This Bloomsday, it may be wise to shift your attention away from Leopold Bloom, the main character whose journey through Dublin on the 16th of June, 1904 gives Ulysses its essence, to his spouse, Molly. The spotlight is on her vibrant monologue, delivered as her husband snoozes beside her, that provides the riveting finale of James Joyce’s celebrated novel.
This segment has been transformed into The Molly Films, a series of cinematic creations slated for release at Yes, an upcoming festival celebrating women’s creative prowess occurring in Derry and Donegal during Bloomsday. The festival has reinvented Bloomsday as Molly Bloomsday.
Ulysses European Odyssey, an expansive cultural venture spanning 18 European metropolises – each representing a chapter or episode from the novel, crafts artistic expressions inspired by themes from the book in public arenas, culminating in the Yes festival.
The narrative framework of Ulysses parallels Homer’s Odyssey where the Greek protagonist, Odysseus recaps his decade-long return journey to his homeland, Ithaca, after the Trojan War. Having kicked off in Athens in September 2022, the project has since ventured through three cities where Joyce composed his magnum opus – Trieste, Zurich, and Paris, as well as other cities like Vilnius, Budapest, Marseille, Berlin, Lugo, Copenhagen, Istanbul, Cluj, Zurich, Leeuwarden, Eleusis, Oulu, and Lisbon.
The Yes festival prompts an assembly of over 30 female artists, composers and performers across Europe to convene in Derry and Donegal for a four-day extravaganza featuring music, dance, public art, dialogues and grandeur.
Liam Browne conveys that the festival symbolises a return for the European Odyssey and for himself and Seán, his co-director of Arts Over Borders, the principal organiser. Browne highlights that Molly’s extensive and complex monologue commences and concludes with the affirmation ‘yes’, prompting the decision to bring Joyce’s tale to Derry, a place where ‘yes’ is a common salutation.
The Molly Films represents a distinct challenge in which five eminent actors from Irish and British backgrounds, namely Harriet Walter, Fiona Shaw, Adjoa Andoh, Siobhán McSweeney, and Eve Hewson, skilfully deliver one of the eight lengthy, unbroken “sentences” that make up Molly’s monologue. This task is by no means an easy feat, even for actors of such calibre.
Expressing her enthusiasm for the project, McSweeney, who has strongly aligned with the women’s movement in Derry following her appearance in Derry Girls, mentions how it creatively transitions the words from a male-oriented book into the voices of five diverse women. This process, in her view, has successfully transformed something that is regarded as universally known but scarcely read, into a potentially intriguing work.
McSweeney also describes the monologue as a reflection of everyone’s internal landscapes: the mildly infuriating experiences, recollections of youthful romantic encounters, random thoughts that arise in the middle of sleepless nights, revisiting of old romantic memories, and the sensual feelings experienced during the transition between sleep and wakefulness. This is a common territory known to everyone, irrespective of their gender.
Walter and Shaw, both seasoned actors, were playing leading parts side by side for the Royal Shakespeare Company four decades ago. Back in 1992, Shaw impressed audiences with a remarkable performance in Electra, an RSC production for the Impact ’92 festival held in Derry in the midst of an intensely violent phase.
Reflecting on that week, Shaw identifies it as a crucial landmark in her life. She was profoundly moved by the tangible human spirit amidst the ensuing chaos and she has never quite moved on from that. There was a powerful connection between art and politics that resonated with her. The emotional impact was such, she and her fellow actor, John Lynch, were in tears when departing the city, feeling deeply connected to something far greater than themselves.
Shaw, having read Jan Morris’s book about Trieste, where Joyce embarked on his journey of writing Ulysses, later proceeded to read the biography of Joyce by Richard Ellmann. She was subsequently invited to read a “sentence” from Molly Bloom’s soliloquy by Seán. Despite accepting the invitation due to her astonishment at the sheer length and complexity of the “sentence”, it far surpassed her initial estimation of a 15-minute reading.
The character was a challenge to fully comprehend, and mastery was essential to embody it. Merely allowing the language to convey the meaning was inadequate. Sophie Muzychenko, a young and talented director, facilitated a comprehensive understanding of the character alongside a timely filming experience that was intense yet enriching.
Ulysses European Odyssey is now headed towards Dublin during its return journey. This marks the commencement of the final phases of its twin prominent legacies: The Ulysses European Odyssey Book, contributed by authors from the 18 participating cities including Anne Enright of Dublin and Kerri ní Dochartaigh of Derry, and the symposium named “What Will You Answer? 309 Questions from Europe”. The latter is a conceptual response to the Ulysses’s 17th episode which unravels through a catechism or Socratic dialogue styled question and answer session.
In the industrial city of Derry, the Yes festival acknowledges the significant influence exerted by women, in capacities such as mill and shirt factory employees, civil rights activists, artists, unionists and house-makers, on the city’s economic, social, cultural and political landscapes.
Under the curation of fiction author and columnist Martina Devlin, the festival will organise a series of mini-talks, “No Ordinary Women”. High-profile speakers including the likes of the former president Mary Robinson, journalists Orla Guerin, Marion McKeone, Miriam O’Callaghan, as well as two women political leaders, will hold discussions on the subjects of women in leadership, climate justice, resistance, and media.
The inaugural Irish woman press ombudsman of 2022, journalist and writer Susan McKay, is slated to facilitate a conversation on women and power. Among the contributors are Shami Chakrabarti, a barrister and British Labour Party peer, and Caoilfhionn Gallagher, who doubles as the Irish special rapporteur for child protection and a member of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission.
McKay, who has a rich history of human-rights legal work, praises Shami and Caoilfhionn for their contributions in the same field. Shami is recognized for her latest book that delves into international treaties and laws, and the structures of international human-rights legislation. On the other hand, Caoilfhionn has campaigned for individuals whose rights were violated, including those sentenced to death, promising engaging discourse between them.
As a journalist, McKay often spotlighted social issues, drawing attention to the predicaments of society’s overlooked and helpless sectors, such as prisoners, Travellers, homeless people, and victims and survivors of the North’s conflict. Her work includes a guideline series for journalists working in these challenging areas, offering advice on comprehending and managing trauma on individuals.
In her role as press ombudsman, she strived to strike a balance between the media’s freedoms and obligations. “While a free press is vital, it is equally crucial to safeguard the human rights of those who may be story subjects,” she points out.
Noting the rarity of an entirely female-led conference, she emphasizes the importance of focusing on women’s rights, especially the necessity to say no. This perspective comes from her experience as a founder of the Belfast Rape Crisis Centre and her time as the CEO of the National Women’s Council of Ireland.
She contends that Derry women’s impact in various life spheres remains underrated. “The festival aims to underscore the role of women in the city. Despite the city’s association with prominent male figures like Heaney, Seamus Deane, Brian Friel and Field Day, women have always been a powerful force,” she adds.
McKay expresses optimism about the future, observing a flourishing Ireland, North and South, as they liberate themselves from past generational constraints, reflected in the words of Fiona Shaw.
Derry is recognised for its powerful female leaders. Several years ago, a segment on Sunday Miscellany [on RTÉ Radio 1] spotlighted Pat Hume and her indispensible contribution to John Hume’s work. Pat Hume was depicted as a silent heroine who preferred to remain out of the limelight. Despite this, it’s important to acknowledge such contributions whether the individuals involved seek recognition or not.
The festival’s musical segment is set to include the world premiere of Sirenscircus, an auditory experience influenced by the Sirens episode of Joyce, examined through John Cage’s Musicirccus. This will be performed by a vast 200-member ensemble in Ebrington Square. The walls of the city will host eight marching bands from various traditions. Towards the conclusion of the festival, an acoustic performance and poetry reading from Imelda May’s debut anthology, A Lick and a Promise, will be featured.
Fiona Shaw, who has memories of the city’s challenging past, expressed her excitement about participating in a Derry festival named Yes. She feels excited about the progress and potential in Ireland, both the North and South. She believes we are liberating ourselves from the ghosts of past generations and asserts that history should not hold us back.
The Yes festival is scheduled to be held in Derry and Co Donegal, commencing on Thursday, June 13th and wrapping up on Sunday, June 16th.