Entertainment
Dance classic kicks off week of fun, frolics and high art
Judy Murphy looks at the delights in prospect at the 36th Galway Arts Festival
Free street shows, new drama, major artwork, a dance show and a concert performance of of a new home-produced opera form the backbone of this year’s Galway Arts Festival, which runs from July 15-28.
The programme kicks off on July 15 at the Black Box Theatre when choreographer Michael Keegan-Dolan of Fabulous Beast Dance Company re-imagines his version of Igor Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring. Keegan-Dolan’s previous production of this ground-breaking ballet was nominated for an Olivier award in 2009 when it premiered in London’s Coliseum. It’s 100 years this year since Stravinsky’s ballet premiered to great controversy in Paris and this new version draws on the same ancient savage forces. For the Arts Festival, the piece is partnered with the brighter work, Petrushka. This dance show runs until July 20 at the Black Box Theatre with tickets costing €20-27.
The award-winning Mies Julie from South Africa’s Baxter Theatre Company in association with the South African State Theatre, which received five-star reviews when it played last year’s Edinburgh Theatre Festival, will receive its Irish premiere at the Arts Festival. Based on the play by August Strindberg it is directed by Yael Farber who previously visited Galway in 2008 with the drama Malora, based on South Africa’s Peace and Reconciliation Commission. That previous association proved vital in getting the play to Galway in the face of fierce international competition, according to the Festival’s Artistic Director, Paul Fahy. It has also been staged in London and New York.
Mies Julie has been given a new interpretation in post-apartheid South Africa to explore tensions between race, class, gender and the issue of land ownership. Described by The New York Times as ‘stunning’ it is a highly charged work with sexual scenes, and is billed by the Festival as being suitable for those aged 16 and over. It’s at the Town Hall Theatre from July 22-28, and tickets are €20-29.
Chicago’s Northlight Theatre Company, which enjoyed huge success at last year’s Arts Festival with The Outgoing Tide, featuring John Mahoney and Rondi Reed, returns this year with a new work. Stella and Lou is also written by Bruce Graham and is set in a Philadelphia bar where three kindred spirits find themselves on the brink of change. According to Paul, it’s a funny and poignant play that, like the Outgoing Tide, explores human relationships and the issues that drive people.
Actress Olwen Foeure, who features in Fabulous Beast’s dance show, is also bringing her new show to the Festival. Riverrun takes its inspiration from Finnegans Wake and is performed by Foeure, who co-directs. It’s at Druid Theatre from July 22 -27 with previews from July 18. Tickets are €20-25.
Star of Love/Hate Tom Vaughan Lawlor takes on the roles of Howie and Rookie in Mark O’Rowe’s play, Howie the Rookie. This is not a new play, but it has been re-imagined by the playwright, who also directs, for a single actor rather than being a two-hander. It’s in An Taibhdhearc from July 22-27. An Taibhdhearc will also present its own in-house production of An Tíornálach Drogallach – a translation of Tom Murphy’s play, The Last Days of a Reluctant Tyrant – directed by Anne McCabe and translated by Macdara Ó Fatharta. Based on a 19th century Russian novel, it’s the story of a matriarch consumed by greed, who first prospers and then fails terribly. As her circumstances change she becomes dependent on her favourite son for charity, but it doesn’t end well. This exploration of boom, bust, greed and immorality was first staged in English on the Abbey Theatre stage.
Local theatre is also represented by Blue Teapot with Sanctuary, a bittersweet comedy by Christian O’Reilly that explores issues around sex and disability. Blue Teapot was nominated for an Irish Times Theatre award last year on foot of this production, which is at the company’s venue on Sea Road from July 17-27.
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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