Entertainment
Derek’s a slow burner that just grows and grows
TV Watch with Dave O’Connell
Maybe Ricky Gervais was astute enough to know that his next comic creation had to be something other than a parody of himself – but he must have had a hard sell to convince Channel 4 that Derek was the way forward.
On any level, Derek shouldn’t be funny, and it’s not – at least not in the way that The Office or An Idiot Abroad was – but it touches a chord that makes you realise why Gervais says this is his favourite character yet.
Derek Noakes is what we might call a bit simple but he finds a job, a home – and effectively a family – in a nursing home where other birds with broken wings congregate so they can fly together.
The programme schedulers describe it as a bittersweet comedy and that’s what it is, because while there are laughs – and humour occasionally bordering on the distasteful – there is also a strong moral theme and a compassionate commentary on the lives of people who might live on the margins.
The scenario is simple – Derek Noakes works in the nursing home, where his fellow staff are led by Hannah, a woman who manages the centre with ability and empathy, both for her employees and her residents.
The workers are a disparate group; Vicky, a reformed wild child who found a vocation when she did her community service at the home; Dougie, a hapless handyman (Karl Pilkington from An Idiot Abroad), and Kev, a man for whom a can of beer is as vital as fresh air to everyone else.
They’re joined by ex-soldier Jeff, the new guy for this second series, and clearly this is a complex character who will unfold – or unravel – as the series goes on.
And the other new arrival into the nursing home is Derek’s hard-living, hard-swearing, hard-drinking Irish dad, Anthony (acclaimed actor Tony Rohr, who isn’t Irish at all).
It’s a fascinating dynamic between father and son, who were not so much estranged as living in parallel worlds – summed up by the fact that the only picture Anthony had of his son was one of him as a small boy.
The one recognisable characteristic between then and now is Derek’s hair, because he has what might be described as a sort of Sixties style – albeit it one that was only fashionable even then in places that time forgot – combed hard to the scalp and caked in grease.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Sentinel.
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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