Byrne under the spotlight
Event to mark opening of King’s Dome Exhibition
John Byrne is to make a personal appearance at the King’s Theatre, in a joint celebration of a documentary exhibition of his dome mural and the touring production of Chekhov adaptation: Uncle Varick.
Byrne ‘at home’ with the completed dome painting. Photo © Ron O’Donnell
Ron O’Donnell’s photographs document the painting of Byrne’s All the World’s A Stage mural onto the King’s theatre Dome. They are being exhibited in the theatre over the summer.
Byrne will be appearing at the official opening of the exhibition on Thursday evening, ahead of Rapture Theatre’s performance of Uncle Varick, his adaptation of Uncle Vanya.
Following a viewing of the exhibition and a glass of wine (included in the ticket price) from 6pm, Byrne will be in conversation with Michael Emans, director of the production, discussing his career as a playwright, the production of Uncle Varick and the creation of the King’s Dome.
The exhibition displays a selection of O’Donnell’s photographs intended to give a sense of the process of transferring Byrne’s original one square metre design onto an 85 square metre curved plaster dome, working at a height of over 42 metres above the ground.
The Dome mural was created over the course of 35 days last summer. The theatre auditorium was filled with a free-standing scaffold to allow access to the walls and the ceiling without damaging the delicate, listed interior.
Contemporary art photographer O’Donnell followed Byrne with the scenic artist and project manager, Kevin Leary and his team of six, to capture the realisation of a major contemporary commission.
The portrait of John Byrne (above) is of him ‘at home’ with the completed dome painting. O’Donnell created a living room setting with table, tea service, standard lamp and Byrne reading a copy of the Metro, photoshopped and retitled ‘DOME’. The only thing missing is an ashtray – there was no smoking on site at the King’s.
Uncle Varick, starring Jimmy Chisholm, opens on Wednesday 7 May and plays through to Saturday. It follows Sandy Sheridan, pretentious art critic and self proclaimed cultural icon, who returns from London to his Scottish country pile – with his new, much younger, wife in tow.
Listings:
An Audience with John Byrne
Thursday 8 May, 2014. 6pm-7.15pm.
King’s Theatre, 2 Leven Street, EH3 9LQ
Exhibition view followed by an audience with John Byrne and the director of Uncle Varick, Michael Emans
Tickets: £7.50 (includes a glass of wine) from 0131 529 6000 or online at www.edtheatres.com.
Uncle Varick
Weds 7 – Sat 10 May 2014. Daily 7.30pm, matinees thurs, Sat, 2.30pm.
King’s Theatre, 2 Leven Street, EH3 9LQ
Tickets from 0131 529 6000 or online at www.edtheatres.com.
The King’s Dome Commission: Photographs by Ron O’Donnell
King’s Theatre, 2 Leven Street, EH3 9LQ
Thurs 2 May – Sat 25 October 2014
Exhibition free (to theatre ticket holders). Open to the public during theatre opening hours.
ENDS
