Dance First is a 2023 biographical film about Irish playwright Samuel Beckett, directed by James Marsh and written by Neil Forsyth. Gabriel Byrne stars as Beckett, with a supporting cast featuring Fionn O'Shea as a younger Beckett and Aidan Gillen as James Joyce.
The film documents the Irish writer's life, from his childhood, his friendship with James Joyce until the incarceration of the latter's mentally ill daughter Lucia Joyce, his relationship with his future wife Suzanne Dumesnil, his time as a fighter for the French Resistance during the Second World War, his postwar literary rise and subsequent Nobel Prize for Literature in 1969, his affair with translator Barbara Bray and his later life until his death in 1989. Throughout the film, Beckett carries out an interior monologue.
In November 2021, it was announced that James Marsh was to direct the bio-pic with Gabriel Byrne playing Beckett from a screenplay from Neil Forsyth and a title taken from Beckett's ethos on life of "Dance first, think later". Byrne said he was attracted to the project by ForsythâÂÂs âÂÂextremely cleverâ script which he called a âÂÂa surreal interpretation, that has something to do with the spirit of Beckettâ . The project was developed with Sky Arts in the U.K. and produced by 2LE Media's Michael Livingstone and Tom Thostrup, alongside Viktória Petrányi of Hungary's Proton Cinema and Belgium's Umedia.The project isn't the first time Forsyth has written about Beckett - his Sky Playhouse short film Waiting for Andre was about the real-life friendship between Beckett and a teenage Andre the Giant.
In May 2022, it was announced that Aidan Gillen joined the cast along with Sandrine Bonnaire and Fionn O'Shea as a younger Samuel Beckett. Gillen confirmed to The Times that his role was that of James Joyce and that Marsh is âÂÂa great film-maker, so the Beckett story is in good hands.â In September 2022, it was revealed that Maxine Peake, Robert Aramayo, Leonie Lojkine, Bronagh Gallagher, Lisa Dwyer Hogg, Barry O'Connor and Gráinne Good had joined the cast.
Principal photography began in Budapest in May 2022. Filming locations in Budapest included the corner of Gerlóczy utca and Vitkovics Mihály utca, the steps of the VÃÂgszÃÂnház, Dohány utca, the lobby of Hotel Gellért and the New York Kávéház.
On set in Budapest Byrne was interviewed by The Guardian and described the project as an effort to flesh out a character whom âÂÂpeople know very little about. He was a man who had a sense of humour, who was deeply emotional, who was a failure in his own eyes for a great deal of his lifeâÂÂ. Byrne described how the man's sense of self contrasts greatly with the global notoriety and fame that came from being subsequently awarded the Nobel prize, and yet how he remained a man âÂÂwho lived the last part of his life alone in a very simple room in a nursing homeâÂÂ. Discussing his performance Byrne said âÂÂPhysically I can sketch him, but with this film we are not looking for an impersonation of Beckett, rather a sense of who he was. What you want is people to believe the man, not focus their attention on the wig or the makeup or the false nose.âÂÂ
The film closed the 71st San Sebastián International Film Festival's official selection on 30 September 2023. The film was theatrically released in the United Kingdom on 3 November 2023, by Sky Cinema in association with StudioCanal.
The Guardian Claire Armitstead called Dance First, "a small masterpiece" and said of Byrne's performance, "such is the power of the storytelling that within minutes you believe in him entirely". The Irish Times called the film "striking" and praised O'Shea's "excellent" performance and Gallagher's "fine turn". The Times called Byrne "one of Ireland's great actors". Screen Daily called the film's formal premise "ingenious", adding there is "definitely a Beckettian ring to the dialogue" and called Byrne's performance, "rueful but often tartly humorous evocation of Beckett as a vulnerable, tender figure, he convincingly humanises a writer often represented as an inaccessibly lofty secular prophet".
In The Guardian, Peter Bradshaw mentioned Gillen's performance as one of the best in a supporting role on film in 2023. Bradshaw said the film is âÂÂwell-acted and tells the story with verveâÂÂ, and complimented Byrne's âÂÂaustere and drollâ Beckett. The Financial Times called Marsh âÂÂa graceful stylistâ and praised the performances of Bonnaire and Peake, saying, âÂÂThere is dramatic elegance to the mirrored excellence of the actressesâÂÂ. The Irish Independent said that Byrne, âÂÂsinks into the role remarkably wellâ and called the film, âÂÂan honourable attempt at a Beckett biopic, well cast and not overplayedâÂÂ.
The Business Posts review of the film called it âÂÂformally ingeniousâ and observed that âÂÂwhen Byrne â or Byrnes â takes centre stage, the film singsâÂÂ. The Irish Examiner called Byrne and OâÂÂShea âÂÂterrificâ and said âÂÂDance First is a literary biopic that deserves all the garlands that come its wayâÂÂ. The Arts Desk praised Forsyth's âÂÂwonderfulâ dialogue and âÂÂthe elegant chiaroscuro of Antonio Paladino's cinematography.The Film Verdict said âÂÂForsythâÂÂs tricksy narrative swerves, MarshâÂÂs brisk directing style, Antonio PaladinoâÂÂs ravishing monochrome photography and ByrneâÂÂs fine-grained hangdog performance all add up to an absorbing overall packageâÂÂ
Dance First was released in North America in 2024. It had its American premiere at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival before being released in limited theaters on August 9, 2024, and distributed by Magnolia Pictures. Upon its American release, Screen Rant said âÂÂthe sharp script by Neil Forsyth elevates the words of Beckett and Joyce to the grandeur of their work. Both Byrne and Gillen do extraordinary jobsâ¦exploiting the simultaneous depth and simplicity of the storyâÂÂ. The review concluded âÂÂDance First wonâÂÂt strike a chord with everyone, but it's also not intended for mainstream appeal, and those who connect with it will do so deeplyâÂÂ.
Dance First was well received in Europe. In Spain, where Dance First was selected as the closing film for the 71st San Sebastian Film Festival , El Español praised âÂÂthe magnificent performances of Irish actor Gabriel Byrne and French actress Sandrine BonnaireâÂÂ. which it called âÂÂpure acting alchemyâ and said the dialogue was âÂÂreminiscent of Citizen Kaneâ .
In Italy, where the film was renamed Prima Danza Poi Penza Alla Ricerca di Beckett (First Dance, Then Think â In Search of Beckett) and was selected for the Torino Film Festival . , Ondacinema said it was a âÂÂsuccessful film, that gives us back Beckettâ The Corriere Della Sera called it a âÂÂpowerful portrait of guiltâ and Sentiere said the film was âÂÂwell-writtenâ and praised ByrneâÂÂs âÂÂexcellentâ performance .
In March 2024, Bronagh Gallagher was nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the IFTA Film & Drama Awards.
Dance First won Best Single Drama at the 2024 Celtic Media Festival.