Baboró’s feast of magic for children of all ages

Arts Week with Judy Murphy

Magical shows from Ireland, Holland, Sweden, Belgium, Austria, Denmark and the UK will be staged at this year’s Baboró International Festival for Children which kicks off next Monday, October 17.

Theatre, dance, music, puppetry, film, animation, exhibitions, talks and workshops will be staged in venues throughout Galway for the week-long Festival.

Local talent is to the fore, with shows including The Shape of Things by Branar for audiences aged six months to two years, to Alice Underground by Youth Ballet West, which is for all ages.

The diverse Baboró programme includes Dream City, a high-energy dance and live music show from Holland that’s suitable for adults and for children aged 8 and older. Featuring seven musicians and dancers, it’s presented by one of Europe’s most exciting young companies, De Dansers. With lots of colourful outfits and a rock band, this performance encourages people to “feel the mood, forget your fear, and then let go . . . together!” according to Baboró’s Artistic Director Aislinn Ó hEocha.  That 50-minute show is on next Thursday, October 20, at 7pm in the Black Box Theatre Tickets are €9 or €30 for a family (of four).

The Queen Has Vanished for ages 6+ from Belgian company Kopergietery is a striking tale dealing with the loss of a parent. With live music and beautiful live illustrations, it’s a show that offers hope when all seems lost.

The Queen Has Vanished is on Saturday, October 22, at 11am and 5pm, and on Sunday, October 23, at 12.30pm and 3.30pm in the Black Box Theatre. It’s 60 minutes in length and tickets are €9 / €30 for a family.

There’s no shortage of music in this year’s Baboró, and the The Gold Digger from Denmark’s Teatret Møllen has lots of toe-tapping tunes. Suitable for audiences aged 10+, this humorous story of setting up home in a foreign land is on Friday, October 21, at 5pm, on Saturday October 21, at 1pm and 4pm, and on Sunday, October 23, 11am in An Taibhdhearc. It costs €9 / €30 for a family ticket.

Festival favourites, Theatre Lovett, will be serving up songs, fun, and fright with their musical fable, A Feast of Bones featuring the gorgeous singing of Lisa Lambe, Louis Lovett’s comical blusters and a merry band. Based on a folk tale, there’s a serious message, but it’s delivered with humour and a light touch. At 60 minutes, this show is suitable for adults and children aged 9+. It’s on Saturday, October 2, at 11am and 1pm in the Town Hall Theatre, costing €9 / €30 family ticket.

Galway’s Moonfish Theatre will present Memory Paths / Bóithríní na Smaointe, a bilingual audio-visual show for two people at a time.  Using immersive soundscapes, specially crafted pop-up books, and collected mementos, the show invites people to explore the world of each character in a magical journey through time.   It’s on Saturday and Sunday October 22 and 23 from 12.30-5.30pm in Charlie Byrne’s Bookshop, with a new show beginning every 30 minutes. It’s suitable for ages 8+ and tickets are €6 per person or €10 for two people.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.