Tag Archives: Theatre

Culture Night 2009: Cork – Listings

  By Will | September 23, 2009 – 9:00 am | Events, Gigs, Music, The Arts, The Culch, Theatre, Tourism
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When a City decides to have a culture night from 9am until 1am the following morning, there are a lot of events to list. Over fifty organisations and one hundred and fifty events. This is the official released (and incomplete, for example the boat tours and tours of boats are missing) list of event for the Cork night on September 25 2009, and you can expect a few more unofficial ones to take place too. A printable brochure is also available. Special secret tours will also take place where the host of the tour will remain a secret until the night itself. Pre-booking of all tours is essential. Tel: 021 4924333 Email: [email protected] Tours and Demonstrations The Masonic Hall The Masonic Hall at 27 Tuckey Street has been the home of Freemasonry in Cork since 1845. A guided tour of the building outlining the history of Freemasonry and showing historic … There’s more →

Absolut Fringe review: Group Therapy for One

  By Steph | September 18, 2009 – 1:59 pm | Featured Post, The Arts, The Culch, Theatre
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Last evening I saw one of the most interesting shows I’ve seen at Absolut Fringe thus far. It’s Group Therapy for One by a young and exciting theatre company called TheatreClub. “Shane’s a bit fucked up. He wants us all to go to his gaff, where he’s holding an inquest into his life. With the bravado of his father and the softness of his mother, he will tell you things he doesn’t want you to know. Some say he’s comedy gold. Other’s think he’s self-indulgent. Why don’t you decide? If you’re lucky, he might even invite you to his 21st!” So we meet as directed on O’Connell Bridge where we’re then taken by bus to Shane’s house by a few of his friends, including the director of the show. We’re given an introduction to who Shane is, or rather the good side and attributes of Shane as a counter-balance to … There’s more →

Sebastian Barry talks about Tales of Ballycumber, coming to the Abbey Theatre

  By darraghdoyle | September 16, 2009 – 1:00 pm | The Arts, The Culch, Theatre
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‘Here, now listen, I’ll tell you a tale…’ The next major play to hit the Abbey Stage, from Wednesday 30 September, is Sebastian Barry’s Tales of Ballycumber. (Darren has already given tickets away.) This play, a world premiere by the twice Booker-nominated author of The Secret Scripture (the Hughes & Hughes Irish Novel of the Year 2009 and winner of the 2008 Costa Book of the Year Award) is part of this year’s Ulster Bank Dublin Theatre Festival. Featuring Aaron Monaghan, Derbhle Crotty, Dessie Gallagher and Stephen Rea and directed by David Leveaux, the play – “stirring the ghosts of a past fraught with sorry, isolation and emptiness” – is in previews 30 September and Thursday 1, Friday 2, Saturday 3, Monday 5 and Tuesday 6 October and then runs from the 7 to Saturday 7 November. Ticket prices for previews from €18 and for the evening shows from €25. … There’s more →

Absolut Fringe Festival: Where Did It All Go Right?

  By Niamh | September 16, 2009 – 11:47 am | Comedy, Performance Art, The Culch, Theatre
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The wonderfully glam Pantibar played host last night to a Fringe show from the Ponydance theatre group, ‘Where Did It All Go Right?’ Since it was all very last minute, I didn’t even get to find out what it was all about beforehand-sometimes it’s best that way though, no expectations usually make for an even better experience The official blurb (had I had time to read it) told me this: “Four people in a bar, trying to get out of it. Each one as familiar as they are strange. Nearly outrageous, mostly clever and always inventive, the ever-industrious ponydance, champions of comedy dance theatre and all things brilliantly average, serve up their latest and tastiest hearty lumpy mix of humour, honesty, careening and cavorting. A confection of moves and movement to a soundtrack of garish music and nervous tension. Four outstanding performers dance their way into hearts, minds and underwear. … There’s more →

Absolut Fringe Festival: The Legend of Zocorro review

  By Niamh | September 15, 2009 – 3:20 pm | The Culch
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Last night saw me venture to the intimate surrounds of Bewleys Café Theatre on Grafton Street to see ‘The Legend of Zocorro’. The official blurb told me this: “Quixotic Zocorro, storms into Ireland charged with a high dose of testosterone, to take on the giants of child minding, hospital administration, Ryanair and the kingdom of Kerry. “She was always a good girl with a strong back and sturdy hips”, says Zocorro’s mother. Warning: Strong language and adult content. Irish Finalist and Edinburgh Semi-Finalist in the 2007 “So You Think You’re Funny?” Channel 4 competition. Best Actress Nominee Dublin Fringe 2002.” So not much really!

The rest of ABSOLUT FRINGE – it’s not too late to see great shows!

  By darraghdoyle | September 13, 2009 – 4:50 pm | Comedy, Events, Performance Art, Photography, The Arts, The Culch
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We’re in the second week of the ABSOLUT FRINGE Festival and there’s still loads to go, see and experience. Here’s a few of what I’d recommend (and will be going to see). Go on, have a look below. You might enjoy it!

Point Blank at Absolut Fringe 2009

  By Steph | September 6, 2009 – 11:52 pm | Featured Post, The Arts, Theatre
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Fascinatng, disturbing, engaging, thought-provoking and encouraging. These are some of the words I would use to describe my first Absolut Fringe Festival 2009 experience – Point Blank at the Project Arts Centre. Upon finishing high school, Nada is faced with the challenge of deciding what she wants to do with her life. Despite the expectations of her peers, Nada doesn’t want to go to university. She finds the notion that she is expected to know what she wants to with her life at such a young age absurd and thus decides to leave home and head into the unknown to figure out her path. She takes her camera (which has a powerful zoom lens) with her and begins to secretly photograph people from a distance observing the lives of others in an attempt to decide what kind of life she wants to lead. From her travels she has so far collected … There’s more →

Devious Theatre want you!

  By Niamh | August 28, 2009 – 12:09 pm | The Arts, The Culch, Theatre
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Recently I posted about Devious Theatre Company in Kilkenny having announced their new Dario Fo season. The lads are now looking for a team of people to help them in the creation of both Accidental Death of an Anarchist and Can’t Pay? Won’t Pay! Actors, Directors, Technicians, Designers are all needed for both productions. Having seen their recent production of Willie Russell’s Stags and Hens, I can assure anyone thinking of joining the Devious folks that they work hard to produce theatre of the highest quality – and they are all lovely too Tomorrow the Devious Theatre crew are hoping to hold open auditions for actors. To find out where and when please email [email protected] and you can read more about the two productions first here.

Blown away by the Ulster Bank Dublin Theatre Festival 2009

  By darraghdoyle | August 26, 2009 – 2:48 pm | Events, Performance Art, The Culch, Theatre
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If I didn’t have to work (and I do), I’d take September 24 to October 11 off this year and indulge in some world class theatre and events happening around the Ulster Bank Dublin Theatre Festival. Coincidentally around the same time as Arthurs Day and beginning not long after Dublin Fringe ends, the city is going to be awash with creativity. I picked up the brochure as soon as it came out and have been marking carefully what I’ll be going to, what I’d love to see and some of the brilliant events that are on. (Please note, I’ve had no contact with the Theatre Festival around the writing of this post – they haven’t suggested or requested it and nor did I – I’m just genuinely enthused by the line-up, and love telling people about this sort of stuff. It’s what I do.) So read on for some of … There’s more →

Edinburgh Fringe Reviews Week 1 Part 2

  By ekilko | August 14, 2009 – 4:48 pm | Comedy, Comics, Featured Post, The Arts, The Culch, Theatre
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In this blog I will be looking at Seawall, Luck, Foil Arms and Hog, Stefan Goalaszewiski, Des Bishop, Rich Hall, Sammy J and Les Infant Terrible. Two pieces of advice for anyone coming over – bring a jacket and book your shows as things are selling out! Also the awards have started. The Trav have one 4 so far including a fringe first for Orphans and Internal. This weekend some of the shows leave and new ones arrive which means the turnaround rhythm that we had will be disrupted! Seawall is a thirty minute show at the traverse that will enthrall. I had seen Simon Stephens’ work last year and clearly he has skill with the monologue, a kin to McPherson. Irishman, Andrew Scott performs this one man piece about his relationship with his father in law, his family and god. Scott has you hanging on his words only to … There’s more →

A magic evening at the launch of the Absolut Fringe Festival

  By darraghdoyle | August 13, 2009 – 7:47 pm | Events, Gigs, Music, Performance Art, The Arts, The Culch, Theatre
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We went to the launch of the Absolut Fringe Festival 2009 last night (though its official name is Absolut Fringe), we being meself, Anto, Steph and the wonderful Jack Wise, just to add that bit of magic. Held in the Twisted Pepper, the evening was one that was random, to say the least. Let me show you who set the evening off – The Blanch – starring Bryan Burroughs, Jaimie Carswell and Amy Conroy which is a ‘grotesque comedy about shopping’. Moving on, Róise Goan, Fringe Director spoke, as did representatives from Absolut and the Arts Council, about how, despite the difficulties in funding, there’s immense hope, creativity, enthusiasm, affection and warmth behind the goings on at Fringe. After the applause, I grabbed Róise for a talk and then we went for a wander to see who we could meet, chat and do a bit of magic with… On the videos … There’s more →

Winners, Lovers, Grievance and youth

  By Will | August 8, 2009 – 6:19 pm | Competitions, Featured Post, The Arts, The Culch, Theatre
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Blackthorn Theatre Group are embarking on their third professional production. Which doesn’t sound impressive until you realise that most of the group are under eighteen. I spoke with Luke Field, one of the founder members about their forthcoming productions of Brian Friel’s “Lovers:Winners” and “Grievance” by Steven Lynch. Sorry for asking this, but how old are you? I’m 18, for another little while anyway. That puts me pretty much just about on the “elder lemon” side of the company’s average age. Given your ages, how do you get people to let you have a venue to put on a show or even rehearse? Well, we’ve been running this company for well over a year now and it still amazes me how accommodating people can be. We have a wonderful performance venue in the Cork Arts Theatre, whose staff members have been very supportive of Blackthorn since the company was founded … There’s more →

Dario Fo and Devious Theatre Company

  By Niamh | August 8, 2009 – 2:21 pm | The Arts, The Culch, Theatre
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The prolific Devious Theatre Company announced yesterday that they will be doing yet another production before the end of the year, and this less than two weeks after the end of their last production, a very successful and enjoyable run of Willy Russell’s Stags and Hens. The ever more ambitious guys and gals have decided to do not just a play, but a season of plays by author, Dario Fo. Dario Fo is an italian Nobel prize-winning playwright, satirist, director, actor and composer. A very accomplished fellow to say the least. And now the lads at Devious Theatre will perform two of his plays, the first in December 2009 and the second in early 2010. First up is ‘Accidental Death of an Anarchist’- after the apparent suicide of an anarchist from a fourth floor police HQ window, the policemen involved are having difficulties remembering the details of the event. That … There’s more →

Be part of one of the theatre shows in this year’s FRINGE Festival

  By darraghdoyle | August 5, 2009 – 11:04 am | Events, Performance Art, The Arts, The Culch
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This year’s Dublin Fringe Festival is on September 5 to 20. The full programme is to be launched soon but there’s something you could be involved in, if you have the time and enthusiasm for it. Working with one of Argentina’s most innovative directors, you could be part of one of the most exciting shows at FRINGE. We are looking for people aged anywhere between 10 and 100 to take part in a theatre production – a world premiere by renowned theatre and film-maker Gerardo Naumann – at the Project Arts Centre as part of the 2009 ABSOLUT FRINGE. When do I need to be available? You’ll need to be available from August 29 to September 4 during the day for rehearsals and from September 5 to 9 during the evenings for the show. Do I need to be an actor? No! All we need is your availability and enthusiasm … There’s more →

The Rivals at the Abbey Theatre. Review and competition.

  By darraghdoyle | August 4, 2009 – 5:09 pm | Competitions, Featured Post, Site News, The Arts, Theatre
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“Another day, another play, another play, another day? Though set in the Georgian age, will it speak to a digital age? Can it hold the contemporary stage?” On Friday evening last I saw the latest play to grace the stage at the Abbey Theatre, Dublin. The Rivals by R.B. Sheridan is running until September 19. All I can say to start this post is go see it. Rather than a wordy review at the start, let me share with you what some of the people at the play thought when I spoke to them afterwards: Thanks to the Abbey, I have 3 pairs of tickets to give away to the performance on Friday 7 August at 19:30. Just leave a comment below to enter. I’d love people who haven’t been to the Abbey Theatre before or in ages to get them but if you’re creative in your comments, you never … There’s more →