Five things for the week ahead: Pantos, West Side Story, Sex & the City
L-R: Aidan Gillen in the Abbey's new production of Brian Friel's Faith Healer; West Side Story reprises a classic; Nannie Nellie is out to rescue Pantoland
More than 40 years since directing the Irish premiere of Faith Healer at the Abbey Theatre, Joe Dowling returns with a new production of Brian Friel’s masterpiece on the Abbey Stage - starring Niamh Cusack and Aidan Gillen.
- Running Monday-Saturday until January 22; 7.30pm nightly, 2pm matinees Wednesdays and Saturdays; tickets €13-€45
- Sign-language interpreted performance on Thursday January 13; audio-described/captioned performance Saturday January 15
After a bit of sweating about whether or not they could go ahead, the Christmas pantos are back in person for 2021... oh yes, they are!
from Wednesday December 8 to Sunday January 16, the tale of Aladdin comes to life on the storied stage of the Everyman; while from Friday December 10 to Sunday January 9, Nanny Nellie's Adventures in Pantoland sees the titular heroine and her comrades struggle to save the land of fairytales and fun from the evil Balthasar.
the Chattyboo Productions crew returns to An Spailpín Fánach on South Main Street for its annual Adult Panto, running until Saturday January 15, and telling the (decidedly 18s and up!) story of Leeside fairytale icon Peter Pana.
- Book tickets at everymancork.com; corkoperahouse.com; chattybooproductions.com
Perhaps the smart money is on the Sex And The City reboot being a disappointment. It's so difficult for revived TV shows to recapture the magic of the originals, and this 10-part offering is also missing key character Samantha Jones (Kim Cattrall). That said, it's set to be the biggest TV event of the week, and millions around the world will be tuning in.
- Thursday, December 9, Sky Comedy and Now TV
The US folk-rock iconoclast continues a long body of work, seemingly unbothered by time or its passing on his 41st (!) studio album - his 14th (!!) accompanied by his band Crazy Horse. Its release will be accompanied by a film of the same name, directed by actress and environmentalist Daryl Hannah
- In physical record shops and on digital services from Friday, December 10.
In the wake of lyricist Stephen Sondheim’s death just last week, the West Side Story remake has taken on extra poignancy. Directed by Academy Award winner Steven Spielberg, West Side Story tells the classic tale of fierce rivalries and young love in 1957 New York City, inspired by Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.
This reimagined version of the beloved musical stars Ansel Elgort as Tony and Rachel Zegler as María, and includes Rita Moreno, who starred as Mariá’s confidante Anita in the 1961 film, as Valentina who owns the corner store in which Tony works.
- In cinemas from Friday, December 10
