Entertainment
Fine production of dated melodrama
REVIEW – The Colleen Bawn – Druid Theatre
Stage Irishry is to the fore again in Druid’s latest production, Dion Boucicault’s The Colleen Bawn, directed by Garry Hynes which opened on Tuesday night in the city’s Black Box Theatre.
The play, which got its first outing on Broadway in 1860, before going on to become the toast of London in the winter of that year, and later wowed Dublin, is based on a true and tragic story from Limerick in 1819, in which a young woman was murdered on her husband’s instructions. But Boucicault’s The Colleen Bawn, being a melodrama, has a happy ending, despite a few darker moments.
There’s love between members of different social classes and the problems that brings, confusion as to who is having an affair with whom, issues of money, social status, murder and an abundance of cute Irish hoors.
That this play provoked such hilarity in Victorian London and Dublin less than 13 years after the tragedy of the Great Irish Famine speaks volumes about that particular era. From that point of view, it’s an interesting piece of dramatic history.
But remove it from that context to today’s setting and it’s a pretty fluffy piece of work, for all its enjoyable linguistic gymnastics.
The landed Hardress Cregan (Marty Rea) is in a dilemma, having secretly married a peasant Irish girl, the eponymous Colleen Bawn (Kelly McAuley), an impetuous act which has put his family fortune in jeopardy. Marriage to his wealthy cousin Anne Chute would offer an ideal solution – but she doesn’t know he already has a wife. Besides, her heart belongs elsewhere.
An answer to Hardress’s dilemma is offered by his loyal manservant Danny Mann – played by Aaron Monaghan, who seems destined to be cast as Druid’s resident cripple. Throw in Hardress’s protective mammy, an archetypical Irish priest, an old crone and a few more stock characters for good measure and there’s room for lots of confusion and laughter, as well as one shocked intake of breath.
Druid’s production is terrific with fine performances from its ensemble cast, some of whom double up in roles. Aisling O’Sullivan as Anne Chute, after a rather low-key entrance, is especially good. She huffs and puffs around the stage as the wronged woman and her linguistic acrobatics are fantastic.
Rory Nolan as Myles-na-Coppaleen, the roguish poacher and poitín maker, who turns out to possess both integrity and intelligence, also turns in a fine and funny performance, as does Maeliosa Stafford as the sleeven land agent, Mr Corrigan.
Francis O’Connor’s modernist set, Ben Ormerod’s intense lighting and an ensemble performing live music add to the experience.
But these lavish production elements – with bells, whistles and shillelaghs – only serve to highlight the fact that this play is one step up from pantomime; if someone had shouted out ‘he’s behind you!’ at certain points, it would have come as no surprise.
There’s no question but this is a fine production. The more salient question is why such energy and resources went into staging this particular drana at a time when theatre could play a more useful and unique role by dramatically – even melodramatically – addressing issues facing contemporary Irish society.
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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