Róisín Dubh Docu-vlog (Episode #1 Staging)

(RTE rejected this song, but since we had recorded a huge amount of footage for a "docu-vlog", we decided to carry on as [planned and put the episodes online anyway during the next 2 weeks...)

This 1st episode goes through Eurovision songs from the last few years to illustrate how we plan to stage "Róisín Dubh"

The overall concept is that Clodagh is narrating a story about Roisin Dubh. She is dressed in a contemporary fashion. All the others on stage are a part of the story she is telling. You have Sylvia playing Roisin Dubh, and the lads (led by Eoin as clan chieftain) are the warriors of Ireland. These will be dressed in a more old-fashioned style, as it is important that the storytelling element be clear to the audience.

Verse 1.
The song should start with an overhead shot from the back of the arena, which slowly zooms towards Clodagh alone on a dark stage with a spotlight illuminating her. (Clodagh should be dressed in a modern / pop outfit, in black with touches of green/blue.) When she sings "all in bloom" switch to a side view as Clodagh walks to the front of the stage. At the line "And her sons..." it is a standard frontal head & shoulders shot with a slow pan out.

Chorus 1.
Sylvia enters near the end of Clodaghs part, but she is not visible to the tv audience until she sings. Sylvia should be dressed in an old-fashioned dress (as she represents Roisin Dubh, the spirit of old Ireland) preferably in a white colour. When she starts singing, Sylvia is centre stage. White lighting should catch her dress to give her an overall radiant appearance.

On the line "I must go..." An almost perpendicular overhead shot shows Sylvia turning and kneeling down whilst looking up into the camera. For the last line (I can never call this home again) she is on the floor with her back to the audience, and is singing into a camera that shows her face with the audience in the background.

This segment needs to be magical. We hope this mystical effect can be achieved with the aid of a generally dark stage, with a blue theme, minimal lighting on Sylvia, and plenty of dry ice. At the end of this segment, Roisin Dubh lowers her head, the lights go out, and then
In the darkness you hear "A h-aon, a do, a tri, ar aghaidh leat" before a blast of pyrotechnics heralds in the dance beat. The warriors arrive carrying their samba drums, and beating them whilst shouting the "Fill fill fill" refrain. Their attitude is passionate and primed for war. They should be dressed in outfits suitable for heroes of ancient Ireland, (Cu Chulainn & the Fianna etc.).

Verse 2.
For verse 2, we are back with the narrator. The background players are in freeze-frame mode with their heads bowed, as Clodagh struts from right to left singing her part. Her attention is divided between singing to the audience, and toward the background players. As she speaks of the sons being not so rich nor strong, she inspects a warrior, lifts his chin, then drops it down again in disdain. "Black rent" is sung out at the front of the stage with full focus on the audience.

Chorus 2.
Warriors in the background spring back to life, and proceed to shout & bang their drums while Clodagh sings in the foreground.

Verse 3.
For the breakdown section, we again wish to create a magical but slightly disorienting atmosphere. There should be dry ice, and the lighting is to be dramatic and dark. Possibly some flashing strobe or lightning style effects. Sylvias face is to be illuminated in a ghostly white/blue light (e.g. Slovenia 2007). She will have 2 clear crystal balls in her hand which she will spin as she sings. It would be ideal if these crystals emitted light. We want to create a nightmarish / hallucinogenic vibe. We suggest that Roisin Dubh spin in a circle while a camera follows her movement keeping her face centre-shot. This will create the illusion of the background spinning.
For the purposes of the possible Late Late show performance, at this stage the warriors are in a circle around Roisin dubh, and after "leis na strioca" Roisin runs off stage, while the lads face front for their "Ta ar nduiche" line. If this song were to go to Moscow, there would be scope to add some clever stage-craft prop to this section.(think Ukraine 2008s light box, or Belarus 2007s magic screens).

Chorus 3.
Clodagh returns to narrate the final chorus sections. The warriors are back in their usual positions and are shouting their new-found "Go deo" refrain (because Roisin Dubh is now gone forever).

Verse 4
Here the lads are very determined-looking, and the camera pans across them. Perhaps a pyrotechnic blast on the word "Gcuid".

Chorus 4.
The warriors leave the stage after the words imithe aris. And so the song closes as it began, with just the narrator left on stage to finish the telling of the story by posing the question "Can we ever call this home again?"

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Lamph
• Waterford
• Róisín
• Dubh
• Roisin
• Eurovision
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• etc

[Lamphmusic]

Hi Everyone, LAMPH are playing at "Spraoi in the Park" in Waterford city THIS Saturday, They're doing a very mellow, atmospheric set on the bandstand in the peoples park at 2pm. They will be performing Roisin Dubh along with 10 of their other songs, if you like Roisin Dubh you should not miss this gig, they don't play very often!!!!

[GaryL91]

I think this would have won. Are you considering entering again next year?

[Lamphmusic]

Well boy!

How's it goin?

Dunno bout next year.

A bit disappointed that RTE didn't go for this one. Not sure that puttin time & effort into sending a song for Eurosong is justifiable.

I do have half an eye on Lithuania though! :)

[20Ireland09]

Imagine trying to put that together on the Late Late on friday lol

[Lamphmusic]

yeah... true! :D

[brandonlovesmonkeys]

i thought youse didnt get picked?

[Lamphmusic]

No... We didn't get picked.

But are going to put up the docu-vlog episodes anyway... coz we went thru the effort of makin' em so may as well put them online

[minxbadge]

So many people disgusted that Lamph did not qualify for Irish finals. We have not a hope of qualifying for Eurovision final with etcetera...SHAME!!

[GaryL91]

How do you think Et Cetera will do? I thought the performance was good on the Late Late Show, but I'm not sure it will have an impact on a large stage. I was hoping that Out of Control would have won. They took a common format of having one main singer with three or four dancers. I thought that would appeal to Eastern Europe. I'm betting on Turkey, Romania or Norway to win, even though I don't particularly like those songs. As ballads are concerned, I like Malta's entry and the UK is good too.

[ryanwexford]

i think ye guys should re enter it again next year, great song, shame on RTE :(

[haldunenes]

Serbia and Montenegro 2004 was the one of the most amazing songs in all the eurovision songcontest history. But watch also BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA 2006 lejla. THIS SONG IS THE BEST!!