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In pics: What goes into making an aerial circus show?

A troupe performing at ABSOLUT Fringe in Dublin next month have given TheJournal.ie a behind-the-scenes peek at the work that goes into hitting the heights (but not the ceiling).

HOW DO THEY do it? That might be a question you’ll ask yourself if you make it to one of the performances of Ether Productions’ aerial circus show as part of the ABSOLUT Fringe in Dublin next month.

The three-strong troupe will transform the first-floor space in Filmbase, Temple Bar with an intimate and spectacular show called Mirror Mirror. The following slideshow – in their own words – shows the preparation, hard work and unusual considerations (like headspace, naturally) that goes into creating an aerial circus show.

Ether Productions are having a fundraising night – The Underground Carnival – at the Twisted Pepper on Middle Abbey Street on 1 September: click this Facebook event page for more information. For more on the troupe and their show, you can visit their own website here.

The ABSOLUT Fringe website is here for ticket bookings – and details on all the other shows running as part of the fest from 8-23 September.

The making of Mirror, Mirror
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  • The making of Mirror, Mirror

    Three’s a family in Ether Productions’ aerial circus ABSOLUT Fringe show Mirror, Mirror in Filmbase, Temple Bar this September. From the top, clockwise: Aisling Ní Cheallaigh, Niamh Creely and Jonathan Walsh. Image: Aaron Fowler.
  • The making of Mirror, Mirror

    Ether formed in January of this year and enjoyed a very successful debut at the Drogheda Arts Festival with Mirror, Mirror. The show featured spectacular lighting by Donal ‘Chief’ O’Luanaigh and the Ether Crew’s fourth member, Arlene Caffrey. Chief will working his magic again for our ABSOLUT Fringe show. Image: Daryl Feehely.
  • The making of Mirror, Mirror

    Ether uses silks, aerial hoop and pole in a playful and inventive mix. And we also stack people. Image: Daryl Feehely.
  • The making of Mirror, Mirror

    Niamh does her best ship figurehead impersonation in our regular training space. Finding a suitable place to train for aerial is never easy, especially in Dublin. Ether currently does the bulk of their training in Carrick-On-Shannon. Image: Ether crew/Jonathan Walsh.
  • The making of Mirror, Mirror

    Sculpting with the silks – silks are an endlessly inspiring piece of equipment that can be a cradle, a shroud, a screen for projection – or, you know, a bed when you need some zzzz… Image: Ether crew/Niamh Creely.
  • The making of Mirror, Mirror

    Jonathan gets wrapped up in his performance whilst training in our venue. The unusual, two-story space on the first floor of Filmbase in DUblin has been crying out for an aerial invasion and Ether are thrilled to be performing there. Image: Ether crew/Niamh Creely.
  • The making of Mirror, Mirror

    She may be a mere slip of a girl but Ether’s Ash is an aerial machine. Here she is ‘flying’ Jonathan on the silks. Image: Ether crew/Niamh Creely.
  • The making of Mirror, Mirror

    We were thrilled with the atmospheric shots photographer Aaron Fowler (far left) managed to capture during a late-night shoot. This is where the magic happened, in a farmyard shed, with a forklift holding up the red drapes.
  • The making of Mirror, Mirror

    And now, after all the training, set-up, costume and make up, this is where it gets fun! Aisling is loving it in our promotional shot for our show fundraiser on 1 September. It’s the Ether Underground Carnival! Pic: Aaron Fowler.
  • The making of Mirror, Mirror

    Our poster image, taken by Aaron Fowler. Mirror, Mirror takes a mesmerising look at a family as they each reflect the other in the shadows, echoes and glitter of the dark mirror. For 11 performances only, Ether will transform the first floor space in Filmbase, Temple Bar with an intimate and spectacular aerial circus experience.

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    Mute Alan Kelly
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    Nov 30th 2022, 7:17 AM

    A bit of competition is good once it’s honest and there’s no jolleys, stroking, brown envelopes or trips to the red light district

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    Mute Peter
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    Nov 30th 2022, 7:33 AM

    Don’t care who builds it, once the ultimate cost is what was agreed at the start and it represents best value for money and can actually do everything that we need in an MRV.

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    Mute Tom Collins
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    Nov 30th 2022, 2:58 PM

    @Peter: absolutely correct. The bigger ptoblen is managing to crew these ships given the pathetic funding of the navy and the army

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    Mute Spud Geshletter
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    Nov 30th 2022, 7:46 AM

    . dont care who builds it but no the UK, when your out, your out.

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    Mute Tipper Irie
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    Nov 30th 2022, 8:10 AM

    @Spud Geshletter: let’s hope they don’t have the same stupid attitude as you, we will be broke overnight.

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    Mute Kevin O'Hara
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    Nov 30th 2022, 10:10 AM

    @Tipper Irie: How do you like a freezing cold and dark winter? 75% of our gas comes from Scotland!

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    Mute michael walsh
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    Nov 30th 2022, 10:38 AM

    @Tipper Irie: please explain??

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    Mute Pat Barry
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    Nov 30th 2022, 8:04 PM

    @Spud Geshletter: …but they’re Scots not English.

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    Mute bazhealy
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    Nov 30th 2022, 7:32 AM

    This is gona be an interesting one. The Brits will probably bend over backwards for these kind of contracts now to prove Brexit works. Might mean a better price, but there will be a lot of pressure on the government from EU partners to not go with the Brits for this. Especially a defence contract. I’m sure there are plenty of other shipyards around Europe that could also build the ship. I wonder will the EU intervene to make sure that EU defense spending stays as much as possible within the EU. Which will be tough seen as the Brits have such a massive arms industry.

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    Mute Roger Bond
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    Nov 30th 2022, 1:18 PM

    @bazhealy: We should source the ships with the EU Single Market and as Northern Ireland is still in the EU Single Market we should source the ships in Harland and Wolf in Belfast.

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    Mute Pat Barry
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    Nov 30th 2022, 8:02 PM

    @Roger Bond: You’d be lucky to get a barge out of H&W.

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    Mute Billybutcher
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    Nov 30th 2022, 10:35 PM

    @Roger Bond: hm no…

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    Mute Pat Barry
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    Nov 30th 2022, 11:18 PM

    @Billybutcher: hm maybe, although it has been used recently mainly for service I read on 25/11 that H&W has been appointed as the prefered bidder to deliver three crucial support ships to the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.

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    Mute Richard Griffin
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    Nov 30th 2022, 8:04 AM

    Who will staff it?? The Naval service is on it’s knees.

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    Mute Roger Bond
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    Nov 30th 2022, 1:12 PM

    @Richard Griffin: We can recruit naval personnel from other countries like the Philippines or China.

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    Mute Pat Barry
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    Nov 30th 2022, 9:01 PM

    @Roger Bond: Do people actually think we can do that?

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    Mute Richard Mccarthy
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    Nov 30th 2022, 9:06 AM

    And its also past time Ireland grew up and provided its own proper air defences and stop running to the RAF everytime an incident accurs because we dont have the capability,without a comprehensive radar tracking system anyone can invade our airspace at will and we have to depend on the Brits for information whats happening in our own country,the excuse usually given is because we are neutral sounds demeaning and ridiculous because we can even defend our own neutrality.

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    Mute OConnelj
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    Nov 30th 2022, 10:00 AM

    @Richard Mccarthy: I’m sure that there is a bit of back scratching going on with that arrangement.

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    Mute Ken Miles
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    Nov 30th 2022, 8:13 AM

    Didn’t know the UK had any shipyards left.

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    Mute Mustafa Leek
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    Nov 30th 2022, 9:16 AM

    @Ken Miles: they,’ve got s few ,who do you think built the new aircraft carriers?

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    Mute Richard Mccarthy
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    Nov 30th 2022, 9:57 AM

    @Ken Miles: You obvously are misinformed who do you think built the latest Ships for the Irish navy,yep the Brits did only problem now we can’t get the personel to crew them.

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    Mute Kevin Carroll
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    Nov 30th 2022, 10:17 AM

    @Ken Miles: there is a famous ship yard only up the road in Belfast

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    Mute Tony Harris
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    Nov 30th 2022, 10:44 AM

    @Kevin Carroll: Excellent point. At least we would keep the money on the island.

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    Mute Ken Miles
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    Nov 30th 2022, 1:11 PM

    @Kevin Carroll: Yes there is. Tyneside shipyards closed to keep Belfast in work.

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    Mute Roger Bond
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    Nov 30th 2022, 1:11 PM

    @Ken Miles: There is one just up the road in Belfast and it would be a kind gesture to get the ships built there like before.

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    Mute Anthony Ross
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    Nov 30th 2022, 9:19 PM

    As a member of the EU all contracts should be given to eu countries not a country outside eu

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    Mute l
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    Nov 30th 2022, 8:17 AM

    They’ve probably wat he’d the childrens hospital and locked their lips at the clown show.
    Candy off a baby..

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    Mute Pat Barry
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    Nov 30th 2022, 9:59 PM

    That’s easy then, Trieste in Italy it is, the only EU one of the top 10 largest shipbuilding companies, coming in @ #9.

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    Mute Roger Bond
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    Nov 30th 2022, 1:09 PM

    We should be looking further afield for contracts like this..The best value for money can be found in China or South Korea..

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    Mute Pat Barry
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    Nov 30th 2022, 8:36 PM

    @Roger Bond: Correctamundo, Asia all the way, I’d include Japan on that list.

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