Entertainment
An Taibhdhearc to stage epic Murphy play for Arts Festival
Arts Week with Bernie Ni Fhlatharta
A powerful, epic drama written by Tom Murphy and translated into Irish for the Taibhdhearc stage will be accessible to everyone, including non-Irish speakers, thanks to the introduction of sur-titles in English in the newly refurbished theatre.
It is only the second time ever the play, The Last Days of a Reluctant Tyrant, will be staged and it’s the first time in Irish. An Tíoránach Drogallach has been translated by Macdara Ó Fatharta, of Ros na Run fame, who also acts in the play.
It is the story of a mother consumed by greed who loses her fortunes in the downturn and has to depend on the charity of her favourite son. Its director, Anne McCabe, describes it as a King Lear in reverse with a mother and three sons. The tragedy of the story, says Anne, is that the mother chooses the wrong son as her beneficiary.
There are family dynamics of greed, betrayal and hypocrisy, and Anne says it is a very appropriate play in the current economic climate.
Tuam-born playwright Tom Murphy wrote the drama, basing it on a Russian novel and when it was first staged (for the only time as yet) in Dublin in 2009, it starred Marie Mullen as the mother.
In the Abbey production it was presented a period costume drama, but for An Taibhdhearc, Anne has decided to strip back the stage to make it a stylised, timeless piece. And though obviously in a rural setting, there will be nothing to indicate where exactly or when the action takes place.
“Tom Murphy tends to be naturalist in the Irish way and though it’s based on a Russian novel from the 1880s, I wanted to make it less about the costumes and furniture and more about the big issues it raises. This is an epic, powerful drama dealing with darkness but with a few touches of comedy. There has to be when it’s about a servant and ruling class.
“My own interest in directing the play was because of its keen resonance of our time – property no longer makes us happy. Another reason I was attracted to it was because it’s an absolutely fantastic part for a woman. The mother here is played by Mairéad Ní Chonghaile and she is completely committed to her craft,” she said.
Anne is backed up by what she describes as “a fantastic cast”. There are 12 in all, half of them from TG4’s Ros na Rún, who have all worked with Anne.
“But this is different from directing in TV where it’s all about camera angles. I am enjoying spending so much time with the cast (a four-week rehearsal period) as it gives more time for character development.
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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