Dec 24, 2024
Dec 04,2024
Stephanie Dufresne is a dancer, actor and theatre-maker from the West of Ireland.
She's worked with the likes of Irish National Opera, Junk Ensemble and Coisceim Dance Theatre, and her own choreographic work has been performed at Clonmel Junction Festival, Galway International Arts Festival and Cork Midsummer Festival.
This month, she joins the ensemble of Once Off Production's revival of Tennessee Williams' classic play A Streetcar Named Desire, running at Dublin's Smock Alley Theatre.
We asked for Stephanie for her choice cultural picks...
FILM
My friend Emily and I just saw Sean Baker's Anora at the IFI and it is one of my favourite films I've seen in a long time. I've written a short film about a stripper I'm making next year so I had a feeling I was going to like it anyway, but it is a riotous, acerbic look at a week in a young sex-worker's life. Having spent six years studying dance in the Netherlands where sex work is legal, sex work and how we view it in a historically Catholic country like Ireland, is a topic that really interests me. I'm also late to the party on this one but my Ma and I recently watched Kneecap and it is a rollicking good time.
MUSIC
My playlist is generally a healthy mix of folk, hip hob, r'n'b and some classical music. Currently on the roster is Cardi B, CMAT, The Breath, Fleetwood Mac and Kendrick Lamar. When I'm teaching movement I like to put more classical exercises to banging tunes.
BOOK
My friend Lauren Moukarzel and I recently set up a book club and it's the best idea we had all year. Our first pick was Sally Rooney's Intermezzo which I think is my favourite of hers that I've read. I cared so much about the two protagonists which I find essential when I'm reading fiction, and it was fun analysing with the other readers which character we related to the most (Margaret). Our next read is Oisin McKenna's Evenings and Weekends.
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THEATRE
I'm going to shout out a dance show here because I'm a dancer, I loved CoisCeim's The Piece with the Drums which I caught on their recent Irish tour. I worked for CoisCeim for the second time this year in Dance Hall Blues, and I loved watching David Bolger's playful, creative choices on his incredible dancers. Dancing to Connor Guilfoyle's live percussion score looked like so much fun! In terms of theatre, I caught Dead Centre's Good Sex in Cork while I was there for the midsummer festival, I was doing a play that involved intimacy at the time so it was so fun to see them discuss that and to see intimacy between two actors live onstage for the first time.
TV
I watched all of Sky's Sweetpea in about two sittings; I don't think I'd ever seen a female protagonist (Ella Purnell) take back her power in (admittedly) such an unconventional way. Equally, Netflix's The Diplomat really caught my fancy. I like that they reference Kerri Russel's character as being a bit dishevelled in the show and she actually is dishevelled, one of my pet peeves is overly produced films where everything is immaculate.
GIG
I was a bridesmaid at my friend Sallay Matu Garnett's wedding in September and arguably it was the maddest festival any of us have been to this year. Music at the church included Lisa Hannigan, Rhiannon Giddens and Discovery Gospel Choir, as well as Ye Vagabonds singing a tribute to our late friend Eoin French (AKA Talos)'s music, arranged by Peter Power. Arveene and Smooth Sailors played us into the wee hours, I wish I wasn't crying so much I could have taken videos!
ART
Visual art is the genre I fall down on in this list I feel. I'm more into modern art and performance art than traditional mediums, Tate Modern is my first stop on every visit to London, I love it. When it comes to more traditional mediums, I’m definitely more into abstract stuff, Richard Hearns is a fabulous, mostly abstract painter from out my way in Kinvara, County Galway. I moved into a new gaff in April and if anyone would like to buy me one of Carol Cronin’s larger pieces works that would be great! Since moving to Drimnagh I find I'm more drawn to imagery of the sea because I grew up by the sea and I miss it.
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PODCAST
I listen to podcasts all day and all night, mostly American comedy. Stalworth's include Marc Maron's WTF, Neal Brennan's Blocks, U Up, Trash Tuesday and Whitney Cumming's Good For You. I think the comedy is different enough from what I do day-to-day it helps me turn off.
Today is Josh Brolin day on https://t.co/KBRiPQtTBY! Embracing challenges, staying connected, and why writing a memoir was the most humbling experience of Josh's life. Great fun talk! Listen up!
— WTF with Marc Maron (@WTFpod) November 14, 2024
Episode hosted by @acast - https://t.co/IjhA8928O6
Episode on @ApplePodcasts -… pic.twitter.com/jzVShGqtIF
TECH
I am the least techy person ever, but I swear by my iPhone and Macbook; I find Apple stuff really intuitive for technophobes like me. Bar that, I'd have to say the Spotify app on my phone and wireless headphones because I'm listening to stuff all day and night.
FOOD
My best friend from secondary school Hannah O'Donnell just moved to Dublin to take up the reigns at Vada in Stoneybatter. I've been enjoying Hannah's cookign for twenty years, more recently at Kai in Galway, and Galway's loss is Dublin's gain.
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I've also had two beautiful meals at the recently reopened Coppinger in Temple Bar. I'm still thinking about the burnt butter gnocchi and the Toonesbridge Straciatella.
THE NEXT BIG THING...
I'm gonna say Jack Meade who plays Stanley in our upcoming production of A Streetcar Named Desire. I worked with Jack on a stunning two hander by Dee Kinahan last year called Tempesta, accompanied musically by the gift that is Steve Wickham. Jack is such an embodied, mesmeric performer and he brings a tender rage to Stanley that is at times terrifying to watch, he's the real deal.
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A Streetcar Named Desire is at Smock Alley Theatre, Dublin, from Dec 5th-21st - find out more here.
