogan

The conversation will be chaired by Nicholas Johnson, co-director of the Beckett Summer School.

The public programme of the Samuel Beckett Summer School is generously supported by the School of Drama, Film and Music; the School of English; and Larry and Mary Lund.