Sunday, October 9, 2011

Siren Productions, 'The Lulu House': Art House Cinema


James Joyce House, Ulster Bank Dublin Theatre Festival
Sept 30-Oct 16

My review of Selina Cartmel’s The Lulu House coming up just as soon as my hair defines me like the ornament on the hood of a car ...

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Rough Magic, ‘Peer Gynt’: Daydreamer


O’Reilly Theatre, Ulster Bank Dublin Theatre Festival 2011
Sept 30-Oct 16


My review of Rough Magic’s Peer Gynt by Henrik Ibsen coming up just as soon as I lose my wife to an outhouse door ...

Saturday, October 1, 2011

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. 


Tuesday, September 27, 2011

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.

Saturday, September 24, 2011

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 ...

Friday, September 23, 2011

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 ...

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

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 ...

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Fringe Talk: Nick Lee

Nick Lee, author of 'Luca and the Sunshine'
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 SuiteThe Walworth Farce) was directing and John Cronin (The End of the RoadThe Sit) was performing. Lee talked to me about the play and the story of friendship, weather, and skype that brought it together.

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

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?