Yesterday evening, for the 2nd time this week I attended the theatre. For my delectation on this occasion, was ‘Fast Forward’ by Firedoor Theatre. Written by Jason Coburn – who wrote last year’s ‘The Lover’s Guide to Losing your Mind’ – this play was inspired by the ideas of the Firedoor Theatre Devising Group. Continue reading ‘Fast Forward’
Category Archives: Dublin
Home for the holidays
The bank holiday weekend was the business. Continue reading Home for the holidays
In the lounge with Father John Misty
The concert was in Vicar Street – one of the world’s greatest performance venues, for an audience. It is relatively new, so lacks the smell of despair and stale vomit, that older venues can possess. It has a capacity of 1200 people which is ideal – large enough to feel like an event, yet compact enough that you are never too far from the stage, and you are guaranteed a good vantage point. Continue reading In the lounge with Father John Misty
Ireland says YES. Notes from the Castle
‘Aren’t you in Limerick though?’
Actually I wasn’t. While it is certainly true that I had been contemplating a trip home on Friday to cast a 2nd vote in the abortion referendum, I had ultimately decided that I would not do this. My respect for democracy and terror of ending up in the slammer for the crime of voting twice was too great. I had transferred my voting registration from Limerick to Dublin when I move back to Ireland after fifteen years in the Netherlands. Yet somehow a voting card had been sent to both places. Continue reading Ireland says YES. Notes from the Castle
The necessity of ‘Yes’
On this date three years ago I was home for a holiday in Ireland. I had come #HomeToVote in the same sex marriage referendum. I sprung from my bed early that Saturday morning with a feeling of trepidation. Living in the Netherlands I had been spared the toxic horror of the six month, public trial that the LGBT community had been subjected to during the campaign. Having arrived home a couple of days before the vote, I had managed to haul my bones around Limerick for a lunchtime leafleting campaign; and an evening door to door campaign. There had been a tension in the air, but nonetheless an air of cautious optimism. An unverifiable inkling that the country might be about to improve. Continue reading The necessity of ‘Yes’
The man on the bus and the unmarried Mammies
I am trying. Trying valiantly not to stick my ungainly hoof into other people’s business. This morning was a challenge. I have not spoken about him before but I share a bus route to work each day with a bearded gentleman of around my own age. He has always struck me as slightly odd – in both his appearance and his demeanour. The fact that he wears a wedding ring was an indication that somebody somewhere had enjoyed his company at some point – perhaps they still do. Continue reading The man on the bus and the unmarried Mammies
Morrissey at the 3Arena
The Morrissey concert on Tuesday night was very impressive. The man remains in fine baritone voice, with effortless charisma and stage presence.
Upon arrival in the 3Arena we were greeted by a huge white, cloth screen covering the stage. On it was projected the image of Peter Wyngarde – the recently deceased lothario actor who was renowned for his suave, sophistication, as well as playing the TV detective Jason King in the late 1960s / early 1970s. His television career ended with an unfortunate series of cottaging incidents in Gloucester Bus Station in the mid-1970s. He never officially came out. Continue reading Morrissey at the 3Arena
Theatre times: ‘Black Cherry’
Being a bit of a theatre buff – either front-of- or backstage – I attend a lot of plays and shows, and have met some very interesting and talented people as a result. Being a member of Firedoor Theatre has meant that the majority of my Irish theatre experience backstage has been with this specific group (although it would appear that I am branching out over the summer). As it is a fairly exclusive (in other words small) group, there is a limit on the number of projects that can be staged or promoted fully during the year. People occasionally need to branch out, if and when the opportunity arises. So was the case with one of the stars of the new play ‘Black Cherry’ by Krystal Sweedman, which is being performed as a staged reading, as part of the Scene and Heard Festival, at Smock Alley, on Saturday 17th February at 4pm. Continue reading Theatre times: ‘Black Cherry’
R.I.P. colleague
When I started my career of doom, in the industrial wasteland of county Dublin, it was a cold, dark period of my life. It was November – always the grimmest, most miserable time of the year. Continue reading R.I.P. colleague
Dublin Bus 40D – the emblem of failure
I have written previously about how shockingly difficult it is to reach one of the largest industrial estates in the country, on public transport, during rush hour, every morning. A place where tens of thousands of people work, served by such a primitive and unreliable service, clearly ought to be regarded as a problem. The problem is simple – the 40D bus from Parnell Street to Ballycoolin Industrial Estate is ‘The Bus that Never Arrives’. If I arrive at 8.25am for the 8.30am service then the bus will arrive at 8.44am. If you crawl out of bed early to make the 8.15am service then it will rock up at 8.44am. Continue reading Dublin Bus 40D – the emblem of failure
midnightmurphy 