Entertainment
Druid create magic with epic Shakespeare work
REVIEW BY JUDY MURPHY
English history and English wars are the subject matter of Richard II, Henry IV (Parts I and II) and Henry V, which have been abridged by Irish playwright Mark O’Rowe for Druid’s latest undertaking, Druid Shakespeare. These kingly names are not ones that trip lightly off Irish tongues – we know little about England’s history prior to the reign of the Tudors, at which point it becomes bitterly entwined with our own.
So at first, it might seem daunting for an audience to enter this messy world, which involves English monarchs constantly looking over their shoulders and trusting not even their closest family.
But, while this is English history, the characters and themes of these plays are universal and DruidShakespeare, directed by Garry Hynes, is a wonderful achievement – frequently dark and often hilarious.
It opens at breakneck speed as Richard II intervenes in a row between his kinsman, Henry of Bolingbroke, and Sir Thomas Mowbray. From the get-go there is skulduggery and deception and when Richard makes an ill-judged call to exile the pair, his fate is sealed.
The drama that unfolds over the first three plays is largely confined to England. Bolingbroke returns from exile and, with the backing of various noblemen, overthrows Richard who is off fighting a war in Ireland. Claiming the crown, Bolingbroke becomes Henry IV, and the following two plays, Henry IV Parts I and II, deal with his attempts to reign and retain power. All the time, he despairs over his son and heir Prince Hal, a drunkard and a wastrel who is given to mixing with London’s lowlife. But when a serious crisis strikes and Henry IV’s former allies attempt to seize the throne, Hal comes good. In the 1403 Battle of Shrewsbury, he kills his namesake, Harry Hotspur the Earl of Northumberland and the greatest threat to the Crown.
Hal goes on to become a force to be reckoned with, and in Henry V, this once errant prince succeeds in his bid to reclaim England’s lost territory in France at the 1415 Battle of Agincourt.
Mark O’Rowe’s adaptation of the four plays has cut out many extraneous characters and subplots, while remaining faithful to their essence and interlinking stories. It is a fair achievement and Druid has more than done justice to the script.
For more, read this week’s Galway City 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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