2019 JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCH APRIL
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Tel: 01-2724030 WWW.MERMAIDARTSCENTRE.IE
WELCOME Another year ends and we excitedly start a new one, full of hope and anticipation. There are mixed opinions on whether or not you should share your goals with others. Derek Sivers (on TEDGlobal) says even just expressing your goals makes them more like new year’s resolutions in that, they are much less likely to happen. He outlines the psychological trick at play called ‘social reality’ in that when you express your goals, your mind tricks you into believing actual progress has been made when it has not. There are other experts however who say sharing a goal with someone can lead to a greater sense of accountability or even create a partner to assist. David DiSalvo (a Forbes contributor) says research indicates that sharing and engaging friends and family in what you’re trying to accomplish can increase your chances of success. It is on that note that we in Mermaid share our goals at this time of year, not our new years’ resolutions, but our goals and beliefs. In 2019, Mermaid will not do anything just for profile, prestige or status. On their own those dilute not only what we enjoy but our beliefs. We are going to keep a constant check on what we value and what motivates us in order to ensure we have more sustainable rewards for our artists and our audiences. We are going to try at all times to be openminded and generous with our time and in giving credit. We will not be critics but celebrators because we believe in the importance and power of understanding and being understood. We are going to live and work embracing uncertainty and mystery and therefore allow ourselves (to borrow from Maria Popova) ‘the uncomfortable luxury of changing our minds’. We will take time to form opinions and will remain at all times open to being persuaded by others to amend and adjust our beliefs. We are not going to measure our successes just by our productivity and earnings. Both are important, but we want to resist the culture of productivity-fetishism and try to revive the understanding of leisure as essential to the human spirit. We live in a society where workaholism is rampant and this has led to so many of us mistaking making living for having a life. We are going to choose presence over productivity. Aristotle stated: “This is the main question, with what activity one’s leisure is filled.” Some of mankinds most significant achievements were sparked in leisure, in moments of unburdened thought. Leisure is not necessary for our existence, but it is necessary for our wellbeing. In our busy lives we will never find enough time for leisure we need to make time. ‘Our leisure, instead of being something passive, can actually be an act of resistance. It could be the most countercultural and spiritual thing we do for ourselves’ (A Theology of Rest). We hope perhaps this year some of the theatre, music, comedy and dance we programme might help you make the time to fill your vital leisure time. Please join us, listen to new voices, see new things, distract and fulfil yourself and your family. Niamh O’Donnell (Artistic Director) and The Mermaid Team 3
MERMAID SPACE
In Mermaid we ensure we keep artists and audiences at our heart. We believe in the importance of self expression and the right of every citizen to have the opportunity to be part of and engage in cultural activity. Mermaid Space is our residency programme which helps us ensure we’re not just a centre which shows work but also a space where work is created, where it is made. Our residencies confirm our commitment to supporting artists to make work in Wicklow and we’re particularly interested in work that is relevant to our day to day lives. We also endeavour to support the work of artists around the country because we understand the importance of connectivity and partnership in ensuring success. This season we will expand existing relationships as well as introduce ourselves and you to new artists and their work.
CLÉA VAN DER GRIJN
Mermaid recently partnered with four arts centres and galleries to support the making of a new body of work called JUMP, by visual artist Cléa van der Grijn. We commissioned Cléa to make a new film with three collaborators Michael Cummins, Joseph P. Hunt and Ciaran Carty, and to create 30 paintings alongside the film. We exhibited the new body of work in Mermaid in Sept / Oct 2018 and we are now on tour with the exhibition. JUMP opened on 24th November 2018 in The Linenhall Arts Centre in Castlebar, Mayo. The next spaces are The Courthouse Gallery & Studios, Ennistymon (Clare) in January and February 2019, The Solomon Gallery, Dublin in March 2019 and the Hamilton Gallery, Sligo in April/May 2019. This project represents how successful we can be working in partnership to support artists to make work. It also assists us to build their profile around the country creating almost six months of quality programme and engagement opportunities for rural audiences. (This tour has been funded through the Arts Council Touring Programme).
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MERMAID SPACE
GAP DAY
Last season we announced the return of Gap Day, an initiative led by Lian Bell (funded through the Arts Council Theatre Development Programme). This really important initiative offers freelance theatre artists one or two paid creative days where dreaming, thinking and planning time is valued. In 2016 we supported 15 artists in 8 counties with 24 paid days. In 2017 we were even more ambitious and increased our support to include 33 artists in 13 counties with a total of 54 paid days. The exciting thing about Gap Day is that even though it seems like a small offer, it is a real chance for breathing space and creative thinking – it represents a true and genuine offer of care for an artist’s creative working environment, working conditions and creative wellbeing. Artists will be selected from an open call (launched in early December 2018) and over January to March 2019 work will start around the country. Check our website and we’ll let you know how to apply, who is selected and what exciting plans each artist has hatched.
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MERMAID SPACE
LOUISE LEWIS
In January and early February we have Louise Lewis in Mermaid to start work on her new piece called The Aid Worker and the Girl. Louise is an award winning writer, actor and theatre maker. In this new piece she is asking questions. What’s it like to love someone who travels to some of the most deprived countries in the world to do their job? What do you have for breakfast before you drop them to the airport? How many times is it ok to tell them you love them, without it sounding clingy? From the Ebola drenched graveyards of Sierra Leone to the isolation of the Congolese jungle, what’s it like to love an Aid Worker? Incorporating collected research from questionnaires from loved ones of aid workers worldwide alongside autobiographical material Louise aims to begin the journey to create a visually stimulating theatre piece around the lives of Aid Workers and the people they leave behind.
THEATRE LOVETT
We are sad to say we’re coming to the end of our Residency by Theatre Artists Muireann Ahern and Louis Lovett of Theatre Lovett. Over the past eight months they have hosted workshops with Mr Sands Youth Theatre and worked intensively in the Mermaid Theatre developing their newest work FRNKNSTN which premiered at the Abbey Theatre in August last year. Before we say our final goodbyes, Theatre Lovett will work with students from the wonderful Sheevawn Musical Youth Theatre and drama students from Templecarraig School Greystones in two interactive workshops on stage presence and performance methods in January.
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MERMAID SPACE
AISLING BYRNE LISA WALSH & SHAUN DUNNE
The next two projects are great success stories. In 2017 Mermaid supported Talking Shop Ensemble, Aisling Byrne, Lisa Walsh and Shaun Dunne, with financial, administrative and mentoring support to create a new work called RAPIDS. The piece looked at instances of disclosure and the presence of stigma in the lives of men and women who are HIV+ in Ireland. They presented RAPIDS as part of Dublin Theatre Festival in 2017 and now have a seven venue tour around the country (funded by an Arts Council Touring Award) and Mermaid is delighted to say they will present to Wicklow audiences here on Friday 15th February - do come - it is a powerful piece (see page 25 for more information).
NESSA MATTHEWS & EOGHAN CARRICK
The other good news is three new opportunities for a show called INFINITY by Nessa Matthews and Eoghan Carrick. In 2018, Mermaid supported the development of the piece and they presented in Dublin Fringe Festival last September. The show is an exploration of fact, science fiction and the spaces in between. A star-bound journey that looks at mental health and the stories we tell ourselves when we feel most alone. Since Fringe, the artists have been offered three showings —the first in Smock Alley as part of First Fortnight 2019 and, the second, a week in the Vaults Festival, London. Mermaid has offered additional support in order for the artists to re-rehearse and finesse the piece before they head to London. Part of this support means we’ll have the opportunity to present the piece to local schools with an artist talk with young people discussing the issues and themes in the piece.
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MUSIC NETWORK ARTIST IN RESIDENCE
Wicklow based artist Eamon Sweeney is Music Network Artist in Residence in Mermaid over six months running Dec 2018 to May 2019.Eamon has curated six quality concerts with Irish and International artists for Wicklow audiences of all ages. Alongside the concerts Eamon will run a learning and participation programme. These concerts and events represent a unique and diverse opportunity for our audiences to see the best of Irish and international work - do join us at as many of these as possible.
THE FIRST 100 YEARS
THURSDAY 17 January | PG 16 Music, poetry and song contain the emotional resonance of an era. At this unique concert a century of Irish democracy will resonate – courtesy of some of the country’s leading artists.
TRIONA MARSHALL, TIM EDEY & RITHIM ORCHESTRA FRIDAY 8 February | PG 21 A once-off meeting of some of Ireland’s most exciting traditional musicians: both well-established and up-and-coming
BRIAN IRVINE & FRIENDS
FRIDAY 29 March | PG 37 An exciting, unpredictable musical adventure for children of all ages with a musical wizard as your guide...
IRISH & SPANISH BAROQUE GUITAR MUSIC
FRIDAY 26 April | PG 45 One of the world’s leading baroque guitarists brings his incredible virtuosity to Ireland for the first time
CONCERTOS PARA BEBÉS
SATURDAY 25 May | PG 47 Europe’s leading makers of concerts to be enjoyed by all the family – babies, parents, siblings, grandparents and friends. These concerts are curated by Eamon Sweeney, Music Network Artist in Residence 2018/9, an initiative of Music Network in partnership with Wicklow County Council Arts Office and Mermaid County Wicklow Arts Centre. 8
CINEMA AT A GLANCE
Our cinema programme brings you the best in international cultural film as well as some blockbusters and classics too. Thanks to Róisín O’Grady and Dermot Marrey for selecting this season’s programme.
CLUB FILMS
Some of the films we screen here at Mermaid have not been certified by the Irish Censorship Office. In order to screen these films we operate as a film club. A nominal fee has been integrated into the ticket price for all CLUB films. Our CLUB films are open to anyone over 18 to attend, there is no membership of any kind.
FIRST MONDAYS
Continuing our First Monday series, where short films by emerging filmmakers are screened on the first Monday of each month, this season we’re once again presenting Bray-based group, the awardwinning NoWiFi (North Wicklow Films). See: www.nowifi.ie MONDAY 7 January | Duration: 10 mins PARANOIA written and directed by Kayleigh McDowell. “It’s all inside your head…or is it?” MONDAY 4 February | Duration: 9½ mins TO LOVE directed by Todd A Sheets, written by majortom. "A journey of love when two hearts are bound by forever." MONDAY 4 March | Duration: 5 mins & 5 mins THE BURNING PLAIN directed by Joseph Morris, written by Brian Matthews Murphy. “A lost traveller, a burnt landscape, and an unusual guide to send him on his way…” AMORE - TUTTI FRUTTI directed by John McNally, written by Sefora, Joe & Byron. “So you wanna speak Italiano? It’s a pizza cake!” MONDAY 1 April | Duration: 10 mins WHERE WE FALL written and directed by Byron Hayes. “Choices. Chances. The sum of it all, that’s where we fall.” 9
GALLERY
RACHEL FALLON -
HOME FRONT
Opens FRIDAY 30 November 2018 | 6pm | Free Admission Exhibition runs SATURDAY 1 Dec − SATURDAY 19 Jan | 10am − 6pm From Aprons of Power to miraculous Assumptions, Home Front looks at territorial wars in domestic spaces. Rachel Fallon’s sculptural subversions of military mottos and associated objects poke a finger at ideals of motherhood, linking past histories and politics to the roles women play in society today. In her work Rachel explores themes of protection and defense in domestic realms and addresses the domain of motherhood. Her practice encompasses sculpture, drawing, photography and performance and she is known for her collaborations with Irish and international artists and collectives. A founding member of Outpost Studios and of pff publications; a feminist zine collective, a member of U.K. collectives Desperate Artwives and Project Procreate. Rachel exhibits nationally and internationally and her work is held in public and private collections. Work in this exhibition was made with the support of The IRON-R Project at IRON-R18, National Sculpture Factory, Cork in July 2018. www.spiltmilkgallery.com | www.rachelfallon.com
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GALLERY
FERGUS FITZGERALD -
ROME WASN’T BUILT IN A DAY
Opens THURSDAY 7 February 2019 | 6pm | Free Admission Exhibition runs FRIDAY 8 Feb − SATURDAY 16 March | 10am − 6pm Fergus Fitzgerald works primarily in acrylic on canvas. An avid traveller, particularly to Italy, location greatly informs his practice. Being a lover of linguistics and books, Fergus thoroughly researches his subjects for each piece. In his work Fergus explores locations he has visited or aspires to visit. Such as Ljubljana Slovenia, Sienna Italy, Cefelu Sicily and Mozart’s birthplace in Salzburg Austria. In an exploration of text as drawing and text as imagery, each work has text drawn on the surface weaving his research and personal thoughts into each piece. Fergus has shown work at Dublin City Council Offices, Kilkenny Arts Festival, The Glasshouse Gallery, Kilkenny and An Tearmann, Kilcullen Kildare. Workshop EXPRESS YOURSELF. Join an open workshop with artist Emma Finucane. Be inspired by Fergus’s work and engage your own creativity.This is an opportunity for you to explore acrylic paint, to play, learn and ask lots of questions. 16th February and 2nd March – 11.00am to 1.00pm – Cost €10. We welcome all levels and abilities at their own pace. 11
GALLERY
ANN MARIE WEBB -
DANCING WITH THE SEMI-GODS
Opens THURSDAY 28 March 2019 | 6pm | Free Admission Exhibition runs FRIDAY 29 March − SATURDAY 4 May | 10am − 6pm Through paint Ann Marie describes opposing actions that play against each other to describe space that both dislocates and locates. The landscape is used as a tool to explore a sense of belonging, she sees it not just as a geographical study but as a layered field of activity. Stratified by human presence, Ann Marie searches to find interactions that become a vital part of self-identity. What borders us, plus the boundaries we create can locate and also dislocate us. Using paint Ann Marie explores the act of creating spaces. She searches for form through the contrast of materials and the ways of mark making. Her work becomes sculptural by abandoning the traditional frame. Merging spaces and fusing them together, the image becomes an active area of exchange. Ann Marie Webb completed an MFA in Painting at NCAD, and BA in Visual Arts Practice IADT Dublin. Winner of the Peter O’Kane award-RDS, Ann Marie was also shortlisted for the Most Promising Graduate award,Talbot Gallery, 2011. Solo shows include, Pallas Studios, Dublin, Dun Laoghaire Art Gallery 2016 and Cavanacor Gallery Lifford N. Ireland. Collections include OPW and Europe and America. Most recently her work has been featured by Saatchi Art and secured representation with Artpistol, Glasgow.
CHILDREN’S THEATRE
MIRIAM LAMBERT PUPPETEER PRESENTS -
THE GINGERBREAD MAN FRIDAY 4 January | 2pm & 4pm €8 | €30 Family of Four
In this rendition of the age-old tale Miriam Lambert, using herself as a humanette, bakes the gingerbread. The freshly baked biscuit runs, eluding the hungry grasp of everyone-until he meets a very clever fox. Miriam Lambert has been at the heart of the Irish puppetry industry since her childhood, having grown up with the Lambert Puppet Theatre in Dublin. Trained by her mentor and father, the late Master puppeteer Eugene Lambert, she has played an integral part in the creation of many of the legendary puppet characters and performances in the renowned Lambert productions. Her unique and creative style of puppetry is a theatrical joy for both child and adult to behold.
FILM/ MUSIC
THE WHISTLE BLOWER
OUT OF TIME TOUR 2019 SATURDAY 5 January | 8pm €16/14
This one-hour show will weave three distinct strands: film, dialogue, live music and images to allow the audience to experience a fouryear artistic response by Cormac Breatnach arising out of a single traumatic event which affected him from the age of 13 into his adulthood. The ‘Sallins Mail Train Robbery Case’ in 1978 was the longest running trial in the history of the State. Cormac Breatnach – Whistles and voice; Daire Bracken – Fiddle and loops; Martin Tourish – Accordion; Luis Povedo - Images. Supported by the Arts Councils of Ireland and Northern Ireland. 13
FILM
FIRST MAN (CERT: 12A)
MONDAY 7 January | 8pm €8/6.50 | Duration: 141mins | Language: English On the heels of their six-time Academy Award®-winning smash, La La Land, Oscar®-winning director Damien Chazelle and star Ryan Gosling reteam for Universal Pictures’ First Man, the riveting story behind the first manned mission to the moon, focusing on Neil Armstrong and the decade leading to the historic Apollo 11 flight. A visceral and intimate account told from Armstrong’s perspective, based on the book by James R. Hansen, the film explores the triumphs and the cost—on Armstrong, his family, his colleagues and the nation itself—of one of the most dangerous missions in history. Short film PARANOIA will be shown prior to FIRST MAN.
MUSIC
THE FUREYS
FRIDAY 11 January | 8pm €30/28 Legends of Irish music & song The Fureys, renowned for their hit songs ‘I will love you’, ‘When you were sweet 16’, ‘The Green Fields of France’, ‘The Old Man’, ‘Red Rose Café’, ‘From Clare to here’, ‘Her father didn’t like me anyway’, ‘Leaving Nancy’, ‘Steal Away’ have been entertaining audiences worldwide for 41 years. Inevitably changes have occurred over the 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. 14
MUSIC
CHRIS KAVANAGH’S
THE LEGEND OF LUKE KELLY SATURDAY 12 January | 8pm €20/18
Celebrating the memory and music of a true Irish musical legend. Dublin singer/ songwriter/ multi-instrumentalist Chris Kavanagh was raised on Irish music and has been singing Irish folk songs since he was three years old. His performances capture the depth and passion of the great man he was so heavily influenced by. Over the past sixteen years he has amazed audiences abroad and has sold out prominent Irish venues such as Vicar Street & The Cork Opera House, with the regular attendance of Luke Kelly’s family. Chris released his own album of original material “Voice Of The People” in 2011 and shortly afterwards performed with The Dubliners for two weeks on their German tour.
FILM
JUST TO BE SURE (CERT: CLUB)
MONDAY 14 January | 8pm €8.50/7 | Duration: 100mins | Language: French (English Subtitles) When Erwin, a bomb disposal expert in his mid-forties, accidentally discovers that his father is not his biological father his world is turned upside down. As well as tracing his dad he has to juggle his daughters unplanned pregnancy and his aspiring relationship with the sparky local veterinarian Anna, whom, it turns out, may or may not be his sister! “Just to Be Sure is the kind of intelligent and rather artful French comedy that doesn’t come around so often nowadays” - The Hollywood Reporter Presented with the support of the French Embassy and the Institut Français. 15
SCHOOLS SHOW
GER CAREY LIVE
TUESDAY 15 January | 11am - 1pm €10 (Teachers Free) Ger Carey is back with his hilarious stand-up comedy show for transition year students. By secretly observing his subjects in their natural habitat, such as leaning on lampposts, in chippers, outside chippers, in shopping centres and sitting on any kind of steps, Ger has uncovered the weird and frightening world of the teenager! The aim of the show is to get teenagers to laugh at themselves and appreciate the differences of others.
MUSIC
MUSIC NETWORK RESIDENCY CONCERT:
THE FIRST 100 YEARS THURSDAY 17 January | 8pm €18/16 | Friends Selected Show
In 1919 the first Dáil convened in Dublin and the first Democratic Programme for Government was devised. There have been changes in Irish society over the last century that would have been inconceivable to those first TDs. This very special concert will reflect a century of the Irish Republic through poetry, music, and song - including a newly composed work by Fiachra Trench and featuring some of Ireland’s finest artists. Irish Chamber Orchestra with guest artists; Mary Coughlan, Theo Dorgan, Sonamus – [Cormac Breatnach (Susato Whistles), Annette Cleary (Cello), Rachel Factor (Harpsichord) and Eamon Sweeney (Guitars)].
THEATRE
I HEAR YOU AND REJOICE MIKEL MURFI
FRIDAY 18 January | 8pm €16/14
Following the sellout success of The Man In The Woman’s Shoes, Mikel Murfi returns with a one man show. Late in his life, Pat Farnon, a cobbler and all-round contented man, embarks on a journey he had not quite planned and finds that every twist in the road can bring its own surprises. Written and performed by Mikel Murfi I Hear You and Rejoice is a 2nd collaboration between Sligo County Council Arts Service, The Hawk’s Well Theatre Sligo, and Mikel Murfi. It was created for the Bealtaine Festival 2016. ‘This is pure distilled 100 per cent theatrical magic’ - ***** London Evening Standard ‘A masterclass in the art of the monologue’ - Time Out
MUSIC
AN EVENING WITH AONGHUS MCANALLY SATURDAY 19 January | 8pm €25/23
Following on from his sold out tours celebrating the music of Christie Hennessy in 2016 and 2017, Aonghus McAnally is back with a brand new show. Along with his musical director Ivan McKenna, he is delighted to have the same team back on the road as he shares the songs and stories that have been important in his life and career in entertainment. From his teenage years as a lead guitarist, to his television, radio and live performances as a singer, comedian, musician and broadcaster, audiences are in for an entertaining evening of favourites old and new. 17
FILM
ROSIE (CERT: PG)
MONDAY 21 January | 8pm â‚Ź8/6.50 | Duration: 86mins | Language: English From the pen of Roddy Doyle and directed by Paddy Breathnach (Viva), Rosie is the story of a family without a home. Rosie (Sarah Greene) a mother of four, alongside her partner John Paul, do everything in their power to protect their children and maintain their dignity as the Irish housing crisis threatens their families safety and unity. With grace and tenderness, Rosie balances the care of her four children alongside the increasingly futile and frustrating search for a new home. Set over an intense 36 hours, Rosie struggles to hold her family close, as she perseveres against a crisis not of her making.
LOCAL ARTS
BRAY ONE ACT DRAMA FESTIVAL TUESDAY 22 - SATURDAY 26 January | 7.30pm â‚Ź16/13
Bray One Act Drama Festival will be bringing a wonderful mix of comedy and drama to the stage. Performed by both newcomers and seasoned performers, these plays are sure to provide 5 nights of varied entertainment, with all proceeds going to charitable causes. We are delighted to welcome Chrissie Poulter back to the Festival as our adjudicator, and of course, the loyal Festival audience who support the Bray One Act Festival each year.
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FILM
3 DAYS IN QUIBERON (CERT: CLUB)
MONDAY 28 January | 8pm €8.50/7 | Duration: 115mins | Language: German, French, English In 1981, one year before her tragic death at the age of 43, Austrian/ German actress Romy Schneider posed for photographs and gave an extensive interview to a journalist while staying at a Breton spa hotel in Quiberon. Her magnetic personality and evanescent moods were memorably captured in the monochromatic images, and the interview turned into an unvarnished, emotional self-appraisal at a time when she was roiled in insecurities. Emily Atef’s “3 Days in Quiberon,” is a fictionalized treatment inspired by those sessions. “near-perfect central cast and mesmerising direction from Atef.” The Hollywood News “A wonderful performance from Bäumer” - The Guardian
THEATRE
NESSA MATTHEWS AND EOGHAN CARRICK
INFINITY
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THURSDAY 31 January | 11am (Schools Show) €8 Captain’s Log, Stardate (whatever). A lone astronaut hurtles through the cosmos on a one-way mission to the edge of us. Traversing time and space, isolation and uncertainty, her quest to find hope will bring her to the brink of the abyss. Winner-2018 Dublin Fringe Festival First Forthnight Award and Best Design Award, and nominated for the Best Performer Award, i n f i n i t y is an exploration of fact, (science) fiction and the spaces in between. Created in association with Corn Exchange Theatre Company and Mermaid Arts Centre. Supported by UCD through the UCD Dramsoc Company-in-Residence Award. Developed at Scene + Heard 2017. Developed at FRINGE LAB with the support of Dublin Fringe Festival.
THEATRE THEATRE
FISHAMBLE: THE NEW PLAY COMPANY PRESENTS
BEFORE BY PAT KINEVANE FRIDAY 1 February | 8pm €18/16
Before is a new play with much music, set in Clery’s of Dublin, on the very day this iconic department store shuts - for good. Pontius is inside, trying to choose a gift for his estranged daughter, whom he hasn’t seen for almost 20 years. He will meet her in an hour. Some folk are impossible to buy for… Before was commissioned by Fishamble and developed with the support of The Arts Council, National Theatre Studio (London), Pavilion Theatre, RTÉ Concert Orchestra, Georganne Aldrich Heller, Robert Leory, and the Strollers Touring Network. **** - The Irish Times.
MUSIC
ANDY IRVINE AND DONAL LUNNY SATURDAY 2 February | 8pm €22/20
Two giants of the Irish trad scene, Andy Irvine and Donal Lunny are uniting for an evening of great music, a mixture of traditional songs, and originals composed by Andy. Between them, Irvine and Lunny have been at the helm of legendary bands like Sweeney’s Men, Planxty, The Bothy Band, Mozaik, LAPD and recently Usher’s Island. Their unique style of accompaniment is an ongoing influence in the wider world of Irish music. Lunny and Irvine will present a programme of Irish music and Andy’s songs with a bit of Eastern European music. 20
FILM
THE GUILTY (CERT: CLUB)
MONDAY 4 February | 8pm €8.50/7 | Duration: 85mins | Language: Danish (English Subtitles) Demoted to deskwork and awaiting a disciplinary hearing, Agent Asger is working the night shift in an emergency call room. When he receives a call from a woman who has been abducted his resolve and arrogance are tested as it becomes a race against time to locate her. A powerful performance from Jakob Cedergren, The Guilty makes for intense viewing. Winner of the World Cinema Audience Award at Sundance Film Festival 2018 ***** “…..So taut, you almost forget to breathe” - The Guardian Short film TO LOVE will be shown prior to THE GUILTY.
MUSIC
MUSIC NETWORK RESIDENCY CONCERT:
TRÍONA MARSHALL, TIM EDEY & RITHIM ORCHESTRA FRIDAY 8 February | 8pm €16/14
Hear some stunning guitar and harp playing from two leading lights of the traditional music world; music from musical stars of the future; and an exciting coming together of all the musicians. Tríona Marshall has been playing the harp with The Chieftains for over a decade. Tim Edey, multi-instrumentalist and singer, has toured the world and recorded with most of the major names in Celtic/Contemporary roots music. The Rithim Orchestra are an extraordinary Bray-based traditional ensemble of 25 talented young musicians running under the Music Generation Wicklow umbrella with tutors Gerry O’Donnell, Tim Doyle and Rachel Duffy.
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MUSIC
PRESENTED BY HOMEBEAT -
I HAVE A TRIBE AND SUN COLLECTIVE SATURDAY 9 February | 8pm €16/14
I Have A Tribe is led by Patrick O’Laoghaire. Central to live performances is honesty, communication, vulnerability and strength. Most recently Patrick joined various artists of the P-E-O-P-L-E collective Berlin, and opened for Lisa Hannigan + Stargaze at the NCH. Previous performances include Reeperbahn and CMJ New York. Sun Collective are a collaborative ensemble of classical and jazz musicians. They released their debut album to critical acclaim in 2017 and subsequently supported Lisa Hannigan on a run of Irish shows. Most recently they performed at P-E-O-P-L-E Festival and toured Australia following their debut at Woodford Folk Festival.
FILM
POLINA (CERT: CLUB)
MONDAY 11 February | 8pm €8.50/7 | Duration: 108mins | Language: French, Russian Polina, a young Russian girl, wants to dance. When she is accepted into a classical ballet school her parents struggle to cover the fees, and her father turns to illicit dealings to progress his daughter's career. But Polina struggles under the rigor and restrictions of the classical ballet regime. Eventually she is introduced to the freedom of contemporary dance and she adandons the Bolshoi for a Modern Ballet trop run by Liria Elsaj (Juliette Binoche). “emotionally compelling, brilliantly acted” - Wall Street Journal “A confident, winning, lived-in performance by Anastasia Shevtsova is at the heart of this” - The New York Times
OPERA
IRISH NATIONAL OPERA & UNITED FALL PRESENTS
ORFEO ED EURIDICE TUESDAY 12 February | 8pm €28/27
By Christoph Willibald Gluck. Gluck’s revolutionary and influential opera Orfeo ed Euridice was a sold-out highlight of Galway International Arts Festival 2018. Director and choreographer Emma Martin, one of Ireland’s most exciting dance theatre makers, “creates the sublime out of grief” (Irish Independent) in this major new production from Irish National Opera and United Fall. Sharon Carty’s portrayal of Orfeo is “compelling, both vocally and dramatically” (Goldenplec). And she is “well matched by Sarah Power’s mysterious Euridice” and Emma Nash’s powerfully soaring Amore” (Sunday Independent). Peter Whelan,“consistently attentive to the balance of voices and instruments” (The Irish Times), conducts the Irish Baroque Orchestra. Gluck’s version of the Orpheus myth features the composer’s most famous aria, the profoundly moving Che farò senza Euridice. With a “sublime” set by Sabine Dargent “meticulous lighting” by Stephen Dodd (Exeunt Magazine) and “simply stunning” costumes by Catherine Fay (Irish Independent), Emma Martin’s provocative and unmissable production is a stirring, multi-disciplinary, multi-sensory experience. In partnership with the Irish Baroque Orchestra.
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FILM
JULIET, NAKED (CERT: 15A)
THURSDAY 14 February | 8pm €8/6.50 | Duration: 97mins | Language: English Duncan (Chris O’Dowd) is the no. 1 fan of 90’s singer-singwriter, Tucker Crowe, who mysteriously disappeared from public life at the height of his fame. Annie (Rose Byrne) is Duncan’s long-suffering girlfriend for whom the legend of Tucker Crowe is mostly just a drag. Their little life together in a picturesque seaside village seems depressingly settled until, in a twist of internet fate, Annie connects with the actual Tucker Crowe (Ethan Hawke). Working from Nick Hornby’s novel, director Jesse Peretz (Girls, GLOW) has made the kind of shaggy, low-key comedy whose modesty is half its charm.
COMEDY
BRAY COMEDY FESTIVAL -
ENYA MARTIN - GIZ A LAUGH SATURDAY 16 February | 8pm €20
Stand-up comedian Enya Martin, writer and creator of the comedy video Facebook page “Giz a Laugh”, comes to Mermaid as part of Bray Comedy Festival 2019. Enya is the best-selling female comedian in Dublin’s Vicar Street, having sold out 3 shows in 2018. She has performed in the Laughter Lounge, Vodafone Comedy Carnival, Vodafone Comedy Festival and also sold out at this year’s Jest Fest in Wexford. Enya’s stand up show is pure comedy dynamite. Family, boyfriends, shop assistants, self-serve scanners and taxi drivers are on her hit list... plus many, many others. Treat yourself to this brilliant stand-up comic.
THEATRE
TALKING SHOP ENSEMBLE & SHAUN DUNNE -
RAPIDS
FRIDAY 15 February | 8pm €16/14 | Friends Selected Show Exploring instances of disclosure and the presence of stigma in the lives of men and women who are HIV+ in Ireland today, Talking Shop Ensemble and Shaun Dunne present Rapids; their smash hit show that looks to playfully and respectfully make the private public. In making this piece, the company have collaborated with several groups from the HIV+ community. From young men in rural Ireland to migrant women seeking asylum, this form-flipping piece of documentary theatre will take you through the myriad of perspectives and experiences that compound what it means to live positive in this country. Produced in association with Project Arts Centre and funded through the Arts Council Touring Grant. This project is supported by Mermaid Arts Centre, HIV Ireland and ACT UP Dublin. “A sophisticated and bracing piece on living with HIV in Ireland… A work as involving and compassionate as Rapids could be the beginning of an antidote” - **** Irish Times
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FILM
WILDLIFE
(CERT: 12A)
MONDAY 18 February | 8pm €8/6.50 | Duration: 104mins | Language: English Jerry and Jeanette Brinson, a seemingly happily married couple, have recently moved to Montana with their teenage son Joe. Everything changes when Jerry loses his job. Frustrated and rudderless, he ignores his wife’s objections and takes a job fighting dangerous wildfires. With Jerry away, Jeanette chooses to reexamine her own lot in life, making some dramatic decisions to reclaim her independence. A bewildered Joe watches on as the life he knew falls apart. Adapted from Richard Ford’s novel, Wildlife is a vivid study of the cracks that appear in one American family’s comfortable, normal life. Carey Mulligan and Jake Gyllenhaal both offer up remarkable performances in this devastating film.
LOCAL ARTS
SHEEVAWN MUSICAL YOUTH THEATRE PRESENTS
ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER’S CATS
WEDNESDAY 20 - SATURDAY 23 February | 7.30pm €17 | €60 Family Ticket of 4 Based on T.S. Elliot’s ‘Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats’ This all-singing, all-dancing spectacular featuring students from SMYTh Juniors, Inters and Seniors is the Purr-fect mid-term treat for all the family.
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FILM
1945 (CERT: CLUB)
MONDAY 25 February | 8pm €8.50/7 | Duration: 91mins | Language: Hungarian, Russian 12 August 1945. The inhabitants of a village in rural Sovietoccupied Hungary are preparing for the town clerk’s son’s wedding, when two Orthodox Jewish men arrive at the railway station with two large trunks. As they silently make their way to town, a growing panic spreads amongst some of the more prominent townsfolk… Ferenc Török’s striking monochrome drama - reminiscent of Fred Zinnemann’s masterful High Noon, no less - is a tense, chilling, beautifully nuanced take on a difficult, transitional period in Hungarian history.
CHILDREN’S THEATRE
BRANAR IN ASSOCIATION WITH RIVERBANK ARTS CENTRE:
WOOLLY’S QUEST
TUESDAY 26 February | 10am & 12pm €8 | Age Suitability: 4+ | For School Bookings Contact Box Office This is the epic story of Woolly, the bravest of all sheep. Woolly was the first sheep who dared to be different, she dared to be adventurous, she dared to discover what happens to her wool. Join Woolly on her audacious quest to reclaim her shorn fleece. Marvel at her sheer bravery on a journey fraught with peril to learn what life looms beyond the gate. A rip-roaring yarn, Woolly’s Quest has it all; Branar weaves together storytelling, music, song and puppetry in a pulsating show that will have audiences of all ages hooked! Language: This is a bilingual show and is suitable for all levels of English and Irish. 27
SCHOOLS SHOW
SMASHING TIMES THEATRE AND FILM COMPANY PRESENTS
ACTING FOR THE FUTURE
THURSDAY 28 February | 11am Free (Schools Show) | Age Suitability: 14+ Performed by Smashing Times Theatre and Film Company in partnership with the Samaritans as part of Acting for the Future: Theatre for Positive Mental Health, Ireland and Europe, supported by Erasmus+, HSE and ESB Energy for Generations Fund. The awardwinning Acting for the Future uses participative drama workshops, professional performances and post-show panel discussions with counsellors and clinical psychologists to promote active healthy lifestyles, positive mental health and well-being and suicide prevention. The project is implemented by Smashing Times in partnership with the Samaritans with assistance from a panel of advisors and is delivered in the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland and internationally.
FILM
THE OLD MAN & THE GUN (CERT: 12A) SATURDAY 2 March | 8pm €8/6.50 | Duration: 93mins | Language: English
Robert Redford radiates charm playing an unrepentant bank robber who can’t resist one more heist in this captivating film based on the true story of career criminal Forrest Tucker. He’s supported by an excellent all-star cast, including Sissy Spacek, Danny Glover, Tom Waits, Elisabeth Moss and Casey Affleck, though Redford’s outlaw presence dominates, and the way writer-director David Lowery uses his iconic leading man gives the film its resonance. Redford has talked about The Old Man & the Gun being his last film as an actor. If that’s the case, he has chosen a brilliant, unforgettable way to bow out. 28
TALK/ LITERATURE
THE WRITING LIFE:
JOHN BANVILLE
FRIDAY 1 March | 8pm â‚Ź12/10 | Friends Selected Show A giant of world fiction, John Banville is one of the finest prose writers of the last fifty years. His novel The Book of Evidence was shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 1989. In 2005 he won the award with The Sea. He has also won The James Tait black Memorial Award, The Guardian Fiction Prize, The Franz Kafka Prize and The Prince of Asturias Award for Literature. Under the pseudonym Benjamin Black, he has written seven crime novels featuring the brilliant pathologist, Quirke. Three of these have been adapted for TV and broadcast on the BBC. In this special edition of The Writing Life, writer Philip St John will be talking to both Mr. Banville and Mr. Black about their work and life. Our guests will also discuss artefacts that have inspired their writing: books, music and photographs. An evening of conversation not to be missed.
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FILM
SHOPLIFTERS (CERT: 15A)
MONDAY 4 March | 8pm €8/6.50 | Duration: 121mins | Language: Japanese (English Subtitles) Winner of the Palme d’Or at Cannes 2018, Hirokazu Kore-eda’s new film Shoplifters is a subtle and moving drama about the forces holding a struggling family together. Osamu (Lily Franky), his wife Nobuyu (Sakura Andô) and grandma Hatsue (Kirin Kiki) head the Shibatas, a family living just above the poverty line. When Osamu and his son Shota (Kairi Jyo) take in what appears to be an abandoned little girl, Yuri (Miyu Sasaki), the seams of this brittle and unconventional family begin to unravel. Shoplifters is a brilliant and nuanced moral inquiry. Tender, compassionate but also enduringly humorous. Short films THE BURNING PLAIN and AMORE - TUTTI FRUTTI will be shown prior to SHOPLIFTERS.
LOCAL ARTS
COLÁISTE CHRAOBH ABHANN PRESENTS
HAIRSPRAY
WEDNESDAY 6 - FRIDAY 8 March | 8pm €15 It’s 1962 and teenagers Tracy Turnblad and her friend Penny Pingleton are avid Corny Collins fans. When the chance to dance on the show is publicized, Tracy jumps on the opportunity. Not only does her dancing skills attract Corny Collins, but also the attention of teen heartthrob Link Larkin. But not everyone is happy with Tracy’s joining the show. The show’s manager, Velma von Tussle, will do anything to oust Tracy, even if it has to include Tracy’s friends Seaweed and Motormouth Maybelle.
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LOCAL ARTS
WICKLOW SCHOOL OF DANCE PRESENTS
DANCING AROUND THE WORLD
SATURDAY 9 March | 2pm & 6pm + SUNDAY 10 March | 1pm & 5pm €15/12 Wicklow School of Dance are proud to present ‘Dancing around the World’. Join our dancers as they perform to music from different countries around the world. The show features ballet, jazz and contemporary dance performances by students aged 3-18 from our Greystones, Rathnew and Wicklow branches.
FILM
RETURN OF THE HERO (CERT: CLUB)
MONDAY 11 March | 8pm €8.50/7 | Duration: 90mins | Language: French (English Subtitles)
France 1809: the handsome philanderer Captain Neuville is called to the front, leaving his future bride Pauline heartbroken. When Pauline doesn’t hear from Neuville for months, her health begins to fail. Her sister Elizabeth hatches a plan to write fake letters to Pauline from Neuville. Three years later the reappearance of the missing soldier causes chaos as he sets out to exploit the fictitious war hero status Elizabeth has created for him! Starring Academy Award winner Jean Dujardin (The Artist) and award winner Mélanie Laurent (Inglorious Basterds), this period comedy is a charming, playful delight! 31
CHILDREN’S THEATRE
CEOL CONNECTED PRESENTS
RETURN OF SPRING
TUESDAY 12 March | 10am & 12pm €8 | Age Suitability: 3-5 Years & Their Adults Every year in Whistleberry Forest, the creatures of the forest look forward to the end of the frosty Winter, and to the beginning of Spring. This year was a little different however, as Springtime had arrived much earlier than usual. All the hibernating animals, except for Huggy the hedgehog, were still curled up fast asleep. Huggy must go on an adventurous musical quest in search of evidence of Spring if he is to convince his friends that it is time to wake up! Produced by Ceol Connected, this wonderfully interactive performance is led by Thomas Johnston (whistles, song, and uilleann pipes) and Púca Puppets’ Niamh Lawlor. Set design by Eve Fisher. Kindly supported by The Arts Council.
LOCAL ARTS
MR SANDS YOUTH THEATRE PRESENTS
FLESH
WEDNESDAY 13 & THURSDAY 14 March | 8pm €10/5 A new play by award winning Rob Drummond and Mr. Sands’ entry in the 2019 National Theatre Connections Festival. A group of teenagers wake up in a forest with no clue as to how they got there. They find themselves separated into two teams but have no idea what game they’re expected to play. With no food, no water and seemingly no chance of escape, it’s only a matter of time before things start to go drastically wrong. A play about human nature, the tribes we create…and cannibalism!
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COMEDY
DAVID O’DOHERTY: YOU HAVE TO LAUGH FRIDAY 15 March | 8pm €18/16
Unhook your mindbras. David O’Doherty is back in Mermaid with a brand-new show made up of talking and songs played on a crappy keyboard from 1986. As seen on BBC2’s Live At The Apollo and Channel 4’s 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown. “From imagining Enya as president to a disappointing encounter with Leonardo da Vinci, the Irish whimsy merchant delivers oodles of soothing silliness” – The Guardian “O’Doherty is on sensational form” Chortle – Edinburgh Fringe Review 2018
FILM
THE MAN WHO WANTED TO FLY (CERT: TBC) SATURDAY 16 March | 8pm €8/6.50 | Duration: 82mins | Language: English
Eight-something Cavan bachelor Bobby Coote left school at 13 and says his reading and writing isn’t great. He fixes clocks and spends a lot of time in his back shed making violins from old furniture. But his lifelong dream is to fly. His neighbour Sean has also caught the bug. They have cut out a runway and even built a hangar in a small rural border community. And now Bobby has used all his savings to buy a plane! He’ll get no encouragement from his brother Ernie. Ernie thinks the whole thing is mad but Bobby says he’ll make this happen … even if it’s the last thing he does. Winner of the Best Feature Audience Award at the IFI Documentary Festival 2018. 33
FILM
THE FAVOURITE (CERT: TBC)
MONDAY 18 March | 8pm €8/6.50 | Duration: 119mins | Language: English Yorgos Lanthimos’s (The Lobster, The Killing of a Sacred Deer) outrageous period comedy stars an enviable assemble cast of Emma Stone, Oliva Colman and Rachel Weisz. A frail and capricious Queen Anne (Colman) governs an 18th Century England at war with France. At her side is Lady Sarah (Weisz), her carer, confidant, lover and de facto ruler of England. As the politics of war consume Lady Sarah, a new servant to the Queen, Abigail (Stone), cunningly usurps the beleaguered Lady Sarah. Illuminated by outstanding performances from Colman, Weisz and Stone, each portray complex, flawed, entirely distinctive women. Winner of the Grand Special Jury Prize at Venice Film Festival 2018.
BIFE ARTS FESTIVAL
BIFE BLACK BOX THEATRE COMPANY IN ASSOCIATION WITH BIFE MUSIC & SOUND PRESENT ARABIAN NIGHT WEDNESDAY 20 | 8pm + THURSDAY 21 March | 2pm & 8pm €12/8
By Roland Schimmelpfennig. Translation by David Tushingham. One sultry summer night. One city high-rise. Five lonely people. Their destinies cross bringing lust, love and bizarre hallucinations. Arabian Night is a sleek and sensual urban thriller of interweaving fantasies and conflicting desires. In this daring auditory presentation you are invited to experience this thrilling world blindfolded - and the only limit is your own imagination. Duration approx. 1hr. “a madcap piece of surrealism...Schimmelpfennig pulls events from the banal to the mythic with a freewheeling zest” - The Village Voice 34
BIFE ARTS FESTIVAL
BIFE MUSIC GOES LIVE!! FRIDAY 22 March | 8pm €12/8
Following on from the success of last year’s fantastic live show at Mermaid Arts Centre, Bray Institute of Further Education’s Music Performance students will again take to the stage in March to showcase their individual and collective talents in BIFE Music Goes Live!! Students of BIFE’s Music Performance course will perform an eclectic mix of classics, lost gems and their own stunning original material. Come and support your rising stars of tomorrow!
FILM
AN IMPOSSIBLE LOVE (CERT: CLUB)
MONDAY 25 March | 8pm €8.50/7 | Duration: 135mins | Language: French (English Subtitles) Beginning in the 1950s, office worker Rachel (Efira) falls for the dashing Philippe (Niels Schneider), a Nietzsche-reading sophisticate. They embark on a passionate relationship but he won’t share his life with her, and refuses to recognise their daughter Chantal whom Rachel raises alone. Years later, the darker side of Philippe’s nature emerges shockingly revealing himself to be unsteady and manipulative father.With strong performances from all the cast this classic drama centres on blind love while examining the complexities of the bonds between mothers and daughters. 35
THEATRE
PHELIM DREW PRESENTS
JOXER DALY ESQ’ BY EDDIE NAUGHTON SATURDAY 23 March | 8pm €20/18 | Friends Selected Show
Sean O’Casey’s playful scrounger from the classic, Juno and The Paycock, takes centre stage in this intriguing new play from the pen of Eddie Naughton (Inishfallen Fare Thee Well). With events that were to alter the course of Irish history as a backdrop, Joxer Daly Esq. charts an everyman journey from respectable member of The Foresters Association to a vagabond scraping by with only his wit to use as collateral. From the 1913 Lock Out, to the Rising - and the events of O’Casey’s classic The Plough and the Stars - to the birth of a new divided Nationalism, in Juno and The Paycock, we see it all through the eyes of a survivor like no other. Joxer Daly is an ordinary person trying to navigate the difficult waters of what was Dublin in the period leading up to the birth of a Republic. Brilliantly performed by Phelim Drew, Joxer’s love of language, humour, literature and song, together with a drinkers purple recollection, makes this a performance like no other. Entertaining and funny, Joxer Daly Esq. is a thought provoking gander at one of Irish Literatures most loveable chancers! Directed by Karl Sheils. Photo: Andrew Clarke. 36
BIFE ARTS FESTIVAL
BIFE DANCE - KINESPHERE
WEDNESDAY 27 & THURSDAY 28 March | 8pm €12/8 Bray Institute of Further Education Dance students presents ‘Kinesphere’, a sensational and invigorating performance of dance and movement. This performance will feature classical ballet, explosive jazz, and diverse contemporary dance. Well-known repertoire and debut performances of original choreography, by both students and tutors, will also be featured. This is an excellent opportunity to see quality work and the talent of young dancers at BIFE.
MUSIC
MUSIC NETWORK RESIDENCY CONCERT:
BRIAN IRVINE AND FRIENDS
FRIDAY 29 March | 8pm €14/12 | €45 Family of 4 (2 Adults & 2 Children) An exciting, unpredictable musical adventure for children from ages 8 to 98 with a musical wizard as your guide. The multi-award winning, musical dynamo that is composer and musician Brian Irvine will be joined by Malachy Robinson (bass), Francesco Turrisi (multi-instrumentalist) and Eamon Sweeney (guitar) for a concert of newly-composed works, improvisations and on-the-spot creations. Brian Irvine is a composer/ conductor born in Belfast. His huge body of work includes operas, orchestral works, large-scale participatory work, films, multi-media installations, dance works as well as ensemble, solo, and chamber pieces. Produced in association with Music Generation Wicklow. 37
MUSIC
ZOË CONWAY, DÓNAL LUNNY & MÁIRTÍN O CONNOR
ZoDoMo
SATURDAY 30 March | 8pm €18/16 This new group brings together the dazzling talents of three of the country’s finest traditional musicians; button accordion master Máirtín O’Connor, fiddle player Zoë Conway and guitar and bouzouki player DÓnal Lunny. Don’t miss this illustrious trio in what promises to be an atmospheric and unforgettable tour, drawing on an eclectic mix of the old and new where traditional tunes and songs meet each of their diverse influences and unique compositional voices. “Máirtín O’Connor is a squeeze box player in the very top echelon.” Irish Music Magazine “Virtuoso - one of Ireland’s most gifted young musicians.” - The Irish Independent on Zoë Conway
FILM
VICE (CERT: TBC)
MONDAY 1 April | 8pm €8/6.50 | Duration: 129mins | Language: English A biographical comedy-drama written and directed by Adam McKay, VICE explores how a bureaucratic Washington insider quietly became the most powerful man in the world as Vice-President to George W. Bush. Starring Christian Bale as Dick Cheney, with Amy Adams, Steve Carell and Sam Rockwell in supporting roles.The plot follows Cheney in his political rise to become the most powerful Vice President in America’s history. Short film WHERE WE FALL will be shown prior to VICE 38
LOCAL THEATRE
SQUARE ONE THEATRE GROUP TUESDAY 2 - SATURDAY 6 April | 8pm €18/16 | Further Details To Be Announced
Square One Theatre Group have been stunning Wicklow audiences with high-quality theatre productions for over 40 years, staging two full productions per year. This spring we will welcome Square One back to Mermaid for what is sure to be another wonderful show. The details of their upcoming 5-night run are soon to be announced, keep an eye on our website and social media for more. See SquareOneTheatreGroup.ie.
FILM
CAPERNAUM (CERT: TBC)
MONDAY 8 April | 8pm €8/6.50 | Duration: 120mins | Language: Arabic, Amharic Winner of the Jury Award at Cannes Film Festival 2018, Capernaum is a powerful drama, chronicling the beleaguered life of 12-year-old Zain (Al Rafeea). Overcome with anger, when his parents sell his 11-year-old sister’s hand in marriage, Zain escapes from his parents and begins a journey that leads him to filing a lawsuit against his parents for giving birth to him. The trial provides the frame through which Zain’s story unfolds. Featuring a host of astounding performances, writer-director Nadine Labaki crafts an emotionally powerful and thought-provoking tale of hope. Stunningly realised Capernaum is searing, energetic and essential viewing.
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LOCAL ARTS
BRAY MUSICAL SOCIETY PRESENTS
SISTER ACT THE MUSICAL
WEDNESDAY 10 - SATURDAY 13 April | 8pm €20/18 Bray Musical Society are proud to present Sister Act the Musical. The feel-good amazing musical comedy smash based on the hit 1992 film that has audiences jumping to their feet! Filled with powerful gospel music, outrageous dancing and a truly moving story, Sister Act will leave you breathless. Sister Act is reason to REJOICE!
FILM
PILI (CERT: CLUB)
MONDAY 15 April | 8pm €8.50/7 | Duration: 85mins | Language: Swahili (English Subtitles) Pili Hussein is a young Tanzanian woman who provides for her two small children by tilling the local fields. Her husband has deserted her because she has a HIV condition that she keeps secret from the rest of her small community. When Pili is offered the chance to take over a village market stall she desperately tries to raise the cash for the required deposit. Set and filmed in Tanzania, Leanne Welham’s debut feature is the result of a ground-breaking collaboration with the women of Miono, Tanzania, with 65% of the cast of non-actors being themselves HIV positive. Heartwarming and heartwrenching, Pili provides an honest, authentic view of Tanzanian life.
WORKSHOP
BRICKFLICKS
MONDAY 15 & TUESDAY 16 April | 10.30am - 1pm or 2pm - 4.30pm €35 | €30 For 2nd Child In Family | Age Suitability: 9+ Years Createschool are coming! Why not join them for some stop motion making mayhem? All you need to bring is your favourite Lego character to cast as the star of your film. With plenty of hands-on learning and simple demonstrations, you will work in small groups to create a set, storyboard and plan for your movie, which you will then film, edit, and record using iPads. The workshop is suitable for those new to stop motion, those looking to refresh their skills or for young animators who are already making stop motion films and want to take their skills to the next level. All equipment (including iPads) supplied. Just bring your own mini figure, snack and drink. Your booking covers two sessions - mornings or afternoons on both days.
BIFE ARTS FESTIVAL
BIFE FILM
TUESDAY 16 April | 8pm €12/8 Bray Institute of Further Education presents films by it’s graduating film students. Students will screen an eclectic mix of short films, documentaries and video art. These films will be from a range of genres and are guaranteed to entertain and challenge viewers in equal measure. Join us and see the future of film making in Ireland.
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DANCE/ THEATRE
SLAP AND TICKLE BY LIZ AGGISS THURSDAY 18 April | 8pm €16/14 | Adult Content 18+
Conceived, written, choreographed and performed by Liz Aggiss Slap and Tickle is an award winning, dark and ribald physical commentary on cultural mores and sexual taboos: a disorientating display of interpretations and contradictions about women, girls, mothers, bitches and senior citizens. Beating a path through the personal and historical, Aggiss creates a feminist soup that lurches from spoken word to expressionist movement, from music hall to radio nostalgia, from costume change to prop manipulation. It is push and pull, punishment and reward, slap and tickle......all the way home. Slap and Tickle won a Total Theatre Award Edinburgh Festival 2017. Come on everybody let's have a party! “The hilarious tickle never undermines the serious slap in this solo – sheer brilliance.” - The Glasgow Herald “Slap and Tickle is a pointed and bawdily funny exploration of what it means to refuse to act your age.” - theguardian.com
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CHILDREN’S THEATRE
DR BEN GARROD
SO YOU THINK YOU KNOW ABOUT DINOSAURS SATURDAY 20 April | 4pm €12/10 | €40 Family Of 4 | Age Suitability: 5+
So You Think You Know About Dinosaurs is the hit stage show starring dinosaur aficionado Dr Ben Garrod. Get ready to go on an exciting pre-historic adventure as Ben talks you through the deadliest predators that ever roamed the planet. Yes dinosaurs such as Tyrannosaurus rex, Allosaurus and Spinosaurus would have walked or swam right where you are now! Pitting the knowledge of unwitting parents against their allknowing kids, Dr Ben presents an interactive, educational and highly entertaining show using film footage from the BBC’s ‘Planet Dinosaur’. So come and test your knowledge against Dr Ben in this hit live interactive show which is bigger and better than ever. ‘I would highly recommend this show to anyone with a small person that loves dinosaurs!’ - Families Online ‘Who knew learning over Half Term would be so fun!’ - North East Family Fun “It was a thoroughly enjoyable and captivating two hours and my son and his friend were completely hooked throughout and I would urge anyone to catch the show next time around.” - Weston Mercury
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FILM
HAPPY AS LAZZARO (CERT: CLUB)
MONDAY 22 April | 8pm €8.50/7 | Duration: 125mins | Language: Italian (English Subtitles) In an isolated mountain community, the villagers have not been told by overseer Marchesa that sharecropping has been made illegal - so they continue to work for almost nothing. Lazzaro is a kind teenager who’s always given the village’s most thankless tasks. After striking up an unlikely alliance with Marchesa’s son, Lazzaro is caught up in a fake kidnapping scheme that will send him on a journey through time itself... Winner of Best Screenplay Cannes Film Festival 2018. “Rohrwacher has crafted a magic-realist fable that doubles as an origin myth for a modern Italy subsumed by corruption and decline.” – The Guardian
FILM
MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS (CERT: TBC) THURSDAY 25 April | 8pm €8/6.50 | Duration: 125mins | Language: English
Mary Queen of Scots explores the turbulent life of Mary Stuart (Saoirse Ronan). Queen of France at 16 and widowed at 18, Mary returns to her native Scotland to reclaim her rightful throne. But Mary is a Catholic and with Scotland and England falling under the rule of the compelling Protestant Elizabeth 1 her claim to the throne is seen as both a threat and an impossibility. Rivals, yet bound by the challenges of being female regents, the two Queens play the game of marriage versus independence.“...a show-stopping lead performance from Ronan, who at 24 is quickly becoming one of the industry’s most consistently impressive young actors” - The Guardian
MUSIC
MUSIC NETWORK RESIDENCY CONCERT:
IRISH & SPANISH BAROQUE GUITAR MUSIC FRIDAY 26 April | 8pm €16/14 | Friends Selected Show
One of the world’s leading baroque guitarists, Xavier Díaz-Latorre, brings his incredible virtuosity to Ireland for the first time.The 17th century was a golden age for the guitar and some of the period’s greatest musicians played and composed for it. In this concert the magical sounds of the Baroque guitar will transport you from the Dublin of Carolan and Swift to the palaces and taverns of Imperial Spain. Xavier Díaz-Latorre is recognised as one of the world’s leading lutenist and baroque guitarists. He is the lutenist of choice for the internationally acclaimed viol player and conductor, Jordi Savall. Xavier has a busy international performing career including at venues such as Carnegie Hall and Covent Garden.
FILM
FOXTROT (CERT: CLUB)
MONDAY 29 April | 8pm €8.50/7 | Duration: 108mins | Language: Hebrew (English Subtitles) A couple are informed that their son Jonathan has died in the line of duty in the Israeli army. As they come to terms with the news and prepare for the funeral, they’re informed that a horrifying mistake has been made. Meanwhile, we get a glimpse into Jonathan’s life manning an isolated checkpoint. He and his colleagues never know what will happen when a car pulls up to the barrier. Winner of the Grand Jury Prize, Venice Film Festival 2017. “Graced by superb performances, especially from Ashkenazi and Adler, this gentle but devastating portrait bursts with integrity and tough honesty, even in its most lighthearted moments. - The Washington Post
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COMEDY
DAVID MCSAVAGE - NATIONAL TREASURE SATURDAY 27 April | 8pm €22/20
David McSavage is a self proclaimed national treasure. It has been said he is to comedy what the Abbey is to theatre. Maybe because he believes he’s more important than he is, or that the majority of the country doesn’t care about him. But unlike the Abbey Theatre David’s best days aren’t behind him, his intention for this new show which he has yet to write is for you the audience member to feel “wow that was one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen, it was so original, courageous, and yet very flawed. I would really like to be his friend.“ A regular guest on TV and radio shows in Ireland for many years, David has also appeared at all the major comedy festivals including the Edinburgh Festival and internationally in Australia, Germany, Japan and Scandinavia. As an actor, this year he features in the film Calvary by John Michael McDonagh starring Brendan Gleeson. His other recent film roles in Traders, Gold and Our Robot Overlords. The Savage Eye (RTÉ), has been critically acclaimed was nominated for an IFTA award for Best Entertainment Series and Best Director. 46
COMING SOON
IN ASSOCIATION WITH DUBLIN DANCE FESTIVAL
LIV O’DONOGHUE - AFTER THURSDAY 9 May | 8pm €16/14
This is it. It’s over. The end of days. Humanity and the world as we know it are ending and we’ve stared deep into the abyss to make a documentary for you. It’s a rough cut, but it’s the best we could do under the circumstances. Using live-stream film, physicality and performance, we see the stages of the breakdown, the fallout, all that passed. AFTER will take you into the beyond, the bit after the end, when it’s already over. It’s a relief... almost. See www.dublindancefestival.ie for full programme in March.
COMING SOON
MUSIC NETWORK RESIDENCY CONCERT:
CONCERTOS PARA BEBÉS
SATURDAY 25 May | 4pm €10 Adults | €8 Babies | €30 Family Ticket (2 Adults & 2 Children) A musical experience specially designed for young people. Joining us from Portugal, Europe’s leading exponents of concerts to be enjoyed by all the family – babies, parents, siblings, grandparents and friends. The experienced musicians of 'Concertos para Bebés’ (‘Concerts for Babies) invite the children to listen – from Monteverdi to Traditional Irish Music, Baroque Guitar to Saxophone. Music and wonder flood the room; sighs and giggles abound. Joining them will be special guest, Eamon Sweeney. 47
BECOME A MERMAID FRIEND
Become a Friend of Mermaid and help us to support artists and projects in our community. All income from donations to Mermaid Arts Centre is allocated for the creation of new work and the support of artists. Mermaid Arts Centre is a charity and your friendship makes a huge difference. Benefits include complimentary tickets to friends selected shows each season and 10% off in Betelnut Café at Mermaid.
FRIENDS SELECTED SHOWS - THE FIRST 100 YEARS | PG 16 - RAPIDS | PG 25 - THE WRITING LIFE: JOHN BANVILLE | PG 29 - JOXER DALY ESQ | PG 36 - IRISH & SPANISH BAROQUE GUITAR | PG 45
MERMAID FRIEND LEVELS MERMAID FRIEND LEVEL 1: €60
- 1 free ticket per season to a friends selected show - 10% off at Betelnut Café - Invitations/Special Offers
MERMAID FRIEND LEVEL 2: €120
- 2 free tickets per season to a friends selected show - Concession rate on all film screenings - 10% off at Betelnut Café - Invitations/Special Offers
MERMAID FRIEND LEVEL 3: €350
- 4 free tickets per season to a friends selected show - 10% off at Betelnut Café - Unlimited concession rates for all film screenings & shows, if available - Invitations/Special Offers
MERMAID FRIEND LEVEL 4: €1000
All of the above perks along with tailor-made promotion and partnership opportunities to meet your needs.
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OUR MERMAID FRIENDS
Alpha CC
Margaret Jameson
Key Plastics
Sally & Sean Clifford
Craft Picture Framing Jean & Ian MacGreevy
Alan & Marie Downes
Frank Duff’s Lounge Jean Gibson Cllr&Mrs George & Joan Jones Ian & Christine Scott Carolyn MacDonnell Peggy Masterson Beatrice Lasserre Philip & Noella O’Reilly
Annick Smith Brendan & Jane Newsome Cynthia & Patrick Moran Jane Kierans Sean Leahy John Kelly Daphne Millar Nanette O’Connell
Martin & Patricia Davidson
Don Bagley
Derek Pullen
Rick Caldicott
John McCormick
Joan Davis
Yvonne & Jim Kidd
Deirdre MacDonnell
Mary Doyle
Patricia Cronnelly
Pat Ralph
Shireen Fisher
Bernie Chambers
Catherine Kelly
Marie Ryan
Raymond Comyn
Helen McAllister
Claire Maguire
Finola Murphy
Lee Donnelly
Kathleen Connolly
Des & Ita McGarry
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MERMAID INFORMATION BOOKING YOUR TICKETS
We have no booking fees - at all so book how you wish!
- PHONE: 01 272 4030 - ONLINE: www.mermaidartscentre.ie - IN PERSON: Pop in to us at box office during our opening hours. - Please note, once purchased, tickets cannot be exchanged or refunded. - Group discount available for groups of 10 or more for selected shows, please contact box office for further details. - Please arrive at least 15 minutes before the performance. - For the comfort of patrons and performers, latecomers will only be admitted at the interval. Please note visiting companies may have differing policies in this regard.
OPENING HOURS - BOX OFFICE
We are open Monday - Saturday, 10am - 6pm and up until 7.30pm on performance evenings. For Sunday and Bank Holidays performances we are open 1 hour before the performance time.
- GALLERY
Mermaid gallery is open Monday - Saturday, 10am – 6pm and until 8pm on performance nights.
- BETELNUT CAFÉ
The Betelnut Café serves breakfast, lunch, snacks and baked goods from 8am – 6pm Monday to Saturday. The theatre bar is open for pre-show and interval drinks.
GIFT VOUCHERS
Gift vouchers can be purchased online at www.mermaidartscentre. ie and printed at home or alternatively drop into us or call our box office team on 01 272 4030 to purchase a voucher. They can be made up for any amount and are valid for 2 years. They can be used to enjoy any performance at Mermaid from cinema to theatre and everything in between!
KEEP IN TOUCH
To join our mailing or email list, please contact the box office or join online at www.mermaidartscentre.ie. For any other queries please phone us on 01 272 4030 or email info@mermaidartscentre.ie.
ACCESS
Mermaid is a fully accessible venue. If you are planning on visiting Mermaid and have special requirements please contact the box office. Our wheelchair accessible spaces are located in the front row on the ground floor. Please note, it is not possible to book specific wheelchair seating online. Please contact the box office on 01 272 4030 to arrange. 50
MERMAID INFORMATION HOW TO FIND US
Mermaid Arts Centre, Main Street, Bray, Co. Wicklow, A98 N5P1. We are located in the civic offices complex just off the Main Street, the left, before the Bank Of Ireland if you are coming up the town.
PARKING
Mermaid has FREE underground parking for all evening and weekend performances. There is also parking available in the overground car park but this is pay and display and is not associated with Mermaid.
OUR FUNDERS
Brochure Design by Rachel Sweeney.
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Tel: 01-2724030 WWW.MERMAIDARTSCENTRE.IE