DDF BLOG: Q&A with the team behind MOSH

It’s a word that embodies sweat, sound, and a certain kind of beautiful chaos. But how does this raw, physical definition translate onto the stage?

We asked the powerhouse team behind MOSH – Rachel Ní Bhraonáin (Writer & Director), Robyn Byrne (Choreographer), and Tilly Taylor (Creative Producer) – about this powerfully raucous work that kicks off its national tour in Dublin of DDF’s 21st Edition.

Following our Instagram takeover (still available to rewatch in our Instagram Highlights), your curiosity exploded. From the intensity of the performance to the dynamics between its dancers – you had questions.

So, we gathered these up, sent them to the creators, and now we’re sharing their answers with you. Get ready, this is MOSH, directly from its makers.

Rachel Ní Bhraonáin, Writer & Director

Can you tell us a little bit about your role and your work on MOSH?

I am the writer and director of MOSH. My role while developing the piece involved interviewing moshers, getting into mosh pits (tricky to do during the pandemic!) watching footage online, and reading books and academic papers about moshing, physics, rituals and sociology. I had a week-long residency with three dancers and a drummer in VISUAL Carlow to begin exploring the dance element of the show before the role of choreographer became delineated from my own and Robyn Byrne came on board.

All of this cerebral and physical research directly informed the script which was then further shaped by the dancers themselves, their energy and insights and the balance of movement with text. I took the recorded interviews with real moshers and created the voiceover score that you hear throughout the show. This is the largest show I have directed to date and the team behind the work were all vital in shaping and informing the final piece.

What first inspired you to create a show about mosh pits, and why did you choose to explore it through dance and theatre?

I was inspired by a conflict with my boyfriend Luke, between my own prejudice towards moshing and his vehement defense of the practice. He told me of an injury he once got in a mosh pit that sounded so painful I could not understand why he would ever wish to do it again. He tried to explain that this injury was a relatively rare occurrence and a small price to pay for the joy he experienced that night. This got me curious about why people mosh, who does it and whether or not they're aware of the reasons themselves.

Dance was always the primary language I wanted to use because I see moshing as a type of folk dance that needed to be explored through the body. I was lucky enough to get onto the International PanPan Mentorship programme in 2020 with Terry O'Connor from Forced Entertainment. Through her conversations and several other sources of support, I realised that I wanted to make a maximalist dance theatre piece and that this would include me writing a script. This is how I came to the point of bringing long-time collaborator and gifted dance artist, Robyn Byrne, on board as choreographer – allowing me to fully step into the role of writer and director while having a dedicated artist overseeing the choreography. Robyn was a key collaborator in the realisation of MOSH and you can see her artistic fingerprint shining throughout the show.

MOSH captures both the chaos and the deep connection of the pit. Was there a particular story or moment you uncovered during your research that really stuck with you?

The whole experience of research was awe inspiring, from the personal stories to the realisation that there are universal truths hidden within the collective movement patterns of heavy metal crowds. I have several favourite storylines that informed the script and the movement in the show. But what hits me most every time we present the work, is how the abundance of kindness and humanity to be found in a metal pit lies right next to the potential for serious danger and disaster.

What do you hope audiences will take away from the experience of MOSH?

I hope that audiences who are from this subculture find themselves reflected and illuminated in the characters, the voices and the movements on stage. And I hope that audiences who come into the show with the same reservations or judgements around moshing that I once had, will come away with a new sense of understanding, even appreciation, for this incredibly fascinating and creative act. Perhaps they will even feel brave enough to jump in themselves next time they see a pit forming down the front of a gig!

Robyn Byrne, Choreographer

Can you tell us a little bit about your role and your work on MOSH?

I am the choreographer of MOSH. Rachel had a clear vision for many of the scenes, so my job was to bring that to life with the movement. I spent a lot of time researching how people move within mosh pits and worked to harness that energy in the choreography while also ensuring it was safe for the dancers. We had a relatively short creation phase, so I came into rehearsals with a large portion of the material already choreographed. It was my first time choreographing for five performers, and I enjoyed the challenge of building everyone’s parts outside of the studio and imagining how they would come together. 

Mosh pits are wild, messy, and full of momentum. How did you approach choreographing that raw, unpredictable energy?

Once the show was choreographed, it became more about how each dancer interpreted the movement rather than them performing identically. It’s their individual differences that bring the piece to life. There’s an element of freedom that has to be given to the performers in order to harness that.

Working with live music and real interviews adds so many layers to the performance. What was the most exciting or surprising part of creating the movement for MOSH?

The most exciting part of creating the MOSH choreography was definitely seeing the live music and movement come together. There’s something electric about having musicians in the room – their energy feeds directly into the dancers, and vice versa. That constant exchange made each rehearsal feel alive and unpredictable. The physicality of the movement and the rawness of the sound created a shared pulse that shaped the entire atmosphere of the piece. It’s hard not to want to get up and join the dancers when you see how connected they are to the music, and I hope the audience feels that same pull when they watch the show.

If you could describe the choreography of MOSH in three words, what would they be?

I’d describe the choreography in MOSH as wild, communal, and sweaty.

Tilly Taylor, Creative Producer

Can you tell us a little bit about your role and your work on MOSH?

I’m the Creative Producer for MOSH and I’ve been involved in the development and creation of the work from early days with Rachel. Along with Rachel, I put together the incredible team of collaborators that we are so lucky to be working with on the show and who worked with her to envision and bring to life a creative process for the way that we want to make work. I’ve also managed the nuts and bolts producing of the work from its creation through to its touring life – it’s been a total joy to do with this team!

As Creative Producer, how do you balance the wild spirit of MOSH with the practical side of producing a show?

My favourite shows to produce are the ones with wild spirits! I find the energy to be super motivating, because I’m so buzzed at every opportunity we get to meet audiences with the work.

What has surprised you most about how audiences connect with MOSH?

I’ve been really surprised at the response from people who don’t know moshing or mosh pits themselves – mainly that they thought of it as a very aggressive space, one of violence and anger. In reality, mosh pits have a wild energy and can be a risky space, but more than that they are a space fueled by community and care. If you’re knocked down, someone picks you up. If you’re hit, someone will care for you. It’s a space to let loose, while coming together around a shared love of music. That has been a revelation for many

audiences and has helped them to understand and connect with an often misunderstood subculture.

MOSH runs at Project Arts Centre (Space Upstairs) from Fri 23 May – Sat 24 May at 7:30PM. 

This is a dance, a gig, a theatrical shove into the heart of the pit. Huge thanks to the MOSH team for sharing their insight. Now it’s your turn. Join the pit.

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