Ulster Bank Dublin Theatre Festival 2011 Watercooler

I noticed that in my Fringe coverage I was missing somewhere where people could discuss any aspect of the festival as opposed to just what I was writing about.

So here’s our festival watercooler. Take a break from your theatre-going and discuss in the comments section below what shows you’re planning on seeing and your experiences at this year's festival. 

Brokentalkers' Gary Keegan and Feidlim Cannon talk 'The Blue Boy'

Regular readers know how much a fan I am of Brokentalkers and how excited I am that The Blue Boy is right around the corner. I talked to Gary Keegan and Feidlim Cannon in The Lir last week and we discussed why these stories need to be told.

WillFredd Theatre, 'FOLLOW': Breadcrumbs

The Lir, ABSOLUT Fringe 2011

Sept 13-17

My review of Follow coming up just as soon as I see another seahorse ...

THISISPOPBABY, 'The Year of Magical Wanking': Wake Up Your Saints

Project Arts Centre, ABSOLUT Fringe 2011

Sept 10-17

I hope you took my advice to go see Neil Watkins’ The Year of Magical Wanking. My review coming up just as soon as my bear falls unconscious on the couch ...

THEATREclub, 'Twenty Ten': Youth Novels

Project Arts Centre, ABSOLUT Fringe 2011

Sept 10-15 (Omnibus on 17)

‘Spirit of the Fringe’-commissioned THEATREclub played the Fringe this year with Twenty Ten. Directors Grace Dyas and Doireann Coady told me the show was big. And that it was. My review coming up just as soon as I think Jim Dale should narrate all the audio books ...

donjuandemonaghan, ‘Luca & the Sunshine’: Why Does It Always Rain On Me?

Smock Alley Theatre, ABSOLUT Fringe 2011

Sept 14-18

I interviewed Nick Lee about his play Luca & the Sunshine and my gushing over the dream-team of him, Matt Torney and John Cronin. A few thoughts on the production coming up just as soon as I break this interrogatory proposal and put it back together piece by piece ...

Fringe Talk: Nick Lee

If you’re a geek like me, sometimes you can see a show in the listings that can excite you not only by the concept of the play but also by those involved in the production of it.Pineapple earlier this year is a good example, a show which starred amongst a terrific cast the charming Nick Lee. Delightfully surprised I was to hear that Lee had written a play in ABSOLUT Fringe – Luca and the Sunshine – and further thrilled was I to hear that Matt Torney (Plaza Suite, The Walworth Farce) was directing and John Cronin (The End of the Road, The Sit) was performing. Lee talked to me about the play and the story of friendship, weather, and skype that brought it together.

THISISPOPBABY, ‘The Year of Magical Wanking’

Project Arts Centre, ABSOLUT Fringe 2011

Sept 10-17

I’ve been telling people about how moved I was by Neil Watkins’ excellent show, which is a funny and dark allegory of destructive homosexual behaviour in Catholic Ireland. I’m finding a lot of the time though that people stop listening as soon as I mention the title, which is incredibly apt but proving to be a hard-sell.  

I’ve decided that I’m going to wait to see it again before finishing my post on it (which well may be the closing show on Saturday). In the meantime, I strongly recommend that you don’t miss it.

Armoured with poetic verse, Watkins brings the internalised homophobia of man, nation, and spirituality to its knees. And the price is devastating.

What does everybody else think of The Year of Magical Wanking?

Rough Magic SEEDS Showcase, ‘Jumping Off The Earth’: Sailors Fighting In The Dance Hall

Project Arts Centre, ABSOLUT Fringe 2011

Sept 10-17

I reviewed Jumping Off The Earth for Irish Theatre Magazine, which you can read here.

The show’s good fun and I’ll watch José Miguel Jiménez and Brian Bennett’s work for a long time, but I doubt this will gain the indie stardom that their As You Are Now So Once Were We did. JOTE lacks the charm, technique and companionship that made As You Are so watchable, and when it tried to force its sentimental side we could care less. Really interested in seeing all these performers in more projects though, and the idea of a Jiménez and Aedín Cosgrove collaboration will always excite me.

Really interesting in hearing what everybody else thought.

Melanie Wilson, ‘Autobiographer’: Remembrance

Smock Alley Theatre, ABSOLUT Fringe 2011

Sept 9-11

My thoughts on Autobiographer coming up just as soon as I sit next to you on the piano stool ...