Entertainment
Double bill of Murphy at Druid
Playwright Tom Murphy joined the cast of Druid Theatre on Monday as rehearsals kicked off for the world premiere of his latest work, Brigit, which will open in Galway next month.
Brigit is a prequel to Tom’s 1985 masterpiece, Bailegangaire, and the two pieces are being staged as part of one major production.
Both will be directed by Druid’s Artistic Director Garry Hynes, who directed Bailegangaire first time out.
The central figure of Bailegangaire is Mommo, who tells over and over again a story she never finishes. It’s about the town of Bochtán and how it came to be known as Bailegangaire, or the town without laughter. Mary, Mommo’s granddaughter, looks after her, but is torn between staying and going. Mary’s sister, Dolly, counts down the days before her husband, Stephen, returns from England when she’s determined to be ready for him. The sisters’ relationship is not harmonious.
The original production of Bailegangaire featured Siobhán McKenna as Mommo, Marie Mullen as Mary and Mary McEvoy as Dolly. Marie Mullen is back this time when she takes on the enormous role of Mommo, while Aisling O’Sullivan plays Dolly and Catherine Walsh plays Mary.
For Brigit, Tom Murphy travels back in time 30 years to weave a new pattern from the lives of these three women. He also adds other memorable characters including Mommo’s husband Seamus (Bosco Hogan), grandchild Tom, the local curate, Fr Kilgariff (Marty Rea) and the Reverend Mother (Jane Brennan).
Mommo’s husband, Seamus, is an odd-job man with ‘a great pair of hands’. He is given ‘a commission’ by the church to carve a statue. His previous experience of working for the church was none too happy. However, he reluctantly accepts the commission and as he works on the statue, his obsession with it grows. This comes to involve his family, who are on the breadline – Mommo and the three grandchildren they have inherited.
For Tom Murphy, the “two plays belong together” and he is excited at the prospect of seeing what Druid will do with them. Garry Hynes agrees that they are companion pieces.
“I can think of no better circumstances in which to present the world premiere of Brigit than alongside a revival of Tom’s great play, Bailegangaire,” she says.
Both Brigit and Bailegangaire will be staged at Galway’s Town Hall Theatre from September 9-21, with the world premiere of Brigit and the opening night of Bailegangaire in a double bill on Sunday, September 14.
Brigit will preview at the Town Hall on September 9 and 19 and Bailegangaire will preview on September 11 and 12, both at 8pm.
The two will preview together on September 13 at 6.30pm, before the official opening on September 14.
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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