At times like these men were wishing they were all kinds of insects - The MAC Belfast

The starting point for Graham Gingles WW1 commemorative project was the simple act of the MAC gifting a decorative brass box to the artist, the same brass box sent by Princess Mary to members of the British, Colonial and Indian Armed Forces at Christmas in 1914.

Graham has dramatically scaled up his intimate and enigmatic wall-hanging sculptures, usually enclosed in meticulously crafted wood and glass boxes, in order to occupy the entirety of the Sunken Gallery at the MAC, where the walls of the gallery become the form of enclosure. The work deals with themes of memory and loss and is both theatrical and sculptural, presenting the viewer with a totally immersive experience. Dark and compelling, this piece invites the viewer to come close and examine the intricacies of the various compartments and corridors within this room.

The title of the work is taken from the War Diaries of Robert McGookin from Larne, Northern Ireland who spoke of the men’s wish whilst under shell fire to become like insects like a worm burrowing into the trenches.

For more information on this commission, and other related projects in the UK, please see 14-18 NOW.

The exhibition runs at the MAC Belfast until 17 August 2014

Comedy of Errors at Theatre at the Mill

Last night was the Opening Night of Theatre at the Mill's Comedy of Errors: the Musical.

After an absolute disaster of a day where our car broke down, the fridge blew up and our heating wouldn't work properly, I needed cheering up.  Comedy of Errors had a lot to live up to!

Billed as a musical theatre version of Shakespeare set in 1920's Belfast, the production is a difficult sell.  The cast were clearly nervous for the opening number but settled quickly into their parts.  Not being a play I have read and not knowing what to expect I found the beginning confusing.  I couldn't quite understand what was going on and who each character was meant to be. However it didn't take long to realise that the who's, what's and when's were mostly irrelevant.  This musical adaptation was first and foremost meant to be fun.

And fun it was.  Richard Clements and Paul Boyd are excellent as the brothers separated at birth, their relationships with their servants a high point. Paul Boyd's Belfast Anthony is perhaps the most passionate of the brothers, continuously kicking his servant and getting a fair few kisses from his mistress.  Richard's Dublin Anthony is by contrast a less violent man, pleasantly surprised by the lovely Belfast people who like to give him money and pearls.  The two Drews are strongly played by Drew Dillon and David Marken, talented young actors who ensure that the confusion and slapstick comedy continue throughout.  The curly clown wigs chosen for the Drew characters however, did remind me of Art Garfunkel or Gene Wilder.  Not a good look.

Sara Lyle's wronged wife Adrianna and her single sister Lucy played by Orla Gormley are engaging in their roles.  Reflecting the brothers' conflicting characters, the sisters are polar opposites to one another.  Adrianna seems to enjoy a bit of passionate S&M, whereas Lucy's demure character is much more restrained, but played with a Gormley twinkle in the eye. Chris Robinson and Orla Mullan had perhaps the most frantic parts to play, portraying with style various roles such as the jeweller, a policeman, the father, the mother, an exorcist, a nun, a businesswoman, a mistress and the cook.

As always, I found the music overpowered the vocals making it difficult to hear the words of the songs.  In this instance it may not have been so much an issue of volume, but more to do with balance and clarity through the sound system.  It should be said however, that I often have an issue with the music simply being too loud in theatre productions.  The songs are fun and catchy and are well handled by this cast.

The story was set aside to use comical interludes such as a Stomp-like door-knocking musical episode, a stylised slow motion fight scene, musicians calling out hellos to the characters, an off-stage run though the audience and a pun-tastic comic monologue from Drew Dillon which accented his excellent comic timing.  These set pieces were interesting individual moments but were not there to assist the development of the story but more to allow time for quick changes.  I thought these mostly worked well but they reminded me of the comic interludes used in panto to allow for the big scene change to happen behind the curtain.

I felt that the play tried too hard to fit in too many styles and this was detrimental to it's focus. Panto meets Shakespeare meets musical theatre meets slapstick meets farce all set in 1920's Belfast meant that the play felt confused in it's direction. The continuous large gestures and unnecessary movements of the characters undermined the storytelling and merely created one dimensional stock characters which force this production more into the world of pantomime than musical theatre.

Despite this, Comedy of Errors: The Musical is a fast paced and frenetic show, with is a very hard working cast whose hi-jinks and even higher kicks had my eyes watering.  Full of slapstick fun and witty naughtiness, this shows runs until 2nd March. You can BOOK HERE.                        

I Am My Own Wife Review

Telling a story based on real events is never easy.  Telling the remarkable story of cross dresser Charlotte von Mahlsdorf is beyond not easy, it's a huge undertaking. The writing itself is outstanding as you would expect from a Pulitzer and Tony prize winning play.

The actor, John Cronin is exceptional.  He has a sense of stillness about him that many actors don't have.  He doesn't need to make a gesture, change his costume or use a prop to let the audience know which character he is.  His posture, accent and the look in his eyes are enough to convey the character he has become.  This is a particular ability I admire in an actor - Damian Lewis from Homeland and Band of Brothers being another example.
  
Despite playing 36 different characters, his performance is always measured. Character changes are realistically balanced and there is no sense of unnatural speed.  Every character, no matter how insignificant, is precisely defined and effortlessly conveyed.  This is a testament to Cronin's acting ability.  In fact the entire production is a testament to his ability.  The breadth of accents in this production alone are enough to make most actors run away.

The set is beautiful and acts to enhance Cronin's performance.  I particularly love the contrast between the beautiful old things Charlotte surrounds herself with and her choice of dress. Gilded mirrors and red velvet chairs are set against her plain black dress, hair covering and orthopedic black shoes.  This plain style of dress both reflects and amplifies her character traits, her purposeful collecting of materials, her quiet acceptance of events and her resourcefulness at working through situations.  She is not a stereotype; she doesn't wear make-up, or heels or act frivolously.  

The show was gorgeous, Charlotte herself was endearing, the direction was perfect.  I loved the set, the sound, the visuals.  I particularly loved the lighting in the last scene and it seemed the audience was hesitant to applaud in case they broke the spell Charlotte had woven.  John Cronin gave a virtuoso performance of this highly technical play, and made it look effortless.

This play is for theatre people, for actors, for people in the business as well as the usual audiences.  You will see how theatrically nimble this actor is, and you will be jealous and amazed and rise and applaud as I did.

I am My Own Wife is playing at the MAC Belfast until Saturday 6 October.  If you don't see it you will regret it.


Karen

http://twitter.com/classygenes

The Plough & The Stars Review

Last week we had date day. We've never been able to do date night like other couples because of the hubby's un-family friendly working hours.  I had booked tickets for the matinee of The Plough and the Stars, an Abbey production, on tour to the Grand Opera House. 

First of all, we decided to try HOME on Wellington Place which we'd been meaning to try for a while.  We kept it simple, Sean having a burger and me trying the fishcake.  It was lovely, really simple, informal and friendly.  The service was speedy, the price was cheap and the food was tasty.  What else could you ask for? 

Then we were off to the Grand Opera House.  As usual at a matinee, the place was full of school kids.  This is always a risk you take if you choose to go to a matinee and sometimes it's a curse, at other times a blessing.  Our seats in the stalls were right in the middle of two different sets of school kids, but we had nothing to worry about. Despite a bit of shuffling around and a laugh in an inappropriate place, they were exceptionally well behaved.  They clearly knew the text as the anticipation in the air was obvious.  Just before a particular character died, I heard a whispered 'This is the bit where she dies, I hope I don't cry' from a student sitting near me.

The Plough and the Stars itself was excellent.  I didn't know the story at all, not having much interest in Irish literature until very recently.  As always I am drawn to the historical context - the birth of Ireland as a nation and the effect on the people living at the time.  While the romantics constructed their perfect rebellion and heroes were revered for their amplified deeds, the real people of Dublin were struggling through their lives with illness, poverty and pain.  O'Casey centres on these people in his play; the heroes are not the republicans at the GPO but the real people such as Fluther Good and Bessie Burgess.         

I found the performance a little slow to get going, perhaps lacking a little energy but this is natural at a matinee performance as the actors conserve their energy for a second 3 hour show.  Frankie McCafferty was, for me the stand out performance; his Peter Flynn was engaging, comical and well rounded.  I also enjoyed Gabrielle Reidy's Bessie, who has such pivotal character development throughout the play.  The cast supported each other throughout and were a tight team on stage.  The set was great, both functional and authentic and I loved the visual reminder of nationalism with the flags, but the scene changes and flying seemed clunky and unnecessary.  The lighting at times seemed to intrude on the play and there were changes in lighting which distracted from the actors' performance.  However small technical issues aside, the production was a great introduction to the Abbey's work and we have already booked to see The Picture of Dorian Grey at the Abbey in November.

Nice to catch up with 'A Bartender' Tony Flynn after the show as well, though he will always be the demon Mephistopheles to me...                

Karen

http://twitter.com/classygenes

 

Belfast Bred walking tour

Last weekend I went on the Belfast Bred food tour.  It's been around for a while and I had always wanted to check it out.  I guess I didn't because I'm not a big foodie and thought it was aimed more at tourists.  Now I wish I'd checked it out sooner.

We had arrived a bit early so went to a cafe to get a scone and some coffee, not realising just how many samples we would get on the tour!  The tour started at Sawer's Deli in Fountain Street.  

Our tour guide Barney told us some of the history of Sawer's and introduced us to the Manager who continued the story.  We were taken inside and given various food samples from octopus to Guinness Cheddar. 





Despite clearly being busy as the shop was being extended into the unit next door, the Manager and the staff made time to show us interesting items in the shop like this jar of real gold used for garnishing desserts.

Barney then led us out of Sawer's and round to Mourne Seafood Bar, one of my favourite restaurants. On the way he told us stories of his life, about food he remembered eating when he was young and also gave us some interesting insights into the history of particular buildings.   
    

After a chat to the Manager of Mourne Seafood bar and some freshly cooked Salt and Chilli Squid, off we went again, following Barney to the John Hewitt Bar. Again we heard some interesting facts about Belfast as Barney led us across Royal Avenue on a busy Saturday morning.  Passing shoppers looked bemused as Barney, in his lobster adorned chef's hat, shouted 'Hello' to everyone in his broad Belfast accent and rang his bell to get us to hurry along.  

At the John Hewitt we sampled some cider and lager as the Manager told us about the history of the bar and it's relationship with local beers and breweries. We felt rather special, being locked in the pub for our tasting session. 







The artwork that was on the walls while we were there, apparently linked to the Titanic Boys show in the Grand Opera House deserves a mention.  Some of the pieces were beautiful and the art is part of the reason why Belfast people love this wee bar.  

And we were off again, this time down the cobbled lanes past the Duke of York to Nick's Warehouse.
Barney continued with his brilliant stories of the history of Belfast and joking with the tour group.  I really think that this is what made the tour so special.  Fra Gunn, who plays Barney, is a gifted storyteller and engages everyone with his character, both the paying members of the audience and passers by.  He clearly enjoys what he does, and he is adept at ad libbing when he needs to.  I enjoyed seeing his typical Belfast banter with the chefs and managers of each venue. 

Nick Price, owner of Nick's Warehouse gave us a fascinating insight into not only his restaurant, but also into his own interests.  A quirky character, it was nice to hear the passion in his voice when he talked about food.  We sampled different types of cheese, which were all lovely, though my favourite was as always, the goats cheese.

And off we went again, following Barney through the busy streets towards McHughs Bar, the oldest building in Belfast.  This place is a gem.  The old photographs are a genealogist's dream, and I found it difficult to listen to the Manager with all the history on the walls around me.  

In McHugh's we were brought a volcanic rock heated to 430°C and a steak to cook on it. I'm not a big fan of steak, and would never order it, but even to me it tasted amazing.  








Barney led us on to St George's Market.  This was our final location, after two and a half hours.  We hadn't even noticed the time go.  It seems like a long time, but the tour is evenly broken up and as well being seated in the venues, you can also sit at various benches on the way.

The tour is absolutely not just for tourists. I know quite a bit about Belfast History, but Barney gave me a few extra facts which I'd never heard before. You also don't need to be a 'foodie' or even need to try all the samples. I started the tour practically a vegetarian, cooking with quorn rather than meat. The week after the tour, I took myself down to St George's Market to buy some real meat, simply because McHugh's made me realise how much I missed it.        

Belfast City Council describes the Belfast Bred tour as a 'unique theatrical walking tour exploring the food and drink of Belfast'. But it is so much more than just a food tour.  The tour tells us stories of Belfast city, of Belfast characters, architecture and history.  Barney is a great character and Fra Gunn a brilliant storyteller.  It's great experience and I wish I hadn't left it so long to book.

Information and booking info on the tour is here: Belfast City Council

Karen

www.twitter.com/classygenes

Noye's Fludde by NI Opera at Belfast Zoo

The kids went to see their first opera a couple of weeks ago.  Their cousin told them how he fell asleep at an opera when he was in New York, so they were pretty disgusted that I had booked them tickets for something so boring.

I think they were genuinely pleased by what they experienced, though the typical Belfast rain did it's best to wash us away.
 

Having the opera performed at the zoo must have been a logistical nightmare, but it was a stroke of genius.
All the kids I saw were excited, despite the downpour, and the marquees were packed, as well as the outside area.  Entry to the zoo itself was included in the price and many people stayed to see the animals.

I don't usually buy programs as they are usually full of actors' biographies and adverts and are a waste of money, but I'm pleased I bought this one.  It included sections on Benjamin Britten, the China Children's Chorus, the KT Wong Foundation, the design, a synopsis and the story of Dayu, as well as the customary biogs and ads.    

The best aspect of the event definitely was the design though.  The animals made from bamboo and silk using traditional lantern making techniques were simply beautiful, as were the birds made using kite making techniques.  The ark was built in front of our eyes, bit by bit and I think we were a bit shocked at just how many animals managed to get inside!

Well done to all involved. Opera can be a difficult artform to get kids interested in.  This production not only succeeded in getting families to go, but also managed to make them want to go back.

Karen

www.twitter.com/classygenes

Oedipus the King at the Lyric Theatre

Two weeks ago, I went to see Oedipus at the Lyric Theatre. As noted in a previous post, the show was produced by 17-19 year olds working with the Lyric team.  As we went into the studio, which looked amazing set up in traverse style, I noted the modern sofas which made my heart sink.

But I shouldn't have worried, these kids pulled it off.  The actors were all in formal suits, at first looking like they were in the Apprentice, but when Oedipus arrives complete with secret service guards, his own sharp suit and long speech, it's clear that this Oedipus has been based on the US President. The style works surprisingly well.

There were some brilliant performances throughout the play, particularly by Creon, the Messenger and Oedipus, but the actors were all good. The chorus sometimes on stage, sometimes on screen were strong. I particularly liked how the people heard the news of Oedipus' sins on a TV screen, just as the world heard the news of Bill Clinton's incident with Monica Lewinsky.  The lighting design really complemented the projection concept, the lights muted in shades of black and white until the news of Jocasta's death when slashes of red appeared on the screen. This reminded me of black, white and red film posters such as Sin City or the Godfather or TV advertising for True Blood.  This dramatic design only accented the tragedy of the awful events and underlined Oedipus' fate in blood for all to see.

It was great to see a sold out audience filled with friends and family of the young cast. I love that all these people have been introduced to Greek mythology in such an accessible way.  I love that a play written  2,500 years ago can have such resonance now. I was not the only person in the audience holding back tears. The childrens' pain at losing their father ensures that the tragedy of Oedipus is felt by all. If you don't know Sophocles' story of Oedipus the King you can download it here http://classics.mit.edu/Sophocles/oedipus.html

Director Philip Crawford is a man of many talents, and I hope the Lyric realise how lucky they are to have him.  Clearly an amazing Director drawing the best out in young actors, he also brought the RSC Open Stages project to NI, allowing amateur companies the opportunity to compete to perform in Stratford.  I know first-hand what an amazing teacher he is, as he taught me GCSE Biology in school quite a few years ago, and he alone is the reason I kept it on at A level.  He also directed one of Northern Ireland's 5 star shows just finished at the Edinburgh Fringe, Happenstance's the Boat Factory starting Dan Gordon and Michael Condron.

I'd love to see a performance of Sophocles' Elektra, Aristophanes' Lysistrata or Aeschylus' The Persians in the Lyric. (Hint Hint)  


Karen

www.twitter.com/classygenes

Oedipus the King

I am really looking forward to seeing Oedipus at the Lyric Theatre on Friday night.  It is being produced by a company of young actors aged 17-19, supported by the Lyric's Creative and Technical teams.

I have always found it a particularly desolate tale. Oedipus is a seemingly wise man who can solve the riddle of the Sphinx when no-one else can.  His realisation that he is completely powerless against the passage of destiny is one that is repeated throughout Ancient myth.  

He never stands a chance.  Once the oracle has given its prophecy, there's no way out.

The tale teases us with hope though. We see Oedipus saved by a servant after being abandoned with his legs pinned together, we see him grow up in the court of a King, we see him beat the Sphinx, marry a Queen and have children.  But when disaster strikes in Greek myth and destiny catches up with you, you can be sure your fate will be extreme. 
And so it is for Oedipus.

I'm looking forward to seeing this translation of Sophocles' classic given a modern twist.  I do think it rather funny that the person directing the piece is my old Biology teacher, the classics consultant is my old University tutor and my husband is the Lighting Designer.  

I'm not sure what the Oracle would read in to all these coincidences but it certainly feels like I am destined to attend...

Karen

www.twitter.com/classygenes
    
   

D.R.A.G.

Tonight we went to see TheatreofplucK's D.R.A.G. at the Courtyard Theatre in Ballyearl.

I wasn't really sure what to expect as I had missed the nudity and strong language warnings on the flyer.  However I knew that it would be special because Niall Rea and Paul Boyd were involved.

In a lovely touch before the show had even started, the Director spoke to the audience in small groups, telling us a story and asking us for a contribution. Then we were ushered into the main theatre space where we could finish our drinks.  We were then directed behind the curtains and asked to sit around an intimate cube-shaped set.  What followed was a fantastic piece of theatre, not perfect, but thought provoking, well acted and indeed, Gorgeous.

It was easy to see that a lot of work had gone into pulling these stories and experiences together.  The show is built around the experiences of a man growing up and coming out during the Troubles.  We watch his painful metamorphosis as he attempts to find his identity, gradually blossoming into the King of Queens.

At the post show discussion, a question was asked about whether the Director had been purposefully controversial with the show.  Was he aiming to shock people with full frontal nudity, bad language or political imagery on the postcards?  The questioner had a valid point - that when she asked her friends to come to this kind of show, their answer would be 'No, that's not my kind of show'.

But when I think of my own religious straight friends, I could convince them to attend a show with full-frontal male nudity.  I could get the same friends to attend a show about paramilitaries.  I could get them to attend a show with bad language.  But I couldn't get them to attend a show named D.R.A.G.

And this is the sad truth - nudity, paramilitaries and bad language have become such a common everyday thing that these are deemed 'normal'. Everyone has heard bad language, everyone has seen nudity and paramilitaries were the norm for many years here in NI.  But how many people actually know a drag queen?  A transvestite?  Not that many.  The most controversial thing about this show is the man putting on his makeup, his wig, his tutu and finding an identity which is different to the norm.

I found the show thought provoking, humorous and at times uncomfortable. While TheatreofplucK describe themselves as 'Northern Ireland's first publicly funded queer theatre company', and D.R.A.G. is part of the Pride Festival, I don't believe the show is only for the LGBT community.

By the way Niall, if you're reading this, Sean Paul's very tightly folded piece of paper said 'Joyful Memories'.
I'll leave you to interpret exactly what that means!

Karen
www.twitter.com/classygenes
      


 

A little bit about me

Hello :-)

In order to practice my blogging skills for work, I've decided to set up both a Blogger and a Wordpress blog.  My previous McGarvey Genealogy blog is now being migrated to my new Wordpress blog Northern Irish Ancestry which allows me to talk about more than just McGarvey's!  I hope to build the Wordpress site into a complete family tree for both my family and my husband's family.  With over 1000 members in our combined trees, this may take a while to complete.

I have also decided to keep this as a small personal blog which will allow me to rant from time to time, upload embarrassing photographs, express my opinions and generally drool over Jeremy Renner and Uma Thurman. 

I have pretty varied interests, and I usually find that I have something in common with most people.  

My interests are: Genealogy, Ancient History, Classics, Performing Arts, Science Fiction and Fantasy. 

I have a particular interest in the reception of Greek and Roman Mythology and how this is reflected in our culture.  I also have a passion for the history of my local area, Belfast and for the history of Belfast's people.

Please do leave me a comment.  It would be nice to know if there's anybody out there :-)

Thanks

Classygenes