www.artsoverborders.com
In the northern literary lands
Booking and further information www.artsoverborders.com Fermanagh Box Office Ardhowen Theatre 97 Dublin Road Enniskillen BT74 6FZ Tel: 028 6632 5440
Donegal Box Office An Grianan Theatre Port Road Letterkenny Tel: + 353 (0) 74 9120777
Derry~Londonderry Box Office Nerve Centre 5-6 Magazine Street Derry~Londonderry BT48 6HJ Tel: 028 7126 0562
Events may be subject to change so please check our website for latest information.
Welcome We’re delighted to be bringing back our Happy
We’re also very conscious that the writers listed
Frielfest to Derry~Londonderry and Donegal.
circumstance rather than choice and we see this
Days Beckett Festival to Enniskillen and our
However, this year these festivals are put into a new constellation - the northern literary lands. The northern literary lands consist of eleven
border counties, each of which has a powerful
landscape connection to either a giant of
literature or a great literary text: Armagh
(Jonathan Swift), Derry (Seamus Heaney & Brian Friel), Down (St Patrick and C. S. Lewis),
Early booking is advised to avoid disappointment.
Fermanagh (Samuel Beckett and Oscar Wilde),
and Tyrone (Flann O’Brien & John Montague) in
above are all men. This is a matter of historical
as an important issue going forward. Our belief
is that the creation of the northern literary lands offers an opportunity to inform audiences and
visitors about writers, both male and female, of whom they may be unaware, and we believe these writers have a much better chance of
finally receiving due recognition through the
collectivity of the northern literary lands rather than through occasional, isolated events.
Arts Over Borders will present year-round
Northern Ireland and Cavan (Dermot Healy),
activity in the northern literary lands with
Louth (the Tain), Monaghan (Patrick Kavanagh)
that there are already a number of festivals and
Donegal (Brian Friel), Leitrim (John McGahern), and Sligo (W. B. Yeats) in the Republic of Ireland. The border becomes a spine that holds these
counties and their literary commonality together
from Ireland’s Ancient East (The Tain, St Patrick and mythical Narnia) to the north west’s Wild
Atlantic Way and its landscape associations with two of our late contemporary literary giants,
Brian Friel and Seamus Heaney.
festivals operating as its peaks. We’re very aware summer schools taking place, plus the recent
opening of the Seamus Heaney HomePlace in
Bellaghy. So the challenge is to build on this and demonstrate to local and visitor alike a coherent vision that illuminates the border counties’ extraordinary literary associations and the
beautiful landscapes that inspired many of these great writers.
The writers listed are all of the past but are in no
With Brexit not far off, it feels even more
(though a list that includes three Nobel laureates)
bond between our counties. Arts Over Borders
way definitive. They are our subjective choice
that we are using as a foundational layer upon
which to feature many other writers, past and
current, who are already being celebrated or who
deserve to be. However, we shouldn’t underplay
the fact that to have so many world-class writers
important to celebrate the social and cultural
seeks to overcome borders of all kinds – cultural, educational and societal.
Sean Doran and Liam Browne Artistic Directors, Arts Over Borders
in such a small geographical area is astonishing.
The focus will always be fluid and we see it
changing from year to year as different writers
take centre-stage either through our own activity
or the activity of others - we don’t in any way
own the northern literary lands, we are merely a
part of its development.
Principal funders
In association with
Other partners
Arts Over Borders Team
Honorary Patrons
Artistic Directors: Seán Doran / Liam Browne
Kevin Barry
Paul Muldoon
Production Manager: Barry McKinney
Adrian Dunbar
Fiona Shaw
Public Relations (ROI): Conway Communications
Roy Foster
Volunteers Manager: Sally Rees
Eimear McBride
Festival Manager: Karen Friel, Nerve Centre
John Banville
Public Relations (UK): Bolton Quinn
Lisa Dwan
Programme Design: Tonic Design
Nick Laird
Supporting Staff: Heather White, John Graham
Lisa McInerney
Sinéad Morrissey
Media partners
Glenn Patterson Colm Tóibín For an updated list of Irish and international patrons please refer to the website.
FRIELFEST
HAPPY DAYS
DERRY~ LONDONDERRY / DONEGAL / OMAGH 24 - 28 AUGUST 2017
ENNISKILLEN INTERNATIONAL BECKETT FESTIVAL 31 AUGUST - 3 SEPTEMBER 2017
Making History is the central play in this year’s festival with rehearsed readings in Derry’s Guildhall and at An Grianán Theatre in Letterkenny. Friel’s fascination with history has inspired us to acknowledge his deep love of Homer’s two epics poems, which are part of the foundation of Western culture. And so, in lieu of the Mediterraean, we are presenting performance recitations of The Odyssey on five Donegal beaches of the Wild Atlantic Way, and in Derry you can experience the Iliad on venues on or around the Walls. Friel’s love of Greek and Latin culture was shared by his good friend, and another literary giant, Seamus Heaney, and to mark their close personal and professional relationship we are staging a promenade recitation of Heaney’s posthumously-published translation of Book VI of the Aeneid. And for the duration of the festival a giant newly-commissioned Trojan horse will be situated in Guildhall Square.
This Happy Days comes on the back of our successful Beckett Festival in Paris, and henceforth the two festivals will work in tandem together. There’s the return of old favourites such as the Schubertiade and Precious Little concerts, the morning boat rides out to islands on the lough for Beckett readings, and of Festival Associate Adrian Dunbar’s acclaimed productions Ohio Impromptu and Catastrophe. We’re delighted that Enniskillen Royal Grammar School (formerly Portora Royal School) is hosting talks and we welcome a new performance piece by director Alan Gilsenan based on some of Beckett’s poems, and a site-specific reading of From An Abandoned Work by director and Festival Associate Netia Jones. We close with a rare opportunity to watch Quad (performed by Pan Pan Theatre Company), the only work of Samuel Beckett’s to be inspired by dance.
WAR MUSIC
OHIO IMPROMPTU
BY CHRISTOPHER LOGUE INSPIRED BY HOMER’S ILIAD Thursday 24 August: Pilots Row, Derry~Londonderry | 7.00pm Friday 25 August: First Derry Presbyterian Church | 7.00pm Saturday 26 August: Check website for more details Sunday 27 August: Check website for more details Monday 28 August: Check website for more details A performed recitation of Christopher Logue's War Music, an extraordinary, contemporary version of Homer’s Iliad. Directed by Conall Morrison. With actors and music.
MYCENAE LOOKOUT BY SEAMUS HEANEY
Saturday 26 & Sunday 27 August: Walkers Plinth, Derry Walls | 8.00am A reading of Seamus Heaney’s extraordinary epic poem (from The Spirit Level) on the return of Agamemnon from Troy and his subsequent murder. Special guest reader. Tickets: £4
AENEID BOOK VI
THE ODYSSEY
Saturday 26 & Sunday 27 August: Pick up from Foyle Street Bus Station, Derry~Londonderry | 10.00am
Thursday 24th August: Tullan Strand, Bundoran, Donegal Friday 25th August: Narin-Portnoo Strand, Donegal Saturday 26th August: Carrickfinn Beach, Kincasslagh Sunday 27th August: Marble Hill, Donegal Monday 28th August: Fahan, Inishowen, Donegal A rehearsed recitation, in a unique tent setting, on five of Donegal’s dramatic beaches that resonate with Brian Friel’s work and life. Directed by Adrian Dunbar. With actor, music, food and wine. Tickets: €10 (includes food and refreshments) See website for times www.artsoverborders.com
FAITH HEALER BY BRIAN FRIEL
Friday 25, Saturday 26 & Sunday 27 August: Pick up at Market Hall, Glenties | 6.30pm A promenade reading in three West Donegal community halls and hotel (an area that was the boyhood summer idyll for Brian Friel and now his resting place). Note: Play and journey duration 3hr. Tickets: €25.00 (includes picnic and bus)
THE ENEMY WITHIN BY BRIAN FRIEL
Friday 25 August: St Mary’s Church, Knockmoyle, Omagh | 7.30pm Saturday 26 August: St. Columba’s Church, Long Tower, Derry~Londonderry | 8.30pm A staged reading of Friel’s early play on St. Columba. Directed by Paula McFetridge, Produced by Kabosh, Costume Design by Liz Cullinane. Cast: Peter Balance, James Doran, Thomas Finnegan, Vincent Higgins, Gerard Jordan, Terence Keeley, Frank McCusker, Noel McGee, Seamus O’Hara and Lalor Roddy. Tickets: £5
MAKING HISTORY BY BRIAN FRIEL
Friday 25 August: An Grianán Theatre, Letterkenny | 7.30pm Saturday 26 August: The Guildhall, Derry~Londonderry | 6.00pm A rehearsed reading of Friel’s Ireland-England play, Making History, directed by Mick Gordon. Guildhall tickets: £5 An Grianán Theatre tickets: See www.angrianan.com for more details
Thursday 31 August - Sunday 3 September Devenish Island (Departure from Round ‘0’) | 8.00pm Festival Associate, Adrian Dunbar, presents his production of Ohio Impromptu, with performances at sunset on Devenish Island, a monastic site founded in the 6th century, a short boat ride away from Enniskillen on Lough Erne. Tickets: £12 (includes boat journey)
Tickets: £5
BY HOMER
BY SAMUEL BECKETT DIRECTED BY ADRIAN DUNBAR
BY SEAMUS HEANEY (AFTER VIRGIL)
A crossing over journey by bus to three venues: Grianán of Aileach, Lumen Christi College and The Deanery. Poem and Journey duration 3hrs. Refreshments provided. Special guest reader. Tickets: £15 (includes bus and refreshments)
THE MAKING OF HISTORY BRIAN FEENEY AND MALACHI O'DOHERTY WITH MARGO HARKIN Saturday 26 August: The Junction, Bishop St, Derry~Londonderry | 3.00pm A discussion on biography and the role of traditional and social media. Tickets: £5
MAKING HISTORY: AN INTRODUCTION DR MALACHY Ó NÉILL
Saturday 26 August: The Guildhall, Derry~Londonderry | 4.45pm A talk by the Provost of the Magee campus exploring the history and context of Friel’s play on Hugh O’Neill. Admission free
A TROJAN WAR HORSE Saturday 19 August - Monday 28 August Guildhall Square, Derry~Londonderry The horse has always been an important element in Greek and Irish culture. And of course the wooden horse of Troy (invented by Odysseus) has become a symbol of trickery and cunning. A specially- commissioned giant wooden horse will dominate Guildhall Square for the duration of the festival. It will host storytelling daily for children, war-sports (echoing the Iliad) will be performed in its vicinity, and on Bank Holiday Monday the festival will culminate with an outdoor musical performance in Guildhall Square.
INTRODUCTORY TALK WITH KATHRYN WHITE
Friday 1 September: Enniskillen Town Hall | 5.30pm Kathryn White, Lecturer in English in the School of Arts and Humanities at Ulster University, considers the importance of teaching Beckett and reveals details of her research on the ‘festivalising’ of writers such as Beckett. Admission free
CATASTROPHE
BY SAMUEL BECKETT DIRECTED BY ADRIAN DUNBAR Friday 1 September: 7.00pm Saturday 2 September: 12 noon & 5.00pm Sunday 3 September: 12 noon & 5.00pm A site-specific presentation of Beckett’s one-act play dedicated to the Czech playwright and former President of Czechoslovakia, Vaclav Havel. Directed by Adrian Dunbar. Tickets: £5 See website for venue details www.artsoverborders.com
BECKETT POEMS
A PERFORMED ‘READING’ BY ALAN GILSENAN Friday 1 September: 8.00pm Saturday 2 September: 8.00pm A new performance piece based upon some of Samuel Beckett's poems, devised & directed by Alan Gilsenan. Tickets: £6 See website for venue details www.artsoverborders.com
TO THE ISLANDS EARLY MORNING READINGS
Saturday 2 & Sunday 3 September: Boat Departs From The Round ‘O’ | 8.00am An early morning boat journey on Lough Erne, alighting on a different island each day where one of the Festival artists will read a short poem or prose by Samuel Beckett or T.S. Eliot. Tickets: £8
Artists: Ewan Berry, Cathal McGinley & Paddy Bloomer.
FROM AN ABANDONED WORK BY SAMUEL BECKETT
Saturday 2 September: 4.00pm & 5.00pm Sunday 3 September: 10.00am & 11.00am In this brand-new staging for the festival, director Netia Jones presents a site-specific reading of the work. From An Abandoned Work, ‘a mediation for radio’, was first broadcast for radio on BBC Radio 3 in 1957, performed by Patrick Magee. Tickets: £6 See website for venue details www.artsoverborders.com
EH JOE
BY SAMUEL BECKETT Saturday 2 September: 11.00am A special screening of Samuel Beckett's Eh Joe to mark its 30th anniversary. Followed by a Question and Answer session with director Alan Gilsenan and actor Tom Hickey. Tickets: £4 See website for venue details www.artsoverborders.com
Booking and further information www.artsoverborders.com
PRECIOUS LITTLE A MUSICAL RECITAL
Saturday 2 September: St. Macartin’s Cathedral, Enniskillen | 1.10pm Ruby Philogene MBE (mezzo soprano). Duration: 20 minutes Admission free
BORDERS
GARRETT CARR AND KAPKA KASSABOVA WITH FRANK FERGUSON Saturday 2 September: Enniskillen Royal Grammar School | 2.00pm A discussion on borders, both Irish and international, and their role in today’s world. Tickets: £5
THE SINGULAR SING-SONG SINGERS A SINGERS WORKSHOP
Saturday 2 September: Enniskillen Royal Grammar School | 4pm A 90 minute singing workshop with opera singer Ruby Philogene. As a pupil at Portora Royal School (now Enniskillen Royal Grammar School), Beckett formed the Singular Sing - Song Singers. Participants: £10
DIE WINTERREISE BY FRANZ SCHUBERT BENJAMIN APPL (BARITONE) AND JULIUS DRAKE (PIANO)
Saturday 2 September: St. Macartin’s Cathedral, Enniskillen | 6.00pm A recital of Beckett’s single favourite work by German baritone, Benjamin Appl, who was described by Gramophone Magazine as ‘the current front-runner in the new generation of Lieder singers.’ Tickets: £12
LIFE, DEATH AND BEYOND MARK O’CONNELL AND RAYMOND TALLIS WITH CARLO GEBLER
Sunday 3 September: Enniskillen Royal Grammar School | 2.00pm A discussion on death and the possibilities, through technology, of human immortality. Tickets: £5
SWAN SONG (SCHWANENGESANG)
BY FRANZ SCHUBERT NICKY SPENCE (TENOR) & JULIUS DRAKE (PIANO) Sunday 3 September: St Macartin's Cathedral, Enniskillen | 4.00pm Schubert’s final collection of songs performed by rising star tenor Nicky Spence. Tickets: £12
QUAD
BY SAMUEL BECKETT DANCE & LECTURE DEMONSTRATION Sunday 3 September: Ardhowen Theatre | 6.00pm Written originally as a television play, this is a rare opportunity to see the only work of Samuel Beckett’s to be inspired by dance. Multi-award winning Pan Pan Theatre Company works with internationally acclaimed dance company, Irish Modern Dance Theatre and Bristol University mathematician Conor Houghton to present a lecture demonstration of the piece. Tickets: £8