Saturday 13th September @ 12pm
LiY
– a work-in-progress showing for SFSH
LiY is much more than just a music band. It’s a project born from the convergence of three creative minds, joining forces to explore new artistic horizons.
In the midst of the pandemic, an unlikely virtual encounter laid the foundations for this extraordinary artistic collaboration. Despite geographical boundaries (Quebec City/Lower St. Lawrence, Montreal, and London) and a background focused on theater, Christian Lapointe, Laurence Dauphinais, and Simon Stephens* gave birth to LiY. The idea of forming a musical group was born from a simple conversation tinged with humor. When Simon, having met Laurence virtually, shared with Christian that she exuded the energy of a true rock star, the spark of creativity ignited the project.
LiY’s creative process is as unique as its members. Christian Lapointe, based in Quebec City/Bas du Fleuve, takes the lead by creating the instrumental at home. Once completed, he passes this musical foundation on to Simon Stephens, based in London, who then composes the lyrics. Finally, everything is passed on to Laurence Dauphinais in Montreal, the band’s lead singer, to bring the vocal melody to life.
LiY defines itself as epistolary music. Their collaborative and rigorous approach results in a unique fusion of musical composition, poetic lyrics, and vocal performance. The band draws its influences from a wide range of genres, from trip hop to electro clash, drawing inspiration from references such as Portishead, Austra, The Knife, Spiritualized, Brutal Truth, PJ Harvey, and Björk.
*Simon Stephens is one of the UK’s most prolific and celebrated playwrights. For more than 25 years Stephens’ work has been widely translated and produced throughout the world. He has won many Awards including Olivier and Tony Awards for new plays. His radical adaptation of Uncle Vanya, Vanya, starring Andrew Scott ran in London’s West End and at the Lucille Lortel , New York between Autumn 23 and Spring 25 and was screened to phenomenal success on NT Live and NT Home. His adaptation of Jose Saramago’s Blindness was made into a light and sound installation that was produced internationally during the Covid 19 pandemic. His most famous play is his adaptation of Mark Haddon’s best-selling novel, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. He has had thirty five original plays produced professionally.
Celebrating its landmark 10th anniversary edition this year, Sounds from a Safe Harbour (SFSH) inhabits Cork’s cultural spaces from 11–14 September 2025, bringing with it a bold and immersive programme of music, visual art, language, ritual, and conversation.
Curated by Festival Director Mary Hickson, alongside actor Cillian Murphy, Bryce Dessner (The National), writer Max Porter, and folklorist Billy MagFhloinn, SFSH continues to push the boundaries of what a contemporary arts festival can be, blending the epic and the intimate, the poetic and the political.
Tickets: €15
*Booking fees apply.