Broken Clay
Broken Clay
Are we molded or made? We look at the life of Camille Claudel, a French sculptor. Her life is constantly in the hands of others, the love of her life Rodin, and the clay from which she comes from her mother. Set within the confines of her studio, this is her voice finally at the forefront of her story, this is a love letter to the underrated woman and genius of her field. A burst of capturing her work as an artist and the tragedies in her life, featuring life sculpting, is a visually striking, bold new piece presented by Know Promises Theatre Collective.
Directed & Designed by Dylan Mc Gloin
Show concept, Idea by Nell Garcia
Performed by Nell Garcia & Kyle Conlon.
Supported by the Cairde Arts Festival, Factory Studio Space, Acroaer LTD and visual artists Andy Parson and Bettina Sykes.
Broken Clay will be first time presented this summer (in July) in Cairde Arts Festival 2025. Stage performance will take place in The Hawk's Well Theatre, Sligo, Ireland.
Inspiration
Camile Claudel: Une femme brisée
Inspired by Genius, Madness and Forgotten Legacy
"I have nothing but my soul to offer." — Camille Claudel
After 1905, Camille Claudel—once a rising star in the world of sculpture—began to unravel. Her life descended into isolation, marked by mental illness, artistic destruction, and a haunting paranoia. She claimed Auguste Rodin had stolen her ideas and orchestrated a conspiracy against her. Camille retreated into her studio, sculpting in near-total seclusion.
Her father, the only family member who supported her unconditionally, passed away in 1913. Camille was never informed. Eight days later, on the request of her Mother, she was institutionalized. She remained confined for 30 years—until her death—in obscurity and poverty, denied even the solace of her art.
A Story Reclaimed
A Story Reclaimed This production reclaims the brilliance of Camille Claudel—a woman whose genius was overshadowed, whose passion was punished, and whose sculptures whispered truths too bold for her time. Inspired by:
● "Une Femme" by Anne Delbée – a poetic and defiant tribute to Claudel’s inner world.
● The complete letters of Camille Claudel – unfiltered, intimate cries from a trapped soul.
● Bruno Nuytten’s film Camille Claudel – a searing cinematic portrait.
● Her sculptures – from Sakuntala to The Age of Maturity, many of which were destroyed by her own hands in acts of defiance or despair. Visual & Artistic Direction
Visual & Artistic
Direction
Our visual language is deeply influenced by the visceral, raw work of Olivier de Sagazan, whose live body-sculpture performances blur the line between creation and obliteration—echoing Claudel’s tragic impulse to destroy what she loved most.
Expect a stage filled with clay, shadow, and fragments—of memory, identity, and form. We sculpt not just her likeness but her rage, brilliance, and ultimate silence.
More Than a Biography
This is not just Camille’s story—it is every silenced artist’s scream. It is the cost of genius in a world that feared women who shaped stone and destiny.
People Involved
Director & Designer - Dylan McGloin
Show Concept - Nell Garcia
Stage Manager - Elen Gilmartin
Performers
Nell Garcia
Kyle Conlon
Supported by
The Cairde Arts Festival
Factory Studio Space
Acroaer LTD
visual artists Andy Parson & Bettina Sykes
