INNOVATIVE NEW THEATRE PROJECT GOES ON TOUR

An innovative new theatre project will kick off at Friars’ Gate Theatre, Kilmallock on Friday, September 11.

The project, a collaboration between Friars’ Gate, Call Back Theatre Company and Ballyhoura Development Ltd, sees the production of two classic comedies by John Millington Synge - ‘The Tinker’s Wedding and In The Shadow of the Glen. The play will run at Friars’ Gate for 6 nights before touring the Ballyhoura region to Kilbehenny, Caherconlish and Manister.

The Ballyhoura region has long boasted a wealth of amateur drama talent, while Friars’ Gate has been producing a vibrant performing programme for almost twelve years. This partnership sees amateur talent in the Ballyhoura region team up with Friars’ Gate and Call Back Theatre Company under the guidance of director Joan Sheehy.

Ballyhoura Development agreed to pledge LEADER funding to develop a project that could tour to key towns in the Ballyhoura region bringing theatre to rural communities with limited access to the arts.

This is the first time such a project has been undertaken and the challenges of touring to venues not naturally exposed to professional theatre, while daunting have been enthusiastically embraced by all the partners involved. From the feedback of the communities visited the potential of developing this project into an annual event is very evident.

Joan Sheehy a native of Granagh, Co Limerick is an award winning actor and director. She has worked as an actor with all the leading Irish theatre companies including the Abbey, Druid, Second Age and Corcadorca.

In 2008 Joan produced and directed ‘Buck Jones and the Body Snatchers’ at the Georgian house, Limerick. It was nominated for Best Production in the Irish Times Theatre awards and will be seen at this year’s Dublin Theatre Festival.

Joan directed ‘Excess Baggage’ by Mary Coll for Limerick Theatre Hub at the Belltable in June ‘09. The production features a very talented and award winning cast including Mandy Donworth, Cora Fenton, Katie Holly, Patrick Kelly, Joe Mullins and Robert Lee.

Friars’ Gate Theatre and Call Back Theatre Co. present ‘The Shadow Of The Glen’ and ‘The Tinker’s Wedding’, two comedies by John M Synge. Directed by Joan Sheehy.

Friar’s Gate Theatre - Friday, September 11 to Sunday 13 and Wednesday, September 16 to Friday 18. Ballyhoura Regional Tour to: Manister Community Centre, Saturday, September 19 and Sunday 20 at 8pm. Kilbehenny Community Centre, Thursday, September 24 and Friday 25 at 8pm.

Caherconlish Millennium Centre, Saturday, September 26 and Sunday 27 at 8pm. Tickets €12/€10. Bookings and information on 063-98727 or www.friarsgate.ie.

AUSTRALIAN SONGSTRESS CHLOE HALL - A MUST SEE!

“I could celebrate … I could jump up and down … but the best I could do is to say, go and hear her, buy her CDs and fall under the magic of Chloe Hall.”

So says John Warner, Trad & Now Magazine, Australia of Chloe Hall - an engaging, intriguing and charismatic performer, but it’s the simple, undeniable quality of her songs that leave the listener with such an overwhelming emotion. Tragedy is met with grace, loneliness is met with a wry humour – the sun never entirely leaves Chloe’s moody autumnal sky.

The Chloe Hall Trio is booked for a date in Kilworth at The Village Arts Centre as part of her European tour. The date is Monday, September 7 and it is a gig you should really try to make. From her early days as a teenage-troubadour on Australia’s folk-circuit, through years of touring both in Australia and, more recently, North America, Chloe has blossomed into an exciting international artiste.

“Nothing prepared me for (Chloe’s) stellar live performance. Hall has a free range voice, full of expression and her unique song stylings are truly little gems. She’s also a gifted songwriter. I listened to every word of her original lyrics which are playfully witty, wonderfully wise or painfully true.” - Teresa Mallam, Prince George Free Press, Canada.

Her new album ‘Outside’, due for release in 2009, reveals the fulfillment of Chloe’s development into the serious recording artiste she has always been threatening to become. See her in Kilworth on Monday 7 at 8.15pm. Ticket prices have been kept at rock bottom, just €15 to help get you hooked on this super new talent.

Booking at The Avondhu office Fermoy 025-32227.

BARRYMORE PLAYERS – PANTO TIME AGAIN

The Barrymore Players present to you this year’s Panto ‘Sleeping Beauty’, produced by Joy Alabaster, with chorography by Christine McDonough and music by Mark O’Leary.

Enrolment will be on Saturday, September 5 in Castlelyons Community Hall From 12 to 3 pm for school going children up to secondary level. The dates for this year panto will be the weekend of December 4 and 5 and matinee on December 6.

So come along and join in with us and have some fun and you just might learn some new skill be it on stage or with the technical side all are very welcome to come along we be glad to help introduce all aspects of it to you.

Or you can contact any of the Barrymore Players for more info on this or our forthcoming one act drama festival in November.

A.G.M. TIME FOR LISMORE DRAMATIC SOCIETY

If you need something to fill your winter nights, why not come along to our AGM next Wednesday, September 9 in The Courthouse Theatre at 8.30pm. We will review a very busy year and look forward to planning for next season’s entertainment.

We would particularly like to welcome new members, so come along - a job will be found for you! Entry by Chapel Street door.

HAG’S BED THEATRE GROUP PRESENTS ‘THE FACTORY GIRLS’

HagsBed Theatre Group proudly presents ‘The Factory Girls’ by Frank McGuinness from Thursday, September 17 to Sunday, September 20 at 8pm in Fermoy Youth Centre.

Set in a Donegal shirt factory, where five women face the treat of redundancy, the play articulates their anger, courage and compassion.

“Very funny, very engaging, very moving” - Sunday Tribune Starring Mary Walsh (Fermoy) as Ellen, Mary O’Neill (Glanworth) as Una, Emer Martin (Conna) as Vera, Niamh O’Leary (Carrigtwohill) as Rebecca, Orla Devlin (Fermoy) as Rosemary, Brendan Hurley (Conna) as Rohan and Kevin McCormack (Kilworth) as Bonner.

HagsBed Theatre Group was founded in 2008 by Yvonne Seymour and is based in Fermoy. The group’s first production was a 1 Act ‘Faded Footsteps’ by Maura Williamson and competed on the DLI One Act circuit.

The group has received a variety of acting and directing awards to date. HagsBed Theatre Group is continuing to grow and has over 30 members. Hope to see you all there.

THE DEGANI ENSEMBLE WITH CARA O’SULLIVAN

The Village Arts Centre is delighted to present a concert featuring The Degani Ensemble and the acclaimed Irish soproano, Cara O’Sullivan. This has only been possible because of the kind support of Music Network and The Arts Council of Ireland.

The Village Arts Centre also wishes to acknowledge the ongoing support of Cork County Council and The Avondhu.

The Degani Ensemble was first formed in the mid 1980s by a group of young musicians keen to explore a wide variety of chamber music for wind and strings.

Having diversified into larger scale chamber music in the 1990s, the group was re-formed 4 years ago by founder members Ruby Ashley (oboe), Alan Smale (violin) and David James (cello). Elaine Clarke (violin) and John Lynch (viola) were subsequently added, bringing a wealth of chamber music experience to the chosen repertoire.

Cork-born Cara O’Sullivan has an impeccable operatic pedigree and has risen to prominence as one of Ireland’s leading sopranos. She is an instinctive performer with a remarkably full voice, exciting and dramatic, yet always performs with great sensitivity.

Cara’s concert career and operatic engagements have taken her all over the world. Spanning an impressive and wide-ranging repertoire, she has been referred to as ‘the Irish superstar of her generation’ by the Irish Times. The programme will include music by Mozart, Schubert and Vaughan Williams.

Her return to Kilworth, this time with the Degani Ensemble on Saturday, September 26 is eagerly looked forward to. Do you have your ticket? Enquiries 025-32227.

COLIN MURPHY LIVE AT THE EVERYMAN

Stand up comedian and star of RTE’s The Panel, Colin Murphy is set to record his first ever DVD of his live stand up show, ‘Happy in Menace’ this September at the Everyman Palace Theatre.

An internationally renowned performer on the comedy circuit, Colin Murphy has been performing sellout shows at the Edinburgh Festival since 1999. Colin has headlined shows in New York, Boston, Singapore, Hong Kong, Brussels – and two ‘Just for Laughs’ comedy festivals in Montreal.

With a huge broadcast media profile, Colin hosted the RTE entertainment shows, The Blizzard of Odd, Xitfile and XitPoll, and the 12 part comedy music series for BBC N.I., ‘Elvis has Left the Building’.

Colin recently returned as star panelist on the eighth series of the acclaimed RTE series The Panel and is also working on BBCNI’s The Blame Game. In 2007, Colin was seen fronting the moving documentary series The Children’s Storybook for RTE, following the story of two girls with AIDS in Uganda.

He has featured in a number of programmes including the BBC series People Like Us; his own solo comedy specials’ Comic Asides; The Stand Up Show for the BBC, @last TV for RTE; Don’t Shoot the Messenger for the Paramount Channel, and The Return of the Empire for BBC NI.

Colin has also filmed 2 headlining slots for the C5 series All New Comedy Store. Colin Murphy ‘Happy In Menace’ is at the Everyman Palace Theatre on Friday 4 and Saturday 5 September at 8pm. Tickets are €15. Booking 021-4501673 or www.everymanpalace.com.