Entries Tagged as 'news'

Tony Hart RIP

tony-hart

It’s been a week of iconic gentlemen passing away. Tony Hart has died aged 83. Patrick McGoohan and Ricardo Montalbán, The Prisoner and Khan respectively, also left us earlier this week.

I can identify Tony Hart as the single biggest influence on my becoming an artist. Family members were simply not allowed to talk when Hart Beat was on, and I would studiously take in every carefully explained technique. I never met him, but a former colleague did and she said he would paint a canvas without a spot appearing on his immaculate clothes. Morph was also instrumental in my fascination with stop motion animation.

Rest in peace Tony and thank you.

Table Quiz for some kickass theatre!

bluepatch-productions-ireland

A friend of mine, Aine Rynne, is a founder member of Bluepatch Productions, and they’re doing Portia Coughlan by the mighty Marina Carr next month. They’re having a table quiz in the Ha’Penny Bridge Inn on the 26th January at 7.30pm to raise funds:

“Come along and support our fundraiser for Bluepatch’s production of Portia Coughlin, which will run from the 3rd-7th of February at The New Theatre on East Essex Street, Temple Bar.

The night will be fun filled with loads of fabulous spot prizes. There will be teams of 4/5 each competing to be crowned The Bluepatch Stars !! Live Music is by very popular and talented group; The Sick and Indigent Song Club!! James Fanning will entertain with his stand up style of cheeky wit and humorous storytelling. Altogether a nite not to be missed!!

Please tell all your friends and help us raise money for Bluepatch’s debut production in The New Theatre! We value your support and look forward to a night of fun and games.

Charge is Ten Euro a head!”

Should be a good night, so if you’re a table quiz fiend, grab your fiendish mates and head over to the Ha’penny. Theatre is a good cause.

Gaza.

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Drama Classes for Adults in Galway

sarah-otoole-acting-classes

Disclosure: this is a gratuitous plug for Sarah O’Toole who is a friend of mine, and a bloody brilliant actor:

“Galway Actor’s Workshop has been set up to open
the experience of drama and acting to the people of
Galway in a variety of self-contained workshops and
short term courses.
We believe that for all of you have ever just wanted to
“give it a try”, it is never too late! While providing you
with solid training at whatever level you choose, we
also hope to enable you to experience the sense of
fun and personal creativity that comes from engaging
with drama.

Introduction to Acting
Tutor is an experience teacher and theatre
practitioner with a Masters Directing. This course is
aimed at adults from 16 upwards covers all the
basics in approaching acting and theatre whilst
sharing with the students all the fun to be had in the
rehearsal room!
When: 6 week course running from 12th February,
with a break on 5th March.
6.30 to 9.30 p.m.
Where: Anno Santo Hotel, Threadneedle Road,
Salthill
Price:
€120/€100 (Students & Unemployed)
Book: For any enquiries or to book a place call
087 237 3531. For further info about
upcoming courses with Galway Actor’s
Workshop, visit the below web address. As
there are only 12 places available to ensure
quality tuition, it is advised to book as soon
as possible! A €40 deposit is payable in
advance.

Acting for Fun Weekend
A weekend introduction to acting for those who have never tried it before. Through fun games and exercises
and ensemble work, it shares the magic of the rehearsal room and of performance.
When: Saturday/Sunday 24/25 January from 12 to 6pm (with break)
Where: Anno Santo Hotel, Threadneedle Road, Salthill, Galway
Price:
€65/€50 (Students/Unemployed)
Book:
For any enquiries or to book a place call 087 237 3531. For further info about upcoming courses
with Galway Actor’s Workshop, visit the below web address. As there are only 12 places available to
ensure quality tuition, it is advised to book as soon as possible! A €25 deposit is payable in advance.

Comedy Improv Weekend
A fun-filled and challenging weekend workshop
dealing with the basics of improvisation in order to
create spontaneous comedic performance. Perfect
for developing confidence in being able to think on
your feet, work in an ensemble and explore your
funny side!
This workshop is geared towards students with some
experience of theatre, however, beginners are
welcome if they are willing to leave their inhibitions at
home and throw themselves in the deep end!!!
When: Saturday/Sunday 21/22 February from 12 to
6pm (with break)
Where: Anno Santo Hotel, Threadneedle Road,
Salthill, Galway
Price:
€65/€50 (Students/Unemployed)
Book: For any enquiries or to book a place call
087 237 3531. As there are only 12 places
available to ensure quality tuition, it is
advised to book as soon as possible!

Audition Speech Weekend
This weekend deals with a monologue which each
student will have chosen in advance. The aim of this
workshop is to help the students learn both by
observation and participation, to give them the
experience of detailed direction, to share different
methods of unlocking a text and a starting point for
preparing an audition speech.
This workshop is geared towards students with
acting experience, who are starting to audition or for
the more experienced who want to refresh and
expand their methods of approaching a text or
monologue.
When: Saturday/Sunday 21/22 March from 12 to
6pm (with break)
Where: Anno Santo Hotel, Threadneedle Road,
Salthill, Galway
Price:
€65/€50 (Students/Unemployed)
Book: For any enquiries or to book a place call
087 237 3531. As there are only 10 places
available to ensure quality tuition, it is
advised to book as soon as possible! A €25
deposit is payable in advance.”

www.myspace.com/galwayactorsworkshop

Macnas set for new home?


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Billy Cameron seems to think so in today’s Galway First. If it happens it’ll be fantastic news for Macnas as it means a permanent, city-based home for the company. Logistically, it’ll be tough at parade time: it’ll take a long time to get floats in position for rehearsals and on the day. Getting stuff secured after the parade is a huge job too. I was out with Karen Gordon until 4am in July, tracking down shopping trolleys, batteries and beds and getting them back to Fisheries Field. There’s some serious hills on the way up to Westside. Still beggars and choosers.
I hope Macnas gets a major say in the design of the building, unlike the Black Box, which was a disaster. I used to work there and clumps plaster would regularly fall from the walls and the floor of the performance space was uneven. I predict it’ll have to be demolished within 20 years.
Macnas knows what it needs in a new home. If the City Council is going to fund this in whole or in part, it needs to commission an architect to sit down with the management and department heads and not build what it thinks Macnas needs.
One unfortunate side effect of Macnas vacating Fisheries Field is that NUIG will build on it. The Fisheries Field is one of the last green sites in the city, and NUIG is floating plans to drop a big green turd of an opera venue there. Bad move NUIG, you should be preserving the field for a city that is starved of green areas, not plopping another venue that will have more empty seats than full ones.