Category Archives: Uncategorized

Theatrical: ‘The playboy of the western world’

September 25, 2019Dublin, Theatre, UncategorizedDublin Theatre Festval, Gaiety Theatre, JM Synge, Playboy of the Westermn Worldmidnightmurphy

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This week sees the start of the annual Dublin Theatre Festival. Having purchased several early bird and preview tickets, over the next month I shall be in regular attendance at the playhouse As my skills are finely honed at bargain hunting, I don’t think I will be paying more than a cinema price for any show. Tonight I went to see a revival of the classic play ‘The playboy of the western world’ by John Millington Synge at the Gaiety Theatre. Continue reading Theatrical: ‘The playboy of the western world’ →

The day I quit

September 21, 2019Uncategorizedmidnightmurphy

When you are a high powered, shoulder-padded business executive, the general rule of thumb when it comes to employment is that you should never quit one job before you have another lined up. I guess this makes sense – particularly for people with mortgages, and families to support, in an uncertain economic environment with Brexit looming. This same rule applies if you are an administration mule working in the Wastelands of county Dublin. Sometimes however (perhaps when the moon is full) you think to yourself ‘Screw this. I quit,’ without anything lined up, and you write an email to your boss giving your notice ‘for the sake of my physical and mental health’. Continue reading The day I quit →

Brown Thomas – how we laughed

September 16, 2019Film, UncategorizedBrown Thomas, Notionsmidnightmurphy

On Sunday I went to see the new Pedro Almodovar film ‘Pain and Glory’ at the Irish Film Institute. It is a wonderful film.

Before the screening I was plonked on my chair watching the adverts when a very strange clip started playing. It was clearly an advert – but for what. There wasn’t a single clue offered. The piece featured an impossibly beautiful young couple lobbing the gob on each other in various, artistically lit, beautiful set pieces. They were shifting in the water, on land, in the woods, in their tastefully appointed, luxurious home, everywhere. Meanwhile a romantic piece of music played over the imagery of the tonsil hockey. The singer telling us of the earth shattering love between the French kissers. About how their love would get each other through. Tragedy in flattering lighting envelops the couple for a brief moment. Their love tastefully endures however. Continue reading Brown Thomas – how we laughed →

Theatrical: ‘Champions of dance’ by the Lords of Strut, at the Fringe

September 12, 2019Dublin, Theatre, UncategorizedComedy, Cork, lords of strutmidnightmurphy

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In 2016 I discovered that Dublin held a fringe festival every September, which occurred just before the Dublin Theatre Festival. It showcased more offbeat, less mainstream work. I was new back in town and excited to have instant access to English language theatre. I went to several shows that year – one of which was called ‘Riot’ (read my review HERE). One of the most memorable elements of that show was the Cork comedy-dance duo The Lords of Strut. The same pair are back at the Fringe this year with their latest show called ‘Champions of dance’ on the Peacock stage of the Abbey Theatre. Continue reading Theatrical: ‘Champions of dance’ by the Lords of Strut, at the Fringe →

Theatrical: ‘Venice Preserved’ at the Swan Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon

September 11, 2019Theatre, UncategorizedOtway, Shakespeare, Stratford-upon-Avonmidnightmurphy

Venice_preserved

I was in the beautiful Midlands country town of Stratford-upon-Avon last weekend. As well as my journeys to see William Shakespeare’s family home; the family home of Anne Hathaway; the marital home of AnnWill (the Brangelina style moniker I have just bestowed upon the couple); the marital home of their daughter Judith; the resting place of the entire Shakespeare dynasty; the school room of Big Will; the nearby Warwick castle; I also went to the theatre. Well it was obvious that I would. When one visits the town associated with the greatest writer in the English language one really ought to make an effort. Continue reading Theatrical: ‘Venice Preserved’ at the Swan Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon →

Theatrical: ‘Angela’s Ashes’ – a Limerick tale

September 10, 2019Limerick, Musical Theatre, Theatre, UncategorizedAngela's Ashes, Bord Gais, Frank McCourtmidnightmurphy

Say what? A musical about a misery-lit classic ‘Angela’s Ashes’? How on earth was that going to work? The book told the tale of a young Frank McCourt, whose Limerick mother Angela, and Antrim father Malachy move back to Limerick from Brooklyn during the Great Depression while Frank is just an infant. They live lives of abject misery and poverty in the tenement slums of Limerick, largely because of Malachy’s alcoholism. Dead siblings, hunger, relentless rain, fleas, consumption, outdoor facilities shared with the street, it was an unremittingly grim tale. Eventually Malachy relocates to Coventry, where he drinks his wages and rarely sends a copper to feed his hungry clan. Angela and the children are evicted, and she becomes the ‘housekeeper’ for her sinister older cousin. Frank takes work as a telegram delivery boy who vows to save all his pennies and return one day to America to make his fortune. Continue reading Theatrical: ‘Angela’s Ashes’ – a Limerick tale →

Theatrical: ‘This beautiful village’ – a review

September 4, 2019Theatre, Uncategorizedmidnightmurphy

Decades ago, while driving to town with my mother and sister, we passed a wall, on which was emblazoned a girl’s name in graffiti (she was in school with us.) The statement read ‘Lettuce Bolognese is a rag’ (Lettuce Bolognese not being her real name). My sister and I creased up with laughter. Not out of any spite towards poor Lettuce, but rather through the sheer venom and malice of the scrawl. Children can be very cruel. The graffiti remained on the wall for several weeks. To this day, I feel bad for poor Lettuce – she had to endure that horror for weeks. I still don’t know what the graffiti meant but I know that it was not complimentary. Continue reading Theatrical: ‘This beautiful village’ – a review →

Queer shenanigans at G.C.N.

August 26, 2019Uncategorizedmidnightmurphy

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Yesterday I paid a visit to see the ‘Pathfinders’ exhibition at Dublin Castle. On display in the Coach House until 29th August, it is a black and white photography exhibition by Paul Connell. It shows some of the founders of the gay liberation movement in Ireland. All the subjects are captured against the same backdrop giving a nice flow to the display. It was impressive. I recognised many of the faces – David Norris; Ailbhe Smyth; Suzy Byrne; Tonie Walsh; Phyllis Stein among others. I wish the names of all the subjects could have been included so I could put names to the faces. I wondered how many of the images were of people outside of Dublin. Precious few I thought cynically to myself. Sadly, but understandably the LGBT movement in Ireland was – and remains – centred in the capital. Unfortunately some of the efforts of the community outside of Dublin are forgotten to history. Continue reading Queer shenanigans at G.C.N. →

Theatrical: ‘Kinky Boots’

August 21, 2019Music, Musical Theatre, Theatre, UncategorizedKinky Boots, West Endmidnightmurphy

Alexis

Last night for the second night in a row I was at the theatre– my fourth trip in the past fortnight. Sadly, in this instance I had to actually pay for my ticket – unusual having developed a cunning skill of sourcing freebies. As one would only hope – I go so often to the theatre, that my diet would consist of congealed bread and dripping with a side order of gruel, if I had to pay for all these tickets. Last night I went full Broadway, attending ‘Kinky Boots’ in the unfortunately named Bord Gais Energy Theatre (which thankfully has been re-christened as the ‘Bored Gays Theatre’ by some wags thanks to the fact that it shows big West End shows – in RingsEnd). Continue reading Theatrical: ‘Kinky Boots’ →

A night at the opera: ‘The Hunger’

August 20, 2019Music, Theatre, UncategorizedBrexit, Irish Famine, operamidnightmurphy

Alexis

The Irish Famine of 1845 to 1849 is one of those catastrophic events whose aftermath is still felt in the modern day – Ireland remains one of the only countries in Europe (perhaps the only country?) whose 2019 population remains considerably lower than it was in 1840. Its effects still resonate. Modern day Ireland speaks English as a native language thanks to the almost fatal blow dealt by The Famine to the Irish language – the tongue remaining on state subsidised life support ever since; with only a tiny percentage of people who still speak it as their mother tongue. It is a difficult subject to discuss neutrally because of an ongoing discussion on how much the effects of the natural disaster of the potato blight, are directly attributable to centuries of English colonialism – a subject which seems largely swept under the rug in that fair land. Continue reading A night at the opera: ‘The Hunger’ →