Artbeat 25/11/09

Sadhbh Murphy spoke with Tim Casey, the director and star of Blank Canvas’s production of Richard II by Shakespeare. This will be commencing in the Smock Alley Theatre on Essex Quay, next Tuesday December 1st until the 8th. Tim spoke about his theatre company Blank Canvas, the challenges of producing such a complex play and the genius of Shakespeare. He also dispelled any recent myths that Shakespeare did not write his own work!

For details on booking go to www.ticket.ie.

Music Network recently announced the release of ‘3’, the début CD from the Donegal fiddle trio, Fidil. Described as, “Stunning” (Rod Stradling) and “Mind-blowing” (allcelticmusic.com), the award winning trio are three of Donegal’s finest young musicians. Just about to embark on a short nationwide tour, Des FitzGerald talked tonight to trio member Ciarán Ó Maonaigh, en route to Kerry for the opening gig.

Fidil

This edition of Artbeat is now available as a podcast. Click here (and the programme will open in a popup window) or subscribe through iTunes using this url.

Artbeat 11/11/09

On this week’s show, Sadhbh spoke to Alan Stanford, director of A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen, which is in the Helix Theatre until November 27th. Alan told her about his new version of this famous play, bringing it out of the 19th century and setting it in the 1930’s. He spoke about the deep controversy the play caused in Norway upon its opening in 1880, due to its “feminist” nature. Interestingly, many themes in this play are still not far from the truth today. The play is produced by Second Age Theatre and has an excellent Irish cast.

For more information on A Doll’s House and booking a ticket, visit http://www.thehelix.ie/2009_Q4/SecondAge.htm

There was more theatre this week when Annick spoke with Jim Culleton, director of the brand new play ’Strandline’ in the Project Arts Centre in Temple Bar. The production company, Fishamble, is the same company behind the hugely popular recent Dublin play Pride of Parnell Street. This is another great production being staged in the Project until December 5th. It is both a comedy and a drama and it was written by Abbie Spallen, recent winner of the Steward Parker Trust Award.

For more information on the play, go to: http://www.projectartscentre.ie/programme/whats-on/752-strandline

Artbeat 04/11/09

Sadhbh interviewed Mr. Pip Utton, the creator and writer of Adolf which is on in the Tivoli Theatre and is directed by Guy Masterson. This one man show performed by Mr. Utton is a study not just on the psyche of Hitler and fascism, but it also brings a strong message to the audience about the state of our world today. This world is still full of “mini Hitlers” in various countries who cause ethnic cleansing and inhumanity, for political and financial gain. Adoft is showing in the Tivoli Theatre until November 14th and has already been performed in about 18 countries worldwide.

 

She also spoke with Chris Judge, the promotions officer of the Illustrators Guild of Ireland, about the Guild’s new group exhibition. This opened last night in the Solas Bar on Camden St and is running until Saturday. It features prints of thirty of it’s members over the last year. Its part of ‘Offset 2009‘, an international creative festival which is on in Dublin this week, culminating in a three day conference in Liberty Hall.

 

llustrators Guild of Ireland's poster from new group exhibition

Artbeat 28/10/09

On tonight’s Artbeat, Des spoke to photographer Simon Burch. Simon’s exhibition ‘Under A Grey Sky‘ is currently showing at the Gallery of Photography. It explores the landscape of the Irish Midlands, described by the gallery as “the most intensively industrialised landscape in the country”. It’s a landscape that many pass through on their way to a more picture postcard Ireland, but has provided Simon with many haunting images taken over the last four years.

A podcast of the interview with Simon Burch (recorded at the Gallery of Photography) is available here.

All images © Simon Burch

Annick spoke with Eimear Chaomhánach Cultural Development Executive of the Temple Bar Cultural Trust about the Temple Bar Chocolate festival running this weekend (Friday 30th November to Sunday 1st November) in various locations around Temple Bar. From chocolate demonstrations to colouring competitions- experts will be on hand to illuminate the myths and mysteries surrounding chocolate as well as reveal how chocolate can be used in face masks to medicine!

Various bars and restaurants are offering chocolate themed food and drinks and there will be entertainment in the form of live bands and screenings of the magical original version of “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory”. Look out for the chocolate themed symbols around Temple Bar denoting participation venues.

For more information log onto www.templebar.ie

Artbeat 14/10/09

Annick interviewed Paul Maloney, press officer for Dublin Viking
Festival. The Dublin Viking Festival takes place at the Amphitheatre,
Wood Quay and Essex Street West from Friday the 16th October until
Sunday 18th October 2009. The Vikings were the first settlers at
Dublin and old reminants of their settlement have been found at Wood
Quay in Dublin City Centre on the site of Dublin City Council’s civic
offices. An action packed weekend filled with recreations of viking
battles, viking music & art.There will be tours of Dublinia, Viking
splash tours, walking tours of vikig settlements along with an open
air screening of Beowolf at Meeting House Square. There will be also
be a food and craft market and Norwegian Mandala on display. The
entire event is free. Anyone looking for more information can find it
at www.dublinvikingfestival.ie

Meanwhile Sadhbh interviewed the artist Helen McNulty about her new solo painting exhibition ‘Cloud Burst’ in the Crow Gallery, Crow Street, Templebar. This exhibition was inspired by her arrival to Dublin in Summer 2007 amidst 61 days of continuous rain! She imaginatively used a blend of oil and wax on canvas to capture the affect that the rain had on the city those months. Helen is also a performance artist and more information on her can be found at www.helenmcnulty.com.  

Helen was also promoting the new Core Dublin play by Euripides ‘ The Trojan Women’, which is currently on in Smock Alley Theatre Studio until October 17th. It’s directed by Rodrigo Rodriguez and Alan King and stars Gerard Byrne as Poseidon (Malachy” from Fair City.) For more information go to www.thecoredublin.tk.

Another play to see:

SETANTA MURPHY by Garrett Keogh
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Setanta Murphy is a young man with a lot of time on is hands. Paddy is
his grand-uncle, a cantankerous 90-year-old with a razor-sharp tongue
who spends his days around town and his nights at the dog track. When
Paddy gets sick, they are thrown into the messy world of public
hospitals until Paddy finds himself in a nursing home, plotting his
escape. The touching and funny story of a relationship between an old
man and his nephew as they attempt to navigate their way through ups,
and downs, of the Irish health system.

www.thenewtheatre.com

Contact Information:
phone:(01) 6703361
email: info@thenewtheatre.com

 

Artbeat 07/10/09

Annick O’Brien spoke to Nathalie Weadick, director of the Irish Architecture Foundation, ahead of Open House Dublin 2009. This gives the public an unmissable chance to explore some fascinating buildings in and around the city. Full details here.

Des FitzGerald talked to award winning jazz singer Christine Tobin. Christine’s based in London but back in Ireland for a nationwide tour. She reaches the Mermaid Arts Centre in Bray on Thursday 8th with the tour closing in J.J. Smyth’s on Aungier St this Sunday. Have a look at Christine Tobin’s Myspace page to hear some of this fantastic artist.

Artbeat 30/09/09

The continuing perilous state of Ireland’s finances coupled with the suggested arts funding cuts as outlined in the McCarthy Report, has galvanised the arts community into action. A week ago today, a new initiative – The National Campaign for the Arts – was launched. One of those involved is Gerry Godley, director of the Improvised Music Company, who spoke to Des FitzGerald about the aims of the campaign.

Podcast of this interview available here.

Further information about the campaign:

Blog: http://nationalcampaignforthearts.wordpress.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/Campaign4Arts

Pictured at the launch of The National Campaign For The Arts at The Ark, A Cultural Centre for Children on 23 September 2009 were Don Wycherley, Una Kavanagh, Damian Dempsey and Garrett Phelan. The Campaign highlights the value of the arts to Ireland's economic recovery, among other things the retention of the Irish Film Board and Culture Ireland. Photograph: Aidan Crawley

Artbeat 09/09/09

A new exhibition at the Project Arts Centre by Seamus Nolan looks at the 10 year struggle between a small community in the West of Ireland and the multinational consortium developing their plan to bring to market the valuable gas deposit of the Corrib gas field. Earlier today Des FitzGerald paid a visit to the Project Arts Centre to talk to the artist.

A  full version of the interview is now available as a podcast. If you’d like to subscribe through iTunes, just go to the iTunes site and type in Artbeat.

Corrib Gas Project Arts Centre

Artbeat 29/07/09

On this week’s show, Sadhbh spoke with Wonderland Productions artistic director Alice Coughlan, who is a friend of Artbeat at this stage!

She has directed their latest critically acclaimed show based on Brendan Behan’s The Hostage, a tragi-comedy set in a Dublin brothel in 1960, where the IRA hold a Brish soldier captive. We spoke about the challenges of rehearsing and performing at the show’s intimate and historically signficant location – the old Georgian building of Pearse’s birthplace, 27 Pearse St. Alice also told me all about her great cast and the music composer of the play’s rebel songs. The performance runs until August 16th and more information can be found on www.wonderlandtheatre.com.

This show is highly recommended by the Artbeat team and tickets should be bought in advance as it’s booking out fast. Call the Central Ticket Bureau on 0818 205 205 or go to www.ctb.ie or book in person in the Dublin Tourist Office in Suffolk St.

Artbeat 15 July: No Artbeat this week

Artbeat stepped aside yesterday for live GAA coverage. We’re back, revived and refreshed, next Wednesday. If you’re looking for something to listen to, why not check out some of our audio content online.

If you’re looking for music this weekend, you could do a lot worse that checking out the Mail Order Messiahs. They play Whelan’s this Sunday night. Disclosure: Des is friendly with one of the duo.