Today is the shortest day of the year. The winter solstice. The day that the pagan Vikings threw their almighty winter bash to lift their depleted spirits, during this grimmest time of the year. The time of year into which the Christians installed Christmas – to replace the winter solstice. After all when you are replacing one set of beliefs for another, you need to make damned sure you keep the fun parts of the old traditions, or your new superstitions won’t be greeted with open arms.

Seeing as the day today is so short I may as well make use of the candlelight to write another year end list. This time for your reading delectation – the list of theatrical extravaganzas I have attended, written or participated in this year.

Attended as an audience member:

1. ‘La Cage aux Folles’ – Bord Gais Energy Theatre, January. Drag queens and showtunes (See here. )
2. ‘From Eden’ – Powerscourt Town House, January. Mad Mary at lunchtime (See here.)
3. 14th International Dublin Gay Theatre Festival – May, the entire week two schedule.
   Week one will be described later. Week two included:
   – ‘Gypsy Queen’ and ‘Queers’, Players Theatre, May (See here.)
   – ‘Joto! Confessions of a Mexican Outcast’ and ‘Elephant Girls, Outhouse Theatre, May (See here.)
   – ‘Lines in the sand’ and ‘A peculiar arrangement’, Pearse Centre,  (See here).
   – The wondrous play ‘Spool’.  Teachers’Club
4. ‘Couples + Pairs, February, Theatre Upstairs (See here)
5. ‘Dublin by lamplight’, The Abbey Theatre, March – my very first time at the Abbey – see HERE.
6. ‘Redpill’, Theatre Upstairs, July. Clever one man show described here.
7. ‘Jimmy’s Hall, The Abbey Theatre, August -all about Leitrim and dancing – see here.
8. ‘Show me your everything’, International Bar, September. Very impressive. (See here.)
9. ‘Katie Roche’, The Abbey, September. A free play about the vileness of Ireland – part  of Culture Night – described here.
10. ‘King Lear’ – Shakespeare baby. Teachers’ Club, September. My account here.
11. ‘Drinking in America’, Dolans’ Upstairs, Limerick. Review here.
12. ‘This ain’t my desk’, Smock Alley Theatre, October. See here.
13. ‘Sacrament, Theatre Upstairs, November. One woman show – see here.
14. ‘Let the right one in’, The Abbey Theatre. Horror play, November. Review here.
15. A double headliner seen in the space of a couple of days in January. ‘Hero’ in Theatre Upstairs and ‘The Spinning Heart’ in Smock Alley. Read all about them here.
16.  Sunset Boulevard, Bord Gais Energy Theatre, December. I’m still big. It’s the pictures that got small.
17. Cabaret.
18. Let’s make a scene.
    
    Attended as a writer / actor:

1. ‘An unexpected party’ – 14th International Dublin Gay Theatre Festival, Teachers’ Club,  May 1st – May 6th. The first full length play I have written, which thanks to a casting malfunction required me to take the starring role. The pressure.  The glamour. The backstabbing rivalry. This took place in week 1 of the festival.

Dahling. Read all about this wild week of mayhem in a number of ways below:

Opening day
Closing day: (See here).

2. Staged reading of Harold Pinter – I played a serial killer – well of course. My memories here.

3. ‘Mother’s little treasure’ – so very, very common.

4. ‘Mother’s little holiday’ – desperate living altogether – the sequel.

5. Being butch.

And finally – my most controversial post of the year.

READ ALL ABOUT IT HERE

To the theatAH, DARLING!

*Hic*

(Falls over)