Soft God Emma Martin
Co-comissioned and presented by Dublin Dance Festival and the Abbey Theatre
World Premiere
Ireland
An empty stage. A painted cloth. Chaos. Dream. Abyss.
Emma Martin returns to DDF with Soft God, a new work commissioned by DDF and the Abbey Theatre which makes its world premiere as part of the 2026 Edition.
70 mins (no interval)
€15 – €40 (preview)
€15 – €48 (full price)
Concession rates available.
Thu 14—Sat 16 May 2026
About
Soft God is a jagged ceremony that swerves between the mythic and the ridiculous, the carnivalesque and the everyday, between virtuosity and failure. Moving through a series of ever-changing scenes – a rambling house, a dance hall, a creation myth, a dream sequence and a never-ending folk dance – 8 performers cry, kiss, sing, sway, listen, stamp, hold hands and dance, insisting on ways to keep hope, meaning and spirit alive.
Against a backdrop of crumbling certainties, Soft God mines the collective imagination of this brutal moment, where to dream together and share oneself is an act of defiance.
Mongrel. Messy. Superstitious. Uncouth.
Credits
- Creation & Direction Emma Martin
- Choreography Emma Martin in collaboration with the dancers
- Dancers Sloan Caldwell, Kévin Coquelard, Róisín Harten, Yujin Jeong, Wayne Jordan, Stanley Menthor, Ennio Sammarco, Jessie Thompson
- Music & Sound Design Kevin Gleeson
- Scenograhy Katie Davenport, Emma Martin
- Costume Designer Katie Davenport
- Lighting Designer Stephen Dodd
- Dramaturgy Wayne Jordan
- Piano Song Andrew Hamilton
- Costume Supervisors LaurA Fajardo, Nicola Burke
- Costume Construction Mya Humphreys, Veronika Romanova
- Stage Management Sinead Cormack
- Technical & Lighting Management Susan Collins
- Sound Engineer Kevin McGing
- Assistant Stage Management & Props Dragana Stevanič
- Scenic Artist Sandra Butler
- Production Management Peter Jordan, Jim O’Connell
- Producer for United Fall Jill Murray
- Photography & Video Steve O’Connor
- Production Photography Ros Kavanagh
Co-produced by: Dublin Dance Festival, Abbey Theatre and VISUAL Carlow
Supported by: Town Hall Theatre
Photo Gallery
"Raucous, loud and sweaty, this is a thrilling hour of relentless dancing and music."
The Irish Times on 'Night Dances'
"Hypnotizing, joyous and utterly captivating."
The List on 'Night Dances'
"Powerful and groundbreaking…stunningly designed and choreographed"
The Scotsman on 'Birdboy'
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