Five For Your Radar: Dónal Dineen, Beetlejuice, Kilkenny Arts Fest...
Michael Gallen’s new opera The Curing Line (left) and Donal Dineen.
The 53rd edition of one of the stalwarts of the summer arts scene, Kilkenny Arts Festival offers up another diverse and indelible slate over the next week-plus. Attractions include the world premiere of Michael Gallen’s new opera and Cork company Gare St Lazare present a new operatic interpretation of Beckett in The irrepressible Welsh artist Cate Le Bon plays St Canice’s Cathedral on Tuesday, August 11. Meanwhile, Irish folk singer Eleanor Shanley will unveil her debut art exhibition, The Ghost of You, at Pembroke Kilkenny as part of the fringe events.
St Fin Barre’s Cathedral hosts the first event in its free I’ll Be Your Mirror spoken-word series. Under the theme Storytelling and the Land, writers Judy Kravis and Bláithín MacDonnell will explore place, memory, and landscape through readings from their work. The event is part of the cathedral’s expanded after-hours cultural programme, funded through the Department of Culture’s After Hours at the Museum Scheme, which is bringing a series of literary and musical events to the Cork landmark throughout August.
The Savoy continues its strong run of club nights as Dónal Dineen brings Backstory to the venue on Friday night with special guests Quantic and B+. Known for genre-spanning DJ sets that travel from Afrobeat and Ethiopian jazz to cumbia and Caribbean soul, Quantic is one of the most respected selectors on the global music scene. He is joined by Limerick-born photographer, filmmaker, and DJ B+, whose work has been closely associated with the Los Angeles hip-hop world. Expect an eclectic night of music and deep cuts.
Actor Marty Rea and director Tom Creed bring Sarah Kane’s final play, , to the stage in a new production ahead of its outing at Dublin Theatre Festival. First performed in 2000, the landmark work remains a challenging and celebrated text, blending dark humour with an unflinching exploration of mental anguish and death. The production runs at 8pm on Friday and Saturday, with an additional matinee performance on Saturday.
The Triskel is putting on The Fantastical Cinema of Tim Burton season throughout the month of August. Saturday’s screening is the director's 1988 cult classic . Michael Keaton stars as the mischievous "bio-exorcist" hired by a recently deceased couple to scare away their home's new inhabitants, with chaotic results. Featuring Winona Ryder, Geena Davis, Alec Baldwin, and Catherine O'Hara, the film remains one of Burton's most beloved works. , , and will all feature at the Triskel in the coming weeks.
