Entertainment
Rory takes on fresh challenge as lauded DruidMurphy returns
Arts Week with Judy Murphy – judymurphy@ctribune.ie
There are changes afoot when Druid Theatre returns to the Town Hall Theatre next week with its new version of Druid Murphy, which was the major theatrical event of 2012 in Ireland as well as being acclaimed in the UK and the United States when it was performed in both places.
Conversations on a Homecoming and A Whistle in the Dark are returning, while the third – and bleakest – of the three DruidMurphy plays, Famine, will not be performed. After Galway, the production will go on a nationwide tour.
Returning to the company for this tour is Dublin actor Rory Nolan, who he is taking on a new challenge this time out. Rory who played the taciturn, hard-drinking Junior in last year’s production of Conversations on a Homecoming, has changed roles and will now play the flashy auctioneer, Liam in the drama, which is set in a North Galway pub.
Liam was previously played by Aaron Monaghan, who was not available this time, so director Garry Hynes suggested that Rory should take on the part.
The “lazy actor” part of him would have been happy to return to Junior, but once the new challenge was put to him, he wasn’t going to pass it up, he says.
“What an honour to be able to play two roles in one of the great Irish plays – and to do that with Druid,” he says.
Recasting him as Liam and bringing in Stephen Jones to play Junior has changed the whole dynamic of the production, he says. Rory pauses when asked if it’s been difficult to change roles and having considered carefully, responds “yes and no, but more no than yes”.
This is a new production, he explains, and all the actors in the rehearsal room are exploring different aspects of their characters. That changes everything.
“We are starting to re-examine and re-explore the play and this is making it more fun and an adventure for me.”
Several of last year’s cast, including Marie Mullen, Marty Rea and Garret Lombard have returned to Conversations in their original roles, but the dynamic has changed, because of the different casting.
It’s no problem for Rory to watch Stephen taking on the role of Junior – it’s more difficult getting the character of Liam, played so brilliantly by Aaron Monaghan last year, out of his head.
“It’s about making the part my own and letting him live from within,” he says. That challenge is made easier because he and Aaron are very different vocally, while Rory is “a good half-foot taller” than his acting colleague and friend.
“As well, I’m going down routes trying to highlight things about Liam whereas Aaron might have highlighted other things – I’m trying to hear him with my voice.”
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
Folk duo Niall Teague and Pádraic Joyce are launching their new album What Will We Be, a blend of folk, Americana and acoustic music, this Friday, May 19, at 8pm in An Taibhdhearc.
The success of their well-received 2020 release Taobh le Taobh, as well as recent successes at the Pan Celtic and Oireachtas Song Contests, spurred the duo on to record this new album which represents many years of collaboration and musical development.
It features Niall and Pádraic on vocals, harmonies, and acoustic guitars, Maidhc Ó hÉanaigh on double bass and Neil Fitzgibbon on fiddle. The catchy title track, What Will We Be, features contributions from percussionist Jim Higgins (The Stunning, Christy Moore, Paul Brady) and haunting, driving melodies on vocals, guitar, and fiddle.
Themes of love and hope are woven through Come Away with Me which features interplay between piano and fiddle as well as rich vocal harmonies.
People, places, and broken dreams are celebrated and lamented on Martin and Tom, Guitar Gold, Memories of You and Achill Island. The influence of David Henry Thoreau’s novel Walden features on the tracks Simple and Wise and Walden, with the beauty of nature, escape and simple pleasures at their core.
The album moves from minimalistic folk ballads such as Galway Ghost to swirling, string-laden arrangements on the song Neptune, both of which are influenced by maritime tales from Galway. Much of the work on this album was supported by the Arts Council, including work with musical arranger Eoin Corcoran and the string ensemble Treo.
The album will be launched this Friday, May 19, at 8pm in an Taibhdhearc. Tickets €22, plus booking fee at Eventbrite.ie.
Dunmore is the place to be this weekend for lovers of traditional music, as the Galway County Fleadh will take place there from this Friday, May 19, to Sunday, May 23.
It is 10 years since Dunmore last hosted a fleadh and the local Comhaltas branch, which has re-formed since Covid, is looking forward to facilitating this gathering of music, song, dance and craic.
The official Opening Concert will take place in Dunmore Town Hall this Friday at 8pm with the acclaimed Mulcahy family from Limerick. Mick, Louise and Michelle are well known throughout the country, thanks to their live performances, television appearances and numerous CDs. They were the winners of the TG4 Gradam Ceoil Grúpa Ceoil Award for 2023. Tickets for their concert can be purchased on the door and a great night of music is promised.
Two days of competitions will kick off this Saturday at the town’s Community School, with more than 1,500 competitors taking part. Participants will be hoping to qualify for the Connacht Fleadh 2023, which will be held in Ballina, County Mayo, from June 23 to July 2.
Competitions for those aged Under 10, Under 12 and Under 15 will be held in a large variety of instruments on Saturday, as well as in singing and Comhrá Gaeilge. Sunday’s competitions will be for the Under 18 and Over 18 ages groups, as well as in dancing.
On both days a large entry is expected for Grúpaí Cheoil and Céilí Band competitions across all age groups.
Seventeen Comhaltas branches from across Galway will have participants in this weekend’s competitions, which will result in a large number of visitors to the Dunmore area.
Members of the public are welcome to attend the competitions, which offer a great opportunity to hear and see the talent on display. There will be sessions in local pubs over the weekend as well and everybody is welcome to attend these.
For more information on the County Fleadh, go to www.galwaycomhaltas.ie.
Music for Galway’s concert with renowned Swiss pianist Cédric Pescia which had been due to take place on April 27 but which had to be deferred, will now take place next Tuesday, May 23, at 8pm, in the Emily Anderson Concert Hall at the University of Galway.
This concert of German classics with Bach at its core, will brings the Bach element of Music for Galway’s 41st season to an end.
This world-class pianist who won the famous Gina Bachauer International Artists Piano Competition, has a repertoire that spans many eras from baroque to contemporary and he is widely known for his elaborate programmes. Cédric Pescia describes music as ‘language and movement at the same time’.
Audiences will have a chance to experience his soft, clear touch as he performs a programme for solo piano that will include classics such as Schumann’s popular Waldszenen (Forest Scenes), a suite of nine short pieces, and the penultimate of Beethoven’s piano sonatas, No. 31. These pieces will be interspersed with French Suites by Bach.
■ Ticket for Cédric Pescia’s concert are available at www.musicforgalway.ie, or by phone 091 705962 and on the door on the night. They cost €20/€18. The price for fulltime students of all ages is €6 while MfG Friends can avail of the friends’ rate of €16.
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