Landmark Productions, ‘Misterman’: To The Dogs Or Whoever

Black Box Theatre, Galway Arts Festival

July 11-24

My review (with spoilers) of Enda Walsh and Cillian Murphy’s excellent Misterman coming up just as soon as I feel the door shut gently behind me as I step out into Innisfree ...

Musings Listings: July 2011

There is something of a retrospective vibe to July. Brian Friel is seemingly the writer-in-residence at both the Abbey and the Gate this month. Molly Sweeney – “a humorous, compelling and moving drama, which tells the story of a woman, blind since infancy, who has the chance to regain her sight” – will run at the Gate while post-colonial masterpiece Translations – featuring a cast including Janet Moran (Freefall, Pineapple), Aaron Monaghan (Christ Deliver Us!, The Silver Tassie) and Denis Conway (The Gigli Concert, Penelope) – runs in the Abbey until mid August.

Also revisiting from the past is Enda Walsh’s Misterman (pictured above) – a highlight of this year’s Galway Arts Festival and also my pick of the month. This dark tale of a man on a self-appointed mission to “do the Lord’s work” in the small community of Inishfree was originally staged by Corcadorcha in 1999 starring Walsh himself. Now reworked and expanded, with Walsh on directing duties and Disco Pig Cillian Murphy cast in the role, it’s hard not to get excited about Misterman (Town Hall Theatre, Jul 7-24). This year’s festival does present a Disco Pigs reunion of sorts, as Eileen Walsh can be seen as the lone star of Corcadorcha’s arcane site-specific Request Programme (the Western Hotel, Jul 11-23). Combined, these three individuals once arrested expectations with a surrealist theatre that had little history and little inhibition. It will be interesting to catch up with them since their days tearing up ‘Pork City’.

Thoughts on Irish Times Theatre Awards Nominations 2011

The nominations are in for the Irish Times Theatre Awards 2011 (to be held Feb 26), and the details are here. I think this year’s shortlist is a good reflection of the work produced. Here are some general thoughts:
 

When you’re right, you’re right

I agree with the judges’ comments about how 2011 was great for design, direction, but not writing. Pat Kinevane and Mark O’Halloran earned their places here. Haven’t seen the others.

… and I was right!

Misterman a heavy contender in the tech categories is not surprising. What I did predict successfully was that Pan Pan’s Aedín Cosgrove would be giving them some competition.
 

We all need to go north

The Lyric is obviously a force to be reckoned with, with 5 nominations for Conall Morrison’s The Crucible.
 

The Male of the Species: Commedia Action Man

I can’t comment on Patrick O’Kane but the rest sounds right. Really happy to see Philip Judge get the nod, and while I sorely missed Man of Valour from what I hear Reid was phenomenal.  In the Supporting category I’ve only seen John Olohan but Phelim Drew as violent Saranzo in The Making of ‘Tis Pity She’s a Whore comes to mind.
 

The Female of the Species: Amy Conroy has arrived

I didn’t see Conroy in the role she’s been nominated for but the disarming I ♥ Alice ♥ I (bound for the Peacock Jan 30) along with consensual praise in press indicate that she’s a hot ticket at the moment. It’s an obvious move to nominate a Tony winner, and while Marie Mullen had her moment (singular), I’d remove her from the list on the basis that Testament just wasn’t good. Insert one of Selina Cartmell’s leads (Camille O’Sullivan and Kate Stanley Brennan), or Pineapple’s Caoilfhionn Dunne instead. As for Supporting Actress, great recognition for Karen Ardiff but Caitriona Ní Mhurchú (who I am a big fan of), along with every other performer in 16 Possible Glimpses, was squandered due to no fault of their own. What about The Making of ‘Tis Pity She’s a Whore’s Cathy Belton, Derbhle Crotty for Corcadorcha’s The Winter’s Tale, or Bairbre Ní Chaoimh for her intimate performance in Laundry instead.  

What’s Missing?

Would Neil Watkins and The Year of Magical Wanking have been considered for last year’s nominations or this years’? Either way, why the hell isn’t he here? As for The Blue Boy and Follow, I imagine their best chance of getting in here would probably have been through the tech categories but those are flooded with Misterman nominations.  Drat.
 

What’s going to win?

You tell me.

Irish Times Theatre Awards: A complete list of every nomination ever

In other countries awards are presented by theatre organisations. Here the ceremony is organised by a national newspaper, and sometimes ignored by rival media outlets.

Towards More Landmark Plays

Cillian Murphy in Misterman fighting against the trend of 'fundraiser plays'

One of the oldest rules in the book to guarantee a theatre company's survival has been to build a repertoire of plays, preferably ones that have earned a buck at the box office. The strategy is to draw on past hits, specific to the company or to the commercial theatre in general, and use funds to stay afloat. These fundraiser plays are safe and they may feel like nothing new but sometimes they're used to fund a later production that is compellingly new, rich with risk and innovation, something that will stay in your memory for years to come: the landmark play. What merit we can award a company depends on how that balance is struck between the fundraiser play, with its necessities of survival, and the landmark play, which can truly advance the artistry of the company.

Pan Pan, ‘All That Fall’: Picture Yourself On A Train In A Station

Project Arts Centre, Dublin

Aug 23-Sept 2

My review of Pan Pan’s All That Fall by Samuel Beckett coming up just as soon as you shed light on my lifelong preoccupation with horses’ buttocks ...

Town Hall Theatre Galway, ‘Faith Healer’: Testimonies

Town Hall Theatre, Galway

Aug 25-Sept 3


My review of the Town Hall’s production of Faith Healer by Brian Friel coming up just as soon as I measure my progress by the number of hours I sleep and the amount I drink and the number of cigarettes I smoke ...

Make Theatre a Part of Your Holidays this Summer

Ballyturk is looking quite the vacation spot this Summer. 

Whether you're hiking the McGillycuddys, sailing off the Causeway or sinking golfballs in Pirate's Cove, a trip to the theatre this summer is only a short drive away ...

Landmark Productions, 'Howie the Rookie': In Search of Respect

Project Arts Centre, Dublin
Jun 13-Jul 6

My review of Landmark Productions' Howie the Rookie by Mark O'Rowe coming up just as soon as I wear the white ski pants ...

Irish Theatre in 2011: When the Heroes are Gone

It’s that time when bloggers write their end-of-year contemplations, trying to count down the ‘Best of’ moments of whatever had them gushing into their keyboards for the past twelve months. You might recall that I did a ‘Best of’ list last year. It then became increasingly obvious to me that comparing performances and declaring a winner is a problematic and possibly fruitless exercise. For example, how do you measure something like Laundry against Misterman and decide which is the “best”? Also, some of my favourite shows this year such as Mimic and The Year of Magical Wanking had technically received their debuts before 2011, so would they be “qualified” for such a list?

Instead, I decided to write an impression of the year that was, of what we can say happened and the significance of such. And where is a more appropriate place to begin than Enda?

Landmark Productions, 'Ballyturk': Everything We Thought We Knew

The affect of watching Enda Walsh's play is to feel certainty of time and place constantly slip away. Will we ever find our way back from Ballyturk? Photo: Patrick Redmond

Black Box Theatre, Galway International Arts Festival

Jul 14-27

My review of Ballyturk coming up just as soon as I don't think bunnies should be given that complexity ...

Irish Theatre to See in 2014

Some plays for your diary ...