I found myself at the Teachers’ Club again last night. This time to watch some theatre from the week two programme of the International Dublin Gay Theatre Festival. For my viewing pleasure I saw ‘Monastic’ from Ireland in my old stomping ground of the basement theatre; as well as ‘Like Orpheus’ from Outré Theatre in Canada. Continue reading IDGTF Review: ‘Monastic’ and ‘Like Orpheus’ at the Teachers’ Club
I peeled myself from the bed like a crusty scab on Sunday morning. I was feeling tender. The night before had been the closing night of my play. I had enjoyed a few sociables. Brave plans had been made – I intended to go for an invigorating walk to clear the cobwebs in my head. I travelled as far as the fridge. Continue reading Fillums: ‘Rosie’
FESTIVAL REVIEW: The Number (runs with A Southern Fairytale) Teachers Club until Saturday 11th.
“The Number”: Review by Kerric Harvey — May 7, 2019.
It’s nine p.m. in the Teachers Club studio theatre. A man walks out onto the stage, a man in casual pants and a flannel shirt, an ordinary man, someone you’d see walking down the street or waiting for a bus or trying to puzzle out how the hell to pay for parking at Dublin Airport.
This ordinary man walks out onto the stage, and begins to talk. And something extra-ordinary happens. For the next fifteen minutes, his quiet voice draws you into the photo album of his own early life, which, in some vague but palpable way, evokes your own memories, and invokes the ghosts of who you used to be, even if they look nothing like his.
But there is still a connection, somehow, between his tale and yours, which this honest and simple bit of beautifully structured first person story-telling establishes without fanfare, and with not a wasted word. In this short but memorable bit of biographical haiku, veteran DIGTF playwright/performer Simon Murphy has crafted a poetic intertwining of Ireland’s long journey towards decriminalisation with one lonely gay boy’s journey towards the man he would eventually become.
In Limerick, no less.
It only lasts a quarter of an hour, but “The Number” makes a big point — the notion that “the personal” is also inescapably political, whether we like it or not. In doing so, it offers a little gem of personal reminiscence tucked around tectonic plate shifts in the public sphere of gay politics. Continue reading Festival reviews: ‘The Number’
So half of the run of ‘The Number’ in the 16th International Dublin Gay Theatre Festival has been completed. Last night was the fourth show of an eight show run. It’s been satisfying but quite exhausting thus far. Due to poor time management I have squandered my holiday allowance from my regular paying job on fripperies like foreign travel later in the year. Hence each day this week I have put on my work hat, toiled away at the coalface of office administration before making my way into town for the less lucrative, but more rewarding creative work life. Continue reading Showtime: ‘The Number’ at the 16th International Dublin Gay Theatre Festival
On May 3rd 2018 I had just finished my civic duty as the jury foreman, on a hideous criminal trial that had lasted a fortnight, and which resulted in a mistrial. I was wandering around Monasterevin one evening waiting for the train to Limerick (which I was doing in the salubrious environs of Monasterevin is not pertinent to this story). I smoked the last cigarette in the packet of Marlboro Lights (or Marboro Gold as I think they were renamed when required to do so, in case anyone might think the light version of the smoke was the low-fat option). I spent the weekend in Limerick. Continue reading I quit
Two days ago I was indulging in some internet personal time while my boss was in a meeting. I did my usual trick of checking what concerts, films and plays were currently playing. It wasn’t my intention to book anything – this was more for my edification. I read the blurb for ‘Trad’ which had opened on Tuesday. Idly I clicked on the ‘book tickets’ button to check prices. Interestingly all dates for the fifteen day run were showing as ‘sold out’. With the exception of Thursday night, where there was a handful of tickets remaining. Continue reading Theatrical: ‘Trad’ at the Peacock
This afternoon I attended a flamenco concert at Farmleigh House. While the music and dance style of flamenco was appealing, I was more excited about the prospect of visiting the old Guinness family home at Farmleigh – a palatial spread for this wealthy family, that is now in use as the official guest house of the Irish state for visiting heads of state and other dignitaries. Continue reading Flamenco at Farmleigh
Last weekend I took a day trip to Limerick to attend the party of the year – the first birthday party for my nephew. While at home I found a newspaper which contained an article listing the top 30 walks to do in Ireland. I had done all the Dublin recommendations. With one exception – the Castleknock to Leixlip walk along the Royal Canal. Continue reading A good Friday
At 6pm last night in the City Assembly House on South William Street was the official launch of the 2019 International Dublin Gay Theatre Festival. As my paying job is in the industrial wastelands of County Dublin where I selflessly toil at the coalface of administration, an executive decision had to be made. So at 4.30 pm with an air of purpose I downed tools and departed for the day. Continue reading Launch of the 2019 IDGTF : ‘The Number’
For the third time in a week, I was at an Abbey production (but don’t worry about my looming bankruptcy – thanks to my dull cunning, the combined cost for these shows was 27 euro). This evening for my theatrical entertainment I was in attendance at ‘Dublin will show you how’. This was an off-site production for the Abbey – being held in the Complex – who co-produced the show. It was written by Tracy Martin and directed by Vanessa Fielding of the Complex. Continue reading Theatrical: ‘Dublin will show you how’
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