CERBERUS

Cerberus is a performance collective of 3 artists – Deej Fabyc, Olivia Hassett, and Rachel Macmanus

Cerberus is written as the most terrifying creature in Greek mythology, capable of causing even the most courageous hero or warrior to flee. Positioned between our world and the netherworld, Cerberus guarded the gates that divided them so that no soul who had left the human world could return.

The three heads of the vigilant dog would sleep in turn. Thus, the beast was always awake and ready for danger. Though fierce in manner, Cerberus’ basic virtues of loyalty and devotion meant it will not abdicate its post under any circumstances.  

As with Cerberus, we exist in the in-between liminal space, of this world, and the netherworld, neither in nor out of either, but at the edge of both, forever on duty as the gatekeepers. We are three individuals who join as one, bound together as the three heads – representing loyalty and vigilance, remarkable strength and ferocity. We perform as one unit that divides itself into three, then remoulds itself into one, always protecting, always awake, and always on guard.

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Dealing with Baggage -Cerberus at ConP(art)y

Peoples Museum Limerick June 15 2025

This performance was part of CON/p(art)y- a collaborative event between Live Art Ireland and p(art)y Here and Now. CON/p(art)y was a pre festival event between the two live art organisations.
Cerberus’ performance was designed specifically for the grounds of the Peoples Museum Limerick. In Dealing with Baggage Cerberus aimed to build tension and confront the audience
performer dynamic by reversing roles. The audience were asked to situate themselves in the garden area, and look outwards from the centre. Cerberus positioned themselves on the outside of this
space, along the pathways that flank the edges of the garden. One artist was on guard throughout, patrolling around the edge of the garden, looking in at the audience- reflecting back their gaze. Cerberus, the three headed dog always had one head on guard, watching, waiting. This allowed the other heads to sleep, until it was again their turn to go on guard.
In performances we play with the notion of 3 entities, who work separately but also come together, as Cerberus operated in its role as gatekeeper and protector. Our identically designed uniformed suits act indicate our sameness but the differing colours are emblematic of our differences. We take advantage of our 3 entities to create multiple focal points for the audience- using colour and gesture to create physical contrasts and at other stages physical support for each other as a unit.
Dealing with Baggage was an exploration of that which we carry within us, and how we choose to manage this baggage.

H(u)RT

Town Hall Studio Galway City Friday 28th of February 2025 7pm – part of M.Fest

Cerberus proposes to make a live performance around the theme of women’s health, specifically focusing on the paused nationwide roll out of HRT medication which was due to commence in January 2025 and has now been postponed indefinitely.  
Menopause has only literally only become a generalised topic in the last number of years and this whole festival is about bringing this to the forefront. The delaying of the HRT scheme has massive implications to thousands of this country’s citizens and  implications of this will be wide and far-reaching. 

As three artists in mid-life who have managed parenthood, fertility and menopause between them we have a rich collective experience which we will draw upon to interrogate the notion of wellness and what wellness as a concept means. Our bodies are rich wells of pain and joy and also treachery, changing and not always performing the way we want them to. Our live performance will also address how as a collective we are all mothers but we do not all identify as she/her, and through our work we seek to allow our collective strength, fierceness and rage to be seen, as we seek to show that the female body comes in different sizes, genders and ages and all are worthy of being seen. Our fury at the governments inept handling of the HRT scheme will be the main focal point of the performance. 

Why is this work/event needed now?

The fact that women’s health issues are still called women’s health’ when we make up over 50% of the worlds population is proof of why it’s needed. The delay of the HRT scheme will be impacting people from now and onwards which makes this work extremely pertinent and relevant on an economic, social and cultural level. 

III Cerberus Rising

15 minute live art film made on the canals of Venice December 2024

This piece was defined by the constraints of time, space and movement in a gondola in Venice in December 2024. Considering what actions could and could not be achieved came to define the work. Being on water, traveling, neither starting nor finishing, but en route- was integral to the theme of the piece as it represents out journey as individual artists and our future as a performance unit of 3- hence the title Cerberus Rising. Incorporating stillness and utilising the elements of 3 entities becoming one, through colour and gesture, we traversed the canals, our environment changing as we travelled through the city- our 3 headed silhouette staying essentially the same.
Our closeness as a unit in the gondola indicates both the challenges and advantages of working together as three- just as three headed Cerberus had no choice but to occupy the one body.

II / Cerberus on guard

performance to camera November 2024 at Live Art Ireland Tipperary Ireland

I / Cerberus I

Cerberus I, stills from live performance, part of Bealtaine, Live Art Ireland, May 2024.
Photo credit: Paul Regan