Nov–Feb 2018

NOV | DEC JAN | FEB 2017/18

O F FA LY ’ S C E N T R E F O R T H E A R T S

BOOKINGS 057 9122911 | www.birrtheatre.com

YO U R TRUSTED WEDDING D E S T I N AT I O N

OCTOBER – NOVEMBER

VISUAL ARTS AT THE FADE

BRÍGH STRAWBRIDGE-O’HAGAN Brígh Strawbridge-O'Hagan works in a variety of mediums and fields including drawing, oil, ink and watercolour painting and more. Her work is often inspired by culturally inherited narratives including those present in music, history and mythology as well as the landscapes and wildlife of her native Co. Wicklow. Nature and our connection with it is an integral part of her work. Brígh completed an Honours Degree in Fine Art from IADT in 2012 and has been involved in numerous projects, both solo and collaborative since. She was awarded the 2012 Residency at the Belmont Mill Studio in Co. Offaly. For more information or to contact the artist about bespoke commissions or classes please visit: www.brighstrawbridge.com. The exhibition runs until the end of November.

URBAN LANDSCAPE

DECEMBER – JANUARY

COMMON GROUND The 10th annual Common Ground, referring to a group of artists coming together to exhibit, will take the theme Urban Landscape this year and we are currently calling for local artists to submit work. The exhibition will be curated by a guest selector and it is intended the resulting exhibition will showcase the exceptional talent and diversity of visual artists in the Midlands today.

Urban Landscapes are defined as the combination of environmental and human phenomena that coexist together in a particular place on Earth's surface. Urban areas are some of the most striking examples of humanenvironment landscapes. They involve the highest levels of human activity and are often heavily shaped by environmental factors. In the visual arts an urban landscape is an artistic representation, such as a painting, drawing, print, photograph, etc of the physical aspects of a city or urban area. Full details regarding submitting on www.birrtheatre.com.

The exhibition runs until the end of January.

LAND, SEA & SKY

COME & MEET OUR WEDDING TEAM

Barry Loughnane

Conor Loughnane

L E T U S S TA R T P L A N N I N G Y O U R S P E C I A L D AY !

Family run by the Loughnane Family since 1962

MOORPARK , BIRR, COUNTY OFFALY Tel: 057 9120791 • info@countyarmshotel.com www.countyarmshotel.com

FEBRUARY – MARCH

ISABELLE GABORIT Isabelle is a contemporary artist, though her preferred medium of encaustic is ancient. In her studio located on the scenic shores of Lough Derg, County Clare, she has rekindled the ancient painting process of encaustics, an immediate and tactile painting method using molten pigmented beeswax. Her creative process involves the application of semi-transparent layers of wax, paint, and pigment, striving to create depth and translucency without compromising the spirit of the medium or subject matter. In this recent body of work, Isabelle has been compelled to explore the primal theme of light embedded in her connection to the ever changing Irish landscape. The works act as a reflective rendition of the remarkable light value of this land, composed entirely of the environment’s three most prominent physical characteristics, the Land, the Sea and the Sky. The exhibition runs until the middle of March.

NOV

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PHIL COULTER

Mid-Term Break

Wed 1 – Sat 4 November

Ireland’s Ambassador of Music SATURDAY 11 NOVEMBER

WORKSHOPS & LIVE PERFORMANCES FOR ALL THE FAMILY

www.h ullabaloof estival.ie

It’s now twenty years since the distinctive sound of Tranquility, featuring Phil’s piano and orchestra, first seduced the whole of Ireland with its easy melodic charm, before going on to make believers around the world. With record sales now counted in millions, as well as a Grammy nomination, several appearances in the White House and sold out international tours, it’s been quite a ride. Not that Phil Coulter had been a stranger to success in the music biz prior to that! In the twenty years before Tranquility he had achieved world-wide recognition as a hit songwriter, notching up chart entries with a diverse list of acts from Elvis Presley to Waylon Jennings, from Bobby Vinton to The Bay City Rollers. His production credits include Van Morrison, Sinéad O’Connor, Elvis Costello and Richard Harris while in Ireland his successes have ranged from the Dubliners to Planxty, from Paddy Reilly to the Furey Brothers. He has performed with everyone from James Galway and the London Symphony Orchestra to Nanci Griffith and The Blue Moon Orchestra, not to mention Henry Mancini, Elmer Bernstein and Quincy Jones! He has contributed at least four titles to the list of Great Irish Songs – the anthems The Town I Loved So Well and Ireland’s Call and the haunting Scorn Not His Simplicity and Steal Away.

8pm • €26

ROMANTIC TURMOIL

Film@BirrTheatre

LAND OF MINE TUESDAY 14 NOVEMBER Starring: Roland Møller, Louis Hofmann, Joel Basman

The Delmaine String Sextet SUNDAY 5 NOVEMBER A performance of the Sextet No. 2 in G major

by Johannes Brahms, accompanied by readings from the letters and journals of Brahms, Clara Schumann and Agathe von Siebold.

Brahms Second Sextet is a rich, romantic and complex work which reflects the composer’s confused emotional life in the preceding years.

This special performance is accompanied by readings which explore Brahms’ lifelong struggle to escape loneliness and to find love. It also features two of Brahms’ achingly beautiful songs of unrequited longing.

Performed by The Delmaine String Sextet with Michael James Ford, Bairbre Ní Chaoimh and Ava Dodd (soprano).

8pm • €15/€12/€8 students

Director: Martin Zandvliet Denmark, Germany, 2015 (Danish, English, German) 100 minutes | Cert: CLUB

*IMDb rating 7.8 8pm • €5/€3 s See 5 Film get 6th

FREE

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May 1945, German occupation of Denmark ends. A group of young POW’s are assigned to embittered Army Sgt. Rassmussen, their job is to neutralize and remove some 45,000 landmines the Nazis planted on a local beach. Promised that once their work is complete they will be free to return home the group are brutalised, starved and subjected to numerous humilitations by the liberated Danes. As Rassmussen begins to recognise the innocence and youth in his charges he softens to their plight, but can he save them? Based on true events, one of the many untold stories of WWII, this is a tense watch, a look at the inhumanity of war and how people can find our way back from it. “...a potent and accomplished feature…performances are stong...” – Denis Harvey, Variety

NOV

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AWAKE & SING PRODUCTIONS

100 MORE LIKE THESE

Director: Thomas Kruithof Belgium / France, 2016 (French) 88 minutes | Cert: CLUB

*IMDb rating 6.3 8pm • €5/€3 s See 5 Film get 6th

Written by Larry O’Loughlin

FREE

Adapted & Performed by Stephen Jones

Film@BirrTheatre

SCRIBE (La mécanique de l’ombre) TUESDAY 21 NOVEMBER Starring: François Cluzet, Denis Podalydès, Sami Bouajila

FRIDAY 17 NOVEMBER During the American-Mexican War (1846–48) some 3,000 immigrant soldiers deserted the US Army with more than 500 of these – mainly Irish – joining the Mexican side where, led by John Riley from Galway, they fought as The San Patricio Battalion. Mexicans still hold the brave Irish soldiers in high esteem. Performed

by Tallaght actor/playwright Stephen Jones (Red Rock, Love/Hate), the play tells the story from the point of view of Thomas O’Byrne, who finds himself caught up in the war while trying to escape arrest! The play’s title is taken from a quote attributed to the Mexican leader, General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna.

“With a hundred more like these men of Riley’s, I could have won this war!” **** “Gripping… Excellent Performance… A hugely enjoyable one man play.” – The Irish Mail on Sunday “This moving testament to these forgotten heroes” – The Sunday Times “Jones in this performance is a force of nature” – The Red Curtain Review 8pm • €16/€14

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Duval (François Cluzet – The Intouchables, Little White Lies) is a recovering alcoholic struggling to find a job. One day, the mysterious Clement (Denis Podalydès) offers him a high-paying job transcribing tape recordings. After taking up the unusual offer, Duval quickly finds himself in morally and legally dubious territory. He reluctantly becomes embroiled in a shadowy world of paranoia, political scandal and ultimately violence...

Embracing the spirit of 1970s conspiracy thrillers like The Conversation, Scribe is a taut, moody thriller that feels endearingly old school. From the mysterious setup to the life-or-death climax, this is an affectionate homage that also updates the classics to reflect the seedy underbelly of modern politics.

THE 4 OF US

Annual Offaly Heritage Seminar SATURDAY 18 NOVEMBER Offaly Heritage Office hosts the annual Offaly Heritage Seminar to provide an update on heritage projects in Offaly during 2017 and an opportunity for those interested in heritage to meet. There will be a choice of site visits and field trips in the morning followed by an afternoon seminar here at Birr Theatre featuring: Dr Claudia Kinmonth, specialist in Irish Country Furniture discussing ‘Carrigeen thatched farmhouse: the context, contents and conservation of a sleeping beauty’; Dr Brian Caffrey of BirdWatch Ireland on the Offaly Swift Project; An overview of county projects by Amanda Pedlow, Heritage Officer; and The Creative Ireland project Mary Ward’s Amazing World of Wonder coordinated

by Caroline Conway and Tina Claffey.

2–5pm • No Charge Booking Required at heritage@offalycoco.ie or call 057 9346839

Offaly County Council Comhairle Chontae Uíbh Fhailí

FRIDAY 24 NOVEMBER The 4 Of Us have been a part of Irish music history for over a quarter of a century.

Formed and fronted by Newry-born brothers Brendan and Declan Murphy, they shot to early fame towards the end of 1989 with their debut Songs for the Tempted, which featured the massive hits Mary and Drag My Bad Name Down. To date, the Murphy brothers have notched up an enviable catalogue of timeless songs, including six Top 20 Irish charting albums while their music has also been featured extensively on American, UK, and Irish TV soundtracks. Sugar Island, their latest album explores the brothers’ early years growing up in Northern Ireland.

This concert will see the brothers in an up-tempo acoustic setting – expect some beautiful songs, both new and old, stunning interplay and great stories from the road.

8pm • €21

NOV

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SATURDAY 25 NOVEMBER Back by popular demand! Pat Shortt returns which his show How’s Tings? which sold out in Birr last year. In a night of music and mayhem, Ireland’s most popular comedian explores all sorts of tings.

Big tings and little tings. Personal tings and tings that are not so personal.

Important international tings and tings that only affect the parish. In Shortt, it’s a funny show about tings!!

8pm • €29

“Dangerously funny.”

Director: Kelly Reichardt USA, 2016 (English) 107 minutes | Cert: 12A

*IMDb rating 6.6

Film@BirrTheatre

8pm • €5/€3

CERTAIN WOMEN

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onstageblog.com, New York

C Y C LO N E R E P P R E S E N T

THE SHAKESPEARE SESSIONS MONDAY 27 NOVEMBER & TUESDAY 28 NOVEMBER

The Shakespeare Sessions are entertaining and engaging studentcentred performances of Shakespeare texts. Each performance includes a scholarly review clarifying the main themes as well as discussions with the students and the opportunity to participate. Cyclone Rep’s Shakespeare Sessions will guide Junior Cert and Leaving Cert learners in their understanding of The Bard’s masterpieces.

MONDAY 27 NOVEMBER 9.45am THE ROMEO & JULIET SESSION Modern performers are directed on stage by the bard himself whose 16th century attitudes & demeanour clash with today’s: arguments, discussion and enlightenment ensue.

1pm KING LEAR SESSION REBOOT A group of conflicted actors and a director perform the story of Lear and in the process make a journey of self discovery.

TUESDAY 28 NOVEMBER 9.45am THE MACBETH SESSION Come and solve the puzzle that is Macbeth!

The mystery and magic of The Scottish Play as you’ve never seen it before!

1pm THE MERCHANT SESSION The most interactive of Cyclone Rep’s shows, with an entertaining and informative synthesis of analysis and performance, highlighting what a fine comedy it is.

All shows 120 mins (includes Q&A session) For more details on each show, please visit www.cyclonerep.com.

To book contact Cyclone Rep directly: 021 2355356 / info@cyclonerep.com / www.cyclonerep.com €15 (Teachers & SNAs: FREE)

TUESDAY 28 NOVEMBER Starring: Michelle Williams, Kristen Stewart, Laura Dern, Lily Gladstone

Adapting three short stories by Montana writer Maile Meloy, Kelly Reichardts’ quietly resonate film, explores the interconnected lives of four disparate Montana women. Expertly and delicately plotted, Certain Women captures subtly transformative periods in each of their lives. Plotted across three vignettes – a lawyer (Laura Dern) is badgered by an obstinate client (Jared Harris), a mother (Michelle Williams) acquires a pile of sandstone bricks from an elderly family friend and Jamie (Lily Gladstone) a ranch hand who becomes besotted with Beth (Kristen Stewart), a young lawyer who is teaching a night class. Framed amidst the beautiful Montana landscape, the film chronicles their frustration, success and desires. Certain Women is a quiet, understated film which belies a unique emotional depth.

*IMDb rating 8.1 8pm • €5/€3 s See 5 Film get 6th

FREE

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CLASH

Director: Mohamed Diab Egypt, France, 2017 (Arabic) 97 minutes | Cert: CLUB

TUESDAY 5 DECEMBER Starring: Nelly Karim, Hani Adel, El Sebaii Mohamed

The Egyptian revolution that dislodged Hosni Mubarak in 2011 and its chaotic aftermath continues to give us some fascinating films. Here is the latest. The year is 2013, the army has just unseated Mohamed Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood, and pro-army and pro-MB factions clash on the streets. A reporter and photographer are arrested and thrown into the back of a police van, which is the sole camera setting; soon, other demonstrators from both sides are chucked in – along with, in one particularly chaotic scene, a lenient cop. They are crowded in there for hours in the boiling heat with no water and a plastic bottle to pee in.

Through the grille-meshed window they get glimpses of the turmoil on the city streets. At first, it looks like a no-budget movie with about a dozen people shot in a single location, but the director, Mohamed Diab, stages some spectacular riot scenes outside, which are all the more staggering for intruding on this enclosed space so unexpectedly. What a dynamic piece of cinema.

DEC

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T H E TA L I S M A N T H E AT R E C O M PA N Y

A concert of choral and seasonal song from Birr’s newest children’s choir!

With guests Dylan Rooney (baritone) and Breffni Fitzpatrick (soprano).

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND!

WEDNESDAY 6, SUNDAY 10 & MONDAY 11 DECEMBER

FRIDAY 8 DECEMBER

This clever twist on the timeless story is a merry mix of music and magic and tells the tale of a young Rudolph who runs away to the North Pole wilderness.

After a series of funny and endearing adventures, Rudolph meets some Goblins, who persuade him to return home to the North Pole with a surprise present for Santa. However, surprise turns to nightmare when the entire North Pole is suddenly covered by a thick blanket of fog which threatens to ruin Christmas! Can the world’s most famous reindeer and a holly jolly cast of festive characters, help Santa save Christmas?

Set up by Birr Festival of Music & Voice, in partnership with Music Generation Offaly/Westmeath, Birr Young Voices’ beautiful performance was a highlight of the Festival in May. Under the direction of Ailbhe Kelly and Cathríona Walsh, over 40 children who love to sing, now present a wonderful selection of classic and modern choral work, performed in their unique style. Dylan Rooney and Breffni Fitzpatrick, both studying for B.A. Music Performance Degrees at the RIAM, were multi award-winners at Feis Ceoil 2016 and 2017. They are delighted to return to Birr to perform with Birr Young Voices, with some sparkling duets and solos completing what promises to be an evening of delight! On this opening day of the Christmas season, take time out with family and friends to experience the beauty and charm of Christmas with Birr Young Voices!

Running time approx 55mins / No intermission.

Ideal for ages 3 to 7; however, it’s suitable for all ages.

Early booking is suggested for this ALL-TIME CHRISTMAS FAVOURITE! FAMILY PERFORMANCES Sunday 10 December at 3pm & 5pm • All tickets €12 Book Family Show directly with Birr Theatre Box Office SCHOOL PERFORMANCES Wednesday 6 December at 10am & 12.30pm Monday 11th December at 10am, 11.15am & 12.45pm Prices: Adult: €13.50 /Child: €12.50 School/Group Rate: €10 One teacher free with every 10 child tickets sold.

To book for a school performance please call our dedicated schools booking line 087-6363075 and ask for Olga.

8pm • €15/€10 (2 adults/2 children €40)

*IMDb rating 7.5 8pm • €5/€3 s See 5 Film get 6th

FREE

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Film@BirrTheatre

FRANTZ

Director: Francois Ozon France, Germany, 2016 (French, German) 113 minutes | Cert: CLUB

TUESDAY 12 DECEMBER Starring: Pierre Niney, Paula Beer, Ernst Stotzner

Francois Ozon’s romantic drama, set in post WW1 Germany centres on a grieving woman, Anna, who finds a young Frenchman, Adrien, laying flowers at the grave of her fiancé. Revealing himself to be an old friend of the deceased man he is invited into the lives of Frantz’s grieving parents and Anna, captivating them with this new connection to their departed loved one. But was there more to their relationship than is being revealed? As Adrien reignites an obsolete joy in Anna, the possibilities of life open up to her again, a change reflected as the film changes from monochrome to colour. Set against the backdrop of a defeated Germany, a powerful anti war message reverberates throughout the film.

“A richly imagined and superbly assembled period piece.”

– Boyd Van Hoeij, The Hollywood Reporter

DEC

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Niamh Parsons voice Ciarán Tourish fiddle/whistle Liam Kelly flute/whistle John Doyle guitar/voice FRIDAY 12 JANUARY

FRIDAY 15 DECEMBER Listen... you could hear a pin drop. Such was the reaction when Ryan Tubridy invited Eimear to sing ‘O Holy Night’ on his radio show in the run up to Christmas.

Eimear’s version of this ever-popular carol has since become synonymous with the season. In this intimate and spiritual night, Eimear will bring her own special rendition of Christmas songs and carols to Birr for a memorable musical experience where her ethereal voice will blend beautifully with String Quartet and Guitar. Allow yourself to sit back and let the hustle and bustle fade away. The Christmas season begins right here, so let your spirit be moved!

8pm • €20/€18

Music Network is delighted to present an exciting new collaboration featuring four luminaries from Irish traditional super-groups Altan, Dervish, Arcady and Patrick Street. The rich and earthy voice of Niamh Parsons will be complemented by music making of the highest calibre, showcasing why our traditional music has won the hearts of audiences both at home and throughout the globe. With playing styles that perfectly capture its spirit and energy, these musicians will deliver a mix of both fiery and sensitively played instrumentals interspersed with beautifully crafted song arrangements, while Parsons, a songstress with a voice of rare beauty, is perfectly poised to communicate the emotional honesty and pathos of our bestloved songs. With music that draws on the rich experiences of artists who have been at the forefront of many of the tradition’s finest moments over the past number of decades, this concert is going to be truly special.

See profiles for each of the musicians on our website.

8pm • €16/€14 (under 13s €8)

DOYLE ON GUITAR HAS RISEN TO A LEVEL OCCUPIED BY HIM ALONE. NO ONE IN IRISH TRADITIONAL MUSIC IS A BETTER GUITARIST THAN HIM RIGHT NOW Earle Hitchener, The Wall Street Journal and The Irish Echo (formerly)

A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN WITH A CHERUB’S VOICE THAT FLOATS IN AN ETHEREAL CLOUD OF ITS OWN MAKING The Sunday Independent

EXQUISITE SINGING

A TREMENDOUS MUSICIAN

The Guardian [on Parsons]

Hot Press [on Tourish]

BOOKING YOUR TICKETS Tickets are non-refundable and must be paid for at time of booking.

Please have your credit/debit card ready.

All ticket prices include €1 transaction fee.

Box Office: Open Monday to Friday: 1–5.30pm 057 9122911

BOOK ONLINE: WWW.BIRRTHEATRE.COM

SLIGO HAS A REPUTATION FOR ITS RICHLY RHYTHMIC FLUTE STYLE, AND DERVISH’S LIAM KELLY IS ONE OF ITS FINEST EXPONENTS The Irish Times [on Kelly]

JAN

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DON’T MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SEE CIARA PERFORM A NUMBER OF SOLO PERFORMANCES CASSANDRA KENNY SCHOOL OF BALLET

Two performances by pupils of the Cassandra Kenny School of Dance and guest starring former student CIARA O’ROURKE.

SATURDAY 13 JANUARY & SUNDAY 14 JANUARY Students will perform a diverse programme that is sure to enthral and delight.

Demonstrating the different technique and styles required for the levels the students are currently working towards, there will be something for everyone. From Classical Ballet to more contemporary and character dances, even the very young dancers will have you believing in fairies once again. Visit their Woodland School and see! Don’t miss this opportunity to see Birr’s Ciara O’Rourke perform a number of solo performances here at home – a long way from her recent performance in London alongside the principal soloists of the world renowned Bolshoi Ballet at the London Palladium. Ciara (age 17) is currently studying at London Russian Ballet School (LRBS) since June 2017 as she pursues a career in professional ballet. All proceeds from these performances will go towards helping to support Ciara in her full-time study.

Saturday performance 7pm, Sunday matinee 4pm • €15/€10 (2 adults & 2 kids €40)

40th ANNIVERSARY TOUR

FRIDAY 19 JANUARY Hear The Fureys timeless classics including I Will Love You, When You Were Sweet 16, The Green Fields of France, Red Rose Café, Steal Away and so many more plus songs from their new CD The Times they are a Changing. An evening of many emotions promised...tears and laughter, sadness and joy!

The band was formed in 1978 literally by accident. George, Paul and Davey were playing in Denmark with their own band called the Buskers and Eddie and Finbar, while touring in Germany were involved in a road accident. When George and Paul got news of the accident they immediately travelled to Germany to be with their brothers. They then decided that they should all be playing together and this was the start of the FUREYS. Inevitably changes have occurred over 40 years.

Their brother Paul died suddenly in June 2002 and Finbar left the band in December 1996, however George and Eddie have continued to delight audiences on their tours and have just released a new CD ‘The Times they are a Changing’.

8pm • €26

*IMDb rating 6.9

Film@BirrTheatre

8pm • €5/€3

THE MIDWIFE

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Director: Martin Provost France, 2017 (French) 117 minutes | Cert: 15A

TUESDAY 16 JANUARY Starring: Pierre Catherine Deneuve, Catherine Frot, Olivier Gourmet

Director Martin Provost (Violette, Seraphine) unites two of France’s favourite actors in his tender comedy drama about female friendship and rediscovery. Catherine Deneuve and Catherine Frot play very different women whose shaky reconnection after a number of decades allows them both to learn valuable life lessons from one another. Claire (Frot) is the conscientious Midwife of the title, a single mother whose reservations and self-restraint have left her living an isolated life. Until the day her deceased fathers ex-girlfriend makes contact. Beatrice (Deneuve) is a free spirited, professional gambler who wishes to reconnect with Claire’s father. Shocked at the news that he has passed away she implants herself into Claire’s life instead, bringing chaos, joy and memories of happier times.

“A bittersweet delight…rich, thoughtful, frequently funny” Lisa Nesselson, Screen International

JAN

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THE BEGUILED

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Director: Sofia Coppola USA, 2017 (English) 93 minutes | Cert: 15A

TUESDAY 23 JANUARY *IMDb rating 6.6

Starring: Nicole Kidman, Kirsten Dunst, Elle Fanning, Colin Farrell

*IMDb rating 7.5

8pm • €5/€3

Sophia Coppola won the best director award at the Cannes Film Festival for her revamp of Don Siegel‘s 1971 film. Coppola crafts an atmosphere of dreaminess and softness, where repressed desires surface in this southern gothic tale of female sexual jealousy. Set in 1864 during the American Civil War in the sun-dappled state of Virginia, a wounded Union soldier (Farrell) is given shelter within an all-female boarding school. His allure soon awakens sexual feelings in Marta (Kidman), Edwina (Dunst) and Alicia (Fanning). Placing the seven women of the boarding house and their potent desires at it’s centre, The Beguiled builds to a deadly conclusion. With vivid and invested performances, Coppola has crafted a sumptuously provoking film.

‘The charge in Sofia Coppola’s remarkable film is sexual, and intense.’ – Wall Street Journal ‘Farrell balances charm with opportunism’ – The Irish Times ‘Coppola tells the story with terrific gusto and insouciant wit’ –

8pm • €5/€3

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The Guardian

PA U L A L A M B E R T P U P P E T S

SLAPSTICK, SILLY & UTTERLY SPECTACULAR FROM START TO FINISH

SUNDAY 28 JANUARY

The Irish Examiner

Entertaining both children and adults for over four decades, The Lambert Puppet Theatre is widely recognised as the premier touring puppet theatre company in Ireland, the UK and Europe. From its earliest beginning the Lambert family has been involved with RTÉ TV, working the hugely popular series Wanderly Wagon featuring the late Eugene Lambert and Judge. Paula Lambert was the voice of Bosco on TV for seventeen years and indeed Bosco is still a firm favourite with the younger children and will make a nostalgic appearance in the opening part of this show. This is a beautifully produced show with large puppets and colourful sets and is suitable for an age group up to ten years of age.

2pm • €11 (4 tickets for €39)

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AFTER THE STORM Umi yori mo mada fukaku

Director: Hirokazu Koreeda Japan, 2017 (Japanese) 117 minutes | Cert: PG

TUESDAY 30 JANUARY Starring: Abe Hiroshi, Maki Yoko, Yoshizawa Taiyo, Kiki Kilin, Lily Franky, Hashizume Isao

Ryota wastes the money he makes as a private detective on gambling and can barely pay child support. After the death of his father, his aging mother and beautiful ex-wife seem to be moving on with their lives. Renewing contact with his initially distrusting family, Ryota struggles to take back control of his existence and to find a lasting place in the life of his young son – until a stormy summer night offers them a chance to truly bond again.

FEB

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Songs OXMANTOWN SINGERS

pleasure for your

SUNDAY 4 FEBRUARY Director: Deirdre Hanniffy • Accompanist: Marie Power Established in 1991, the aim of the Oxmantown Singers, is to enable young singers to study vocal development both from a Classical and Music Theatre perspective.

Students participate in Royal Irish Academy of Music examinations, Feis Ceoil, Midland Feis Ceoil, Concert Performances and Junior/Leaving Certificate preparation.

Many have achieved excellent results in their exams including medal winners at Feis.

Their annual performance generates a Graduate Bursary for those pursuing a career in voice. This year they will be joined on stage by Dylan Rooney (baritone) and Breffni Fitzpatrick (soprano) both of whom are this year’s bursary recipients.

4.30pm • €12/€10

Film@BirrTheatre

LOVING VINCENT

Directors: Dorota Kobiela, Hugh Welchman Poland, United Kingdom 2017 (English) 95 minutes | Cert: 12

TUESDAY 6 FEBRUARY Starring: Douglas Booth, Robert Gulaczyk, Saoirse Ronan, Chris O’Dowd, Aidan Turner, Jerome Flynn

*IMDb rating 8.0 8pm • €5/€3 s See 5 Film get 6th

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Over 62,000 oil paintings and a cast including Chris O’Dowd and Saoirse Ronan bring the story of Vincent Van Gogh’s life and death to the screen in the world’s first feature-length painted animation. It sounds mad: inspired by a letter Vincent Van Gogh penned in the week before he died, in which he noted that “we cannot speak other than by our paintings”, Oscar-winning filmmaker Hugh Welchman (Peter and the Wolf) and Polish painter Dorota Kobiela decided to make a movie doing exactly that. Hiring an army of painters from across Europe, each trained in the Dutch master’s style, they set out to tell his story the way he himself would. Consequently, every single frame of the resulting film, Loving Vincent, is an oil painting (12 per second!); the noir-like detective plot is drawn from the artist’s many letters; and the cast – O’Dowd and Ronan alongside Douglas Booth, Helen McCrory, Aidan Turner and more, with music by Clint Mansell – were chosen based on their likeness to real-life characters in Van Gogh’s works. But the results, accordingly, speak for themselves.

A truly astonishing visual feast, Loving Vincent demands to be seen on the biggest of screens.

B U Y O N L I N E W W W. B I R R T H E AT R E . C O M

TIM EDEY

UTTERLY FANTASTIC. SHEER, WONDERFUL EBULLIENT MUSIC Mike Harding

TIM EDEY PLAYS A HOST OF DIFFERENT INSTRUMENTS TO A STANDARD US MERE MORTALS CAN ONLY DREAM OF – LISTEN & WEEP Jim Byrne, The Living Tradition

FRIDAY 9 FEBRUARY TIM EDEY BBC Radio Two’s Musician of the Year 2012 (BBC R2 FOLK AWARDS) multi-instrumentalist and singer, has toured the world and recorded with most of the major names in Celtic/Contemporary roots music including; The Chieftains, Christy Moore, Sharon Shannon, Michael McGoldrick, Seamus Begley, Lunasa, Mary Black, Frankie Gavin to name but a few. Tim now a name on the world stage in his own right after seventeen years of hard work, is rated by many to be one of the world’s finest ever melodeon and guitar players in the folk and contemporary scene today! Originally from Broadstairs in Kent and of Irish descent, Tim honed his style learning from his father Richard a fine guitarist and listening to Ed Boyd, Steve Cooney and Django Reinhardt. He has lived in Ireland and now resides in Perthshire, Scotland where he is based with his family and from where he regularly tours all over the world. Tim’s live solo shows are a stunning mix of world music inspired instrumental virtuosity and passion with a strong Celtic theme, to audience – chorus lines and above all a highly entertaining night of musical genius.

8pm • €16 (€10 under 13s)

Film@BirrTheatre

ROSALIE BLUM

Director: Julien Rappeneau France 2017 (French) 95 minutes | Cert: CLUB

TUESDAY 13 FEBRUARY Starring: Noémie Lvovsky, Kyan Khojandi, Alice Isaaz, Sara Giraudeau

*IMDb rating 6.8 8pm • €5/€3 s See 5 Film get 6th

FREE

Collect your loyalty card at Box Office

Melbourne International Film Festival 2018 Presented with the support of the French Embassy and the Institut Français

Rosalie Blum is a quirky, cockles-warming adaptation of the eponymous graphic-novel trilogy by French artist Camille Jourdy. Debuting writer-director Julien Rappeneau follows Jourdy’s lead and also plays around with narrative structure and audience expectations to keep an otherwise rather familiar story of lonely hearts and wacky-cutesy humour fresh and engaging. The film centres on Vincent, a shy hairdresser in a provincial French town whose overbearing mother lives one floor up in the same building. But life sometimes surprises even the most cautious – He meets up with Rosalie Blum, a mysterious and lonely woman, he is convinced to have already met her. But where? Intrigued, he decides to follow her everywhere, hoping to learn more.

FEB

S I G N U P T O D AY F O R O U R E - N E W S L E T T E R

B U Y O N L I N E W W W. B I R R T H E AT R E . C O M

Dirt Birds

Karl says:

DON’T EXPECT MASSIVE WEIGHT LOSS OR BODY TRANSFORMATIONS OR BERNARD BEING FUNNY

LIVE

FRIDAY 2 MARCH

STAND-UP WITH

BERNARD O’SHEA & KARL SPAIN

FAT

Dirt Birds internet sensation are landing in Offaly for one night only! Don’t miss this hilarious, laugh a minute comedy show. Catch Dublin north siders Carmel and Debs as they chat about life, love and the ever changing size of Kim Kardashian’s arse. South side sickeners Eleanor and Emer will be competing about everything whilst pretending their lives are sooo amazing and of course the not so beautiful beauty bloggers Dee and Andrea will be giving their latest beauty ‘tips from da town’. A brilliant girls night out!

8pm • €18/€16

CHANCERS

SATURDAY 17 FEBRUARY

Comedians Karl Spain and Bernard O’Shea have decided to drop a few pounds together and go on tour. The two comedians will be performing stand-up around Ireland in 2017 and 2018.

8pm • €18/€16

THESE BRILLIANTLY FUNNY BEAUTY TUTORIALS FROM DIRT BIRDS DUO WILL HAVE YOU IN STITCHES The Sun

SINEAD CULBERT & SUE COLLINS HAVE STRUCK GOLD WITH THEIR HILARIOUS DIRT BIRDS SKETCHES Film@BirrTheatre

IN THE NAME OF PEACE: JOHN HUME IN AMERICA

Directors: Maurice Fitzpatrick Ireland 2017 (English) 90 minutes | Cert: ?

The Independent

TUESDAY 20 FEBRUARY Featuring: Bill Clinton, Jimmy Carter, John Major, Tony Blair, Bertie Ahern

8pm • €5/€3 s See 5 Film get 6th

FREE

Collect your loyalty card at Box Office

John Hume saw that by harnessing the political influence of the Irish American diaspora in Washington it was possible address the legacy of colonial division in Ireland and to achieve peace. In the Name of Peace: John Hume in America is a compelling feature documentary, narrated by Liam Neeson, with dramatic footage from the conflict in Northern Ireland and stirring accounts by former Presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter as well as US Congressmen and Senators. This film shows how one man with courage and charisma, inspired by Martin Luther King, mobilised Irish Americans and America to bring an end to years of bloody violence in his homeland.

With musical score by Bill Whelan (Riverdance), this beautiful film reminds us of the redemptive powers of politics to overcome hatred and division: in the words of Hume’s fellow Derryman, Seamus Heaney, when, ‘once in a lifetime, the longed-for tidal wave of justice can rise up, and hope and history rhyme’. At a time of great world instability, this is a timely film highlighting creative leadership and the need for steady international co-operation. – Irish Screen America

THURSDAY 8 MARCH

THE SHOW IS GREAT, MY BROTHER WOULD BE PROUD Tommy Cash

Direct from Cambridge, Ohio, The No 1 Johnny Cash Show across the USA The Man In Black returns to Ireland for a nationwide tour, after sensational reaction and a completely sold out tour last February. Featuring Terry Lee Goffee and his band, this is one show you won’t want to miss. He sings like Johnny and he looks like Johnny and he performs just like the great man, with energy, charisma and vitality! He regularly performs in theatres all over the USA to great acclaim. Johnny’s siblings, Tommy Cash and Joanne Cash Yeats, have joined him on stage to sing Johnny’s songs during his tours.

8pm • €22/€20

IT'S A WONDERFUL SHOW, I WOULD RECOMMEND IT TO ANYONE, YOU DON’T IMPERSONATE MY BROTHER, YOU PAY TRIBUTE WITH HONOUR & TERRY DOES THIS IN SPADES Joanne Cash Yates

BOOKING Tickets are non-refundable and must be paid for at time of booking.

Please have your credit/debit card ready. All ticket prices include €1 transaction fee.

Box Office: Open Monday – Friday: 1 – 5.30pm 057 9122911 Online: www.birrtheatre.com where you can select your seat (no additional charges).

Cheques payable to Birr Stage Guild Ltd. In the final hour before a show only tickets for that performance can be processed. To comply with fire regulations children (even babies) must have a ticket.

CONCESSIONS We offer concession rates, where possible, to students, under 18’s, senior citizens, unemployed and disabled. Current I.D. is essential to avail of these concessions.

GROUP RATES Group rates are available. Please enquire at Box Office.

LATECOMERS All performances start at 8pm (unless otherwise stated). Doors open 30 minutes before performance. Performances will start on time – please don’t be late! Latecomers will not be admitted until there is a suitable break, which in some cases may be the interval.

DISABLED ACCESS Birr Theatre and Arts Centre is accessible for wheelchair users.

We also have a house wheelchair for your use. This can be booked for a performance or the chair can be used to bring you from your car to your seat (please note: there are two steps to the front row seats). Please make your requirements known at the time of booking. It is advisable to book in advance.

CHILDREN Children must be accompanied by an adult at all performances.

FOOD & DRINK Wine, beer, coffee and soft drinks will be available during the interval.

No food and drink permitted in the auditorium.

PARKING There is ample street parking. However we remind you we are located in a residential area and ask you to be conscious not to block private entrances.

MAILING LIST Join our mailing list now by emailing info@birrtheatre.com or leave your details at reception. Ensure to leave your mobile number for regular text reminders.

FURTHER INFORMATION Birr Theatre & Arts Centre Oxmantown Hall, Birr, Co Offaly Box Office: 057 9122911 Email: info@birrtheatre.com Web: www.birrtheatre.com Venue Manager: Emma Nee Haslam

Comhairle Chontae Uíbh Fhailí Offaly County Council

This project is supported by the Department of Social Protection and Pobal through the Community Services Programme.

Information correct at time of print. Sometimes changes are unavoidable and we apologise for same.

Call Box Office or check local press for further details.

DESIGN AND PRINT: BROSNA PRESS 090 6454327