I didn’t go to the party, I’m not comfortable on that boat but it sounds like everyone had a good time.
Dollman Disco End of Summer Fruits Party
Live Art and Laughter for All
24 September 2006
Written by Lucia Andrea Sweeney (and Co-written Gaynor Evelyn Sweeney)
‘Dollman Disco End of Summer Fruits Party’ was an exceptional experience for all to be had last night on Walk the Plank Theatre Production Boat, Liverpool, England. A concept derived and produced by Gary Sollars combines an elaborate and wonderful array of live art in a social atmosphere. Music mixed by the ‘Dollman DJ’ of a diverse taste to suit all, the momentum up beat with a hive of activity.
Catherine Shea, whose alter ego, ‘Kitty O’Shea’, did a wonderful rendition of ‘A Piece of Sky’ by Barbara Streisand. Dollman (aka Sollars) in a duet with Sean Kenny exploded into song ‘You Give a Little Love’ from the Musical Bugsy Malone. The audience encouraged to join in and share in the verse. There was a selection of games for the audience to participate in the performance. Each could select their favourite icon, such as Marilyn Monroe, etc., and in groups compete to win a special Dollman prize. Other familiar characters could be seen Mothman (Tony Knox) dancing the night away and part of Dollman’s entourage, as the Bunny Girl, Gaynor Evelyn Sweeney, mediating as usherette with a selection of merchandise as pork scratchings and crisps for sale.
The concept of Dollman was derived in the series of painting by Sollars several years ago, a character with a dolls head and track suit to imbue the social deprived youth from Park Road in Liverpool, England. His painting style photorealist and high art. The genius in the creative skill of Sollars is one which takes the social realism of a subject and through his immense skill as a painter personifies his vision. As an artist, his work is recognised and exhibited in the National Portraits Gallery, the Whitworth Gallery, etc.. More recently has been short listed in the highly prized John Moores Award this year in the Liverpool Biennial 2006.
His approach of contemporary subjects in the context of his painting is similar to how ‘Dollman Disco’ has evolved. From the character born in the two dimensional surface of his paintings, he first explored in 2004 live art element to become the large scale events of ‘Dollman Disco’. He bridges the gap of the hierarchical canons of art in his creativity by placing the live art events in a social context and enabling art to be shared and experienced by a broader audience. Indeed, the work of Sollars is a social commentary and expands relativity to all; it breaks down and removes the exclusivity and elusiveness of the arts.
More Dollman events are to be announced in the coming months. Go to www.garysollars.co.uk for updates.