It's not often that the Dublin Theatre Festival (DTF) team is kept in the dark about one of their upcoming shows, and perhaps that's why they turned out in force this week for the launch of the arts company, Farcry Productions. They huddled in a candlelit corner of the Thomas Read pub on Parliament Street like the conspirators they alleged they were.
"It's all being kept quite secretive, which is very exciting," confided Ross Keane, the festival's director of marketing and development. "We do know a certain amount about it, but we've been sworn to secrecy."
Keane was referring to Farcry's Letting Go of That Which You Most Ardently Desire, described as an art process whereby members of the public can call a number, enter into a contract based on trust and then be given instructions on how to have a unique experience at one of a number of site-specific locations.
The evening also saw the launch of the company's most recent piece, a lit-box installation above the pub called Something to Live For, depicting the visages of some of those who were involved in 1916. Architect Sam Stephenson and his wife, Caroline, came to the event with their 11-year-old son, Zachary. Zachary's grandfather, former city librarian Patrick Stephenson, is one of the 68 faces included in the installation.
The occasion was also used as an opportunity to officially introduce Farcry, which has been in existence for five years now, to the Dublin arts scene.
"We wanted to make a public statement that we are here, and here to stay," said the company's founder, Gerard Mannix Flynn, who was joined by his son, Sheridan, who is also involved in the arts company.
Others at the event included DTF artistic director Don Shipley, DTF general manager Marcus Barker, DTF marketing assistant Shauna Lyons, Samantha Baxter, Roberta de Silva and actor Richard Wilmot. Mary and Mossey Byrne, from Finglas, also came along to Thomas Read's.
TV3 might be asking you to dial and become part of the David Blaine-esque reality quiz, The Box, but now there is another number vying for your attention.
There is no cash prize, and only a slim chance of getting on to national television, but let go and see what happens. To partake, call 086-8910574.
Letting Go of That Which You Most Ardently Desire takes place from Oct 5 to 8