On this year’s Theatre & Dance programme, I am intrigued by Beowulf – A Thousand Years of Baggage. Even the name is epic, never mind the eponymous poem. I’ve read the blurb on the Kilkenny Arts Festival site:

Beowulf – A Thousand Years Of Baggage is a riotous, award-winning SongPlay from New York that digs into the roots of the epic poem while echoing the raw and rowdy storytelling of Scandinavian mead halls. Battles emerge in the aisles and on top of tables, plunging the audience into the middle of this unique theatre experience, while an explosive seven-piece band combines cabaret, jazz harmony and punk rock, turning the stage into a cacophonous swirl.

Banana Bag & Bodice is an ensemble-based company founded in 1999 that creates unique theatre-shows, with an emphasis on original text and composed music, and embraces the awkwardness of being a human. Their critically-acclaimed show The Sewers received a Best Production Award at the Dublin Fringe Festival in 2006.

So let’s get this right…music, drama, rowdy storytelling, punk rock…all in one show? It’s almost too much excitement. Here’s a taster video:

If you’re as intrigued as I am, go get your tickets here! Right now!

Beowulf – A Thousand Years of Baggage plays in the Set Theatre, Langtons, John Street, Kilkenny on 5th, 6th and 7th August at 7pm. Tickets cost €15/€12. If one Kilkenny Arts Festival experience is just not enough, the festival are offering a Monster’s Ball special – a ticket to Beowulf and a ticket to Eric Sweeney and 3epkano on Friday 5th August for just €23.

All special ticket offer bundles are here. Don’t wait too long, this is going to sell out fast!

Each of the bloggers this year have taken charge of blogging a particular strand of the festival. I’ll telling you all about the Theatre & Dance Strand. Each of the strands are curated by someone who works (and usually lives and breathes) the art that they are curating. This year Tom Creed has taken on the Theatre & Dance Strand and again it looks magical, as it did last year. I’m very excited about the festival again this year!

I’ve put the official info from the Kilkenny Arts Festival site below on each piece but plan to write a bit more about them individually coming closer to the festival. You can keep on top of Festival News on the blog, on twitter, on Facebook or by signing up for email updates at the bottom of the homepage. And let’s not forget YouTube.

Beowulf – A Thousand Years of Baggage

Beowulf – A Thousand Years Of Baggage is a riotous, award-winning SongPlay from New York that digs into the roots of the epic poem while echoing the raw and rowdy storytelling of Scandinavian mead halls. Battles emerge in the aisles and on top of tables, plunging the audience into the middle of this unique theatre experience, while an explosive seven-piece band combines cabaret, jazz harmony and punk rock, turning the stage into a cacophonous swirl.

Banana Bag & Bodice is an ensemble-based company founded in 1999 that creates unique theatre-shows, with an emphasis on original text and composed music, and embraces the awkwardness of being a human. Their critically-acclaimed show The Sewers received a Best Production Award at the Dublin Fringe Festival in 2006.

Don’t miss the free taster show on Saturday 6 August.

WHEN - Friday 5 Aug 7pm, Saturday 6 Aug 7pm, Sunday 7 Aug 7pm

WHERE - Set Theatre

DURATION - 75 minutes

PRICES - €15 / €12 

Request Programme

Request Programme takes place in a real apartment, where a small audience await the arrival of the lone character, played by IFTA-winning actress Eileen Walsh. There they get to witness at close quarters her everyday existence, her rituals and routine.

Since 1991, the acclaimed Cork-based theatre company Corcadorca has been bringing theatre out of traditional venues and into unexpected places like nightclubs, factories and even a courthouse. Its shows, like the epic Trial of Jesus, which took place on St Patrick’s Hill in Cork with an audience of 2,500 people, and the site-specific Merchant of Venice, have been nominated for numerous Irish Times Theatre Awards. Now they present a much more intimate show by acclaimed German playwright Franz Xaver Kroetz.

There will be a post-show discussion with the company on Monday 8 August.

WHEN - Friday 5 Aug 6pm, Saturday 6 Aug 5.30pm, Sunday 7 Aug 5.30pm, Monday 8 Aug 6pm, Tuesday 9 Aug 6pm, Thursday 11 Aug 6pm, Friday 12 Aug 6pm, Saturday 13 Aug 6pm, Sunday 14 Aug 6pm

DURATION - 60 minutes

PRICES - €15 / €12

Tabernacle

Faithful? Devoted? Pure? Can we still shelter in God’s house?

Fearghus Ó Conchúir’s Tabernacle is an exciting new dance piece that takes a thoughtful look at changing attitudes to religion in a country whose identity was defined by it for so long.

Fearghus Ó Conchúir is one of Ireland’s leading independent choreographers. With contributions from singer/composer Iarla Ó Lionáird, visual artist Sarah Browne and a quintet of experienced performers, Tabernacle puts the church in focus, investigating authority, control and its influence in the individual search for purposeful living.

Tabernacle is produced by Fearghus Ó Conchúir in association with Project Arts Centre, with the support of the Arts Council, Dance Ireland, Modul Dance, the Culture Programme of the EU and with funds from Dublin Dance Festival’s 2011 Co-production Initiative.

Contains nudity.

There will be a post-show discussion with the company on Monday 8 August.

Photo Jonathan Mitchell

WHEN - Saturday 6 Aug 2.15pm, Sunday 7 Aug 2.15pm, Monday 8 Aug 8.30pm,

WHERE - The Watergate Theatre

DURATION - 80 minutes

PRICES - €15 / €12

anybody waitin’?

Leonie is waiting for Paula, Paula is waiting for a man, Bryan is waiting to be included. But sure, we’re all waiting for something, mostly for something to happen, so you’ve come to the right place because these guys know how to fill the time better than most. A love for good dancing, good looks and a good time is what they have in common. Join them to get some of each.

ponydance are back, and this time they’re free! With an extendable cast (thanks to the audience), some large handbags, a change of clothes and a pop-up fake tan tent, these “incorrigible flirts” (The Irish Times) take you on a quest through the streets of Kilkenny to find Paula a man.

Produced and originally presented by Absolut Fringe. An Absolut commission.

This show is free but please note that tickets are required for the Cleere’s and Set Theatre shows.

Show times and venues

Monday 8 – Sunday 14 August (except Thurs 11)

The Parade: Mon 8 & Fri 12 August, 1pm

The Canal Walk: Tues 9 & Sat 13 August, 1pm

Kieran Street: Wed 10 & Sun 14 August, 1pm

Cleere’s: Sat 13 August, 10pm

Set Theatre: Sun 14 August, 9pm

Big Deal

Dear Cathy,

It’s 10.30pm on Tuesday night. I have just finished your recent email. You are now on the way to recovery. You are here now as you should have been and will be until the day you die. So whilst I struggle slowly onward and upward, you are already there.

Love Deborah 

Following last year’s sell-out success Victor and Gord, Una McKevitt returns to Kilkenny with the extraordinary real life story of two women who knew from a very young age that they were born into the wrong bodies. Scripted from original material provided by the contributors – including journals, poems, songs and interviews – The Big Deal charts the incredible personal gains and losses each has made to become the women they have always been.

Supported by The Arts Council, Project Arts Centre and The Corn Exchange.

There will be a post-show discussion with the company on Saturday 13 August.

WHEN - Wednesday 10 Aug 1pm (preview), Thursday 11 Aug 1pm, Friday 12 Aug 1pm, Saturday 13 Aug 1pm, Sunday 14 Aug 1pm

WHERE - Barnstorm Theatre

DURATION - 75 minutes

PRICES - €15 / €12 (€13 / €11 for preview on Wed 10th)

Title & Deed

Here before you stands a man, recently arrived from somewhere. Listen, as he recounts his past and figures out the present. Watch as his body and mind assert themselves and he tries to find his bearings, in a room and a world full of people, trying to find theirs.

Gare St Lazare Players Ireland return to Kilkenny with the world premiere of Title and Deed, a new piece specially written for the company by acclaimed American playwright Will Eno, “a Samuel Beckett for the Jon Stewart generation.” (The New York Times)

Gare St Lazare are Ireland’s most-travelled theatre company and have toured around the world with their extensive repertory of Beckett prose works and, more recently, their solo adaptation of Moby Dick.

There will be a post-show discussion with Will Eno on Saturday 13 August.

Created with the kind support of Micheline & Albert Sakharoff and Christopher & Nancy Herbert.

WHEN - Wednesday 10 Aug 6pm (preview), Thursday 11 Aug 8pm (preview), Friday 12 Aug 8pm, Saturday 13 Aug 8pm, Sunday 14 Aug 8pm

WHERE - Barnstorm Theatre

DURATION - 90 minutes

PRICES - €15 / €12 (€13 / €11 for previews on Wed 10th & Thurs 11th)

Body Duet

John Scott’s thrilling new work, Body Duet, is an energy-packed, highly physical dance featuring two spiritual and witty performers. Michelle Boulé – recently awarded the coveted ‘Bessie’ prize for outstanding female dancer in New York – and Philip Connaughton, arguably Ireland’s leading male dancer, fuse their differing physicalities to thrilling effect in a performance that blends beauty and lyricism, rage and humour, shouts and whispers, and dance.

For twenty years, Irish Modern Dance Theatre has been dedicated to pioneering new forms of expression, working with international choreographers to create and commission innovative dance. Body Duet is the first part of a major cycle of works to be created in different locations, featuring outstanding dancers.

There will be a post-show discussion with the company on Sunday 14 August.

WHEN - Saturday 13 Aug 5pm, Sunday 14 Aug 2pm, Sunday 14 Aug 5pm

WHERE - The Watergate Theatre

DURATION - 75 minutes

PRICES - €15 / €12

Every month we want to produce an ezine called ‘It’s A Wrap’. It will cover film news, gossip, interviews and competitions. We are looking for a journalist with an avid interest in movies and the film industry to write this this exciting ezine.

Click here for a previous version of our ezine

The new ezine, needs to be about half as long as the previous editions.

One of the perks of the job is that you will also be able to go to press screenings of movies coming up, a week or two before they are on general release! And you may get to interview some of the top people in the film industry.

Naturally this is not a full time job, more of a ‘nixer’ on the side. The contract will be for 12 months. Payment will be on a monthly invoiced basis. The fee per ezine is €250. There may be other opportunities to supplment this income.

If you are interested in this role, please send an email to Itsawrap@MovieExtras.ie (remove spaces) with the subject line ‘Ezine Submission’, with the following:

- Your CV
- Short sample submission (maybe just a section)

Please reply by July 1st 

Sounds like a great opportunity for anyone looking to get into that area of writing

I promised myself that I would go back this year no matter what and luck intervened again – I’ve been asked to be one of a large team of bloggers blogging events at the festival. Yay!

So you will see me wandering around Kilkenny in August with a big smile on my face running from one end of the town to the other, from event to event and loving it. You might also see me sneaking up to Café Sol Bistro for some well-deserved delicious dinner

I wonder what the talk of the town will be this time round? Last year it was definitely this.

Kilkenny Arts Festival runs from 5th -14th August 2011 and you can check out the programme once it has been announced on kilkennyarts.ie. 

However there are many things we do from day to day that most of us don’t think twice about but are considered volunteering all the same.

Maybe you offer a lift to a neighbour who has no car?

Maybe you call on an elderly neighbour for a chat or to see if they need anything in the shops?

Maybe you mind children for a friend so they can get some valuable time out with their partner?

All are a form of volunteering – giving your time free of charge for someone else’s benefit.

On 1st October next, Volunteering Ireland will be celebrating a National Day of Volunteering and they would like as many people as possible to participate. One idea is the Random Act of Volunteering. They are asking that everyone make an effort to do one thing for someone else on that day, no matter how small. And if you really can’t do anything, then maybe you could thank the people you know who volunteer their time or services either by thanking them in person or by adding them to the Thank You Roll of Honour on the website.

“Even if a person can just do just one small thing on the day, such as walk an elderly neighbour’s dog, or register to give blood, it does make a difference.  And, as all the research indicates, helping in this way is just as beneficial for the volunteer, as it is for the recipient”, Dr. Yvonne McKenna, CEO of Volunteer Centres Ireland says.

Miriam O'Callaghan volunteers her time at the launch of National Day of Volunteering

It’s not all about helping others – volunteering can be good for you too. VolunteerMatch, a US counterpart of Volunteer Centres Ireland, released a study in April 2010 showing that volunteering not only enhances physical and mental health, but also strengthens relationships between employers and employees.

Key findings were that 68% said volunteering made them feel physically healthier, and 29% of volunteers suffering from a chronic condition said volunteering helped them manage their illness.  73% of volunteers reported lower stress levels, and over 75% volunteering through work said they felt better about their employer as a result.

Dr. Yvonne McKenna, Volunteering Ireland and Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh at the launch of the National Day of Volunteering

It has been a pleasure to be part of the steering committee for the National Day of Volunteering, everyone involved was incredibly enthusiastic, a wonderful group of people! And I am reliably informed that being on the steering committee also counts as me volunteering my time

If you want to find out more about the National Day of Volunteering, please follow them on Twitter, visit the website and tell as many people as you can about it.

Although it’s a huge institution in the US, Yelp has only entered into the European market this year and has been making good progress particularly in Dublin. All that is thanks to Annie L, or as you may also know her @yelpdublin on Twitter. Annie *is* the Yelp Dublin team, all of it. And she did a great job in organising the August event. Yelpers were invited to create a sundae of their own concoction at a sundae bar at the back of the shop where an array of ice creams, sorbets and toppings were laid out for everyone to make their own. With it being one of the warmer nights of the year, ice cream was a welcome treat in between chatting to other Yelpers.

The idea of the Yelp events is to get people to new venues, get the venues some new customers and fans who will also review on Yelp.ie adding content and value to the site. If you are looking for a restaurant, hotel, bar, shop – Yelp is the kind of site that will tell you where it is, how good it is and what is good to order. You can also check-in to venues in a similar way to FourSquare, Gowalla, etc., becoming a Duke or Duchess if you check-in there most.

If you haven’t already, you can sign up for a free Yelp account here – and if you would like to read the reviews of the event in Murphy’s or add your own, you can do so here.

Many thanks to Annie for organising the Yelp events, I am sure it will be the first of many – I’m looking forward to the next one!

I had read on the Kilkenny Arts website about The Smile Off Your Face and had found it intriguing, particularly “You are blindfolded, you are in a wheelchair, tied up. There is no stage.”

What could it be? What would happen to me inside the darkness of a blindfold where my imagination and senses of sound and smell were all I had at my disposal? I couldn’t not do it, so I signed up myself and Darragh. The show was free and time slots were going fast.
We arrived about 10 minutes early for our 8pm slot but there were very few people around. The serenity of the Rothe House courtyard was perfect for it, there was a spiritual, almost religious feel about everything, people talking quietly about their experience and the experiences of others. Almost immediately an older gentleman was wheeled out with a big grin on his face. His daughter was waiting for him, smiling herself with the shared knowledge and shared experience. Darragh was invited to take the now empty seat in the wheelchair, I took a quick photo of him and off he went.

Several minutes later a young woman came out. In floods of tears. She was not upset but happy with the experience she had just had and moved by it. It probably should have scared me but it just meant I knew I was in for something special.

So I got into the wheelchair outside and gave myself over to the lovely, smiley, soft-spoken man who lifted my feet onto the steps of the wheelchair, tied my wrists together gently “to take away sense of touch” and asked if I was claustrophobic before slipping a black eye-mask onto my face. All I was left with were sounds and the motion of the wheelchair as I glided inside. The Smile Off Your Face forces you to give yourself over to strangers and to trust them to take care of you in the dark. Inside, I was wheeled around in the dark, hearing different sounds and voices from different corners. As I was wheeled along I imagined that I was in some kind of Willie Wonka wonderland filled with magical things, then a rollercoaster in the dark like Magic Mountain in Disneyland – I could have been anywhere and touching anything but in a very wonderful way. At times I wasn’t entirely sure if I was indoors or out but it didn’t matter.

Most people seem to have come out of this experience with a smile firmly ON their face. I came out feeling lighter, happier and full of joy and wonder for a new experience. Darragh had the same reaction, elation, joy and wonder, a beautiful experience shared between friends.

So what happens through those doors?

You’ll have to try it out yourself to find out!

The Smile Off Your Face will be at the Ulster Bank Theatre Festival later this year from September 30th to October 3rd, along with two other similar shows in the trilogy. You can check out details here. Tickets are €15.00 or €36.00 for all three shows.

You can now borrow cds, dvds, computer games and paintings to hang temporarily in your home. You can read the daily papers. You can look up local historical archives in the reference section or practice your language skills in the language room. Maybe these services are not available in all libraries but a selection of them certainly are.

Aside from these facilities, there are many other group meetings going on from day to day in the library.

For August, this is what will be happening in my local, Blanchardstown Library:

Children’s Events: Tuesday 3rd August at 7pm : Beginners Hip Hop (9 to 12 Years). Second session Tuesday 10th August 7pm.  Please book at desk.

Friday 13th August at 3pm : Puppet show with Julie-Rose McCormick (Ages 3-10 Yrs.)  All welcome.

Monday 16th August (10am to 12pm) : Party-time  with Mr. Podzo (arts & crafts, magic dress-up box, storytelling,  party games & much more (Ages 4-13 Yrs). Please book at desk.

Monday 16th August at 2 to 4pm: Party-time with Mr Podzo (arts & crafts, magic dress-up box, storytelling, party games & much more) (Ages 4 to 13 Yrs) Please book at desk

Wednesday 25th August at 7pm: Animal Magic Show (All ages) All welcome

Friday 27th August at 10am to 12pm: Party Time with Mr Podzo (arts & crafts, magic dress-up box, storytelling, party games  & much more) (ages 4 to 13 Yrs) Please book at desk

Friday 27th August at 2 to 4pm: Party Time with Mr Podzo (arts & crafts, magic dress-up box, storytelling, party games & much more) (Ages 4 to 13 Yrs) Please book at desk

The Last Airbender Movie : Look for details in your local Library in early/mid August about “The Last Airbender” competition!

Adult Events:

Heritage Week: Monday 23rd August at 11.30am:

‘Your Story, Your Place’ : Story – telling with Brenda Nolan

Wednesday 25th August at 7pm: Old Photographs of the Dublin 15 area : a talk by Jim Lacey

Tuesday 31st August at 7pm: Grow it Yourself: The Co-operative Group to support growing your own food meets. All welcome

Readers Groups: Adults

Readers Groups: The Morning Book-Club meets again on the 19^th August at 11am. A selection from the shortlist of the Impac Award will be discussed. The evening  Book-Club meets again on the 9th of September and the book choice is The Importance of being Earnest by Oscar Wilde

Grow it Yourself: The Co-operative Group to support growing your own food meets on Tuesday 31st August at 7pm. All welcome.

Book Crossing

Feel free to avail of our free selection of books at the entrance to the Library and help to track the book’s journey around the globe as well as its variety of readers

“Europe Direct presents Travelling in Europe”

This helpful exhibition about travelling in Europe will be on display in the Reference Section during  August.

Questions about Europe? Visit the Library’s Europe Direct Centre – your local link to Europe.

Local History

South-West Fingal Heritage Society / Cumann Oidhreachta Fhine Gall Thiar-Theas meets once a month on the last Saturday of each month from 2pm to 3.30pm. Enquiries to Aingeal on 0868438812.

Conversation exchanges:

New Conversation Groups in Spanish and French have been set up in the Library: (i) Spanish Conversation meets each Monday at 7pm and (ii) French Conversation meets each Tuesday at 7pm. All are welcome to practice their language skills.

The Irish Conversation group meets every Saturday at 12 noon and the English Conversation Group meet on Wednesdays at 7 p.m. All are welcome.

African Literature

Our dedicated collection of African Literature includes fiction and non-fiction by African writers and also subject-matter on  Africa. Art, poetry, memoirs, biographies, travel writing and fiction are all included

Photography:

St. Brigid’s Photography Group meets every Wednesday in the Library at 7 p.m. New members welcome.

Parent & Toddler Group

The parent and toddler group  meets each Tuesday from 11am to 12 noon and each Wednesday from 11am to 12 noon.

Also, the Irish Multiple Births Association meets each Thursday from 10.30am to 12 noon as a venue for twins, triplets and other multiples

Support Groups

GROW – mental health movement in Ireland.

Are you feeling depressed, anxious, lonely, panicky or just fed up? GROW is here to help. The group meets every Wednesday at 11 a.m. All are welcome. For more information phone 873 4029 or 087 229 1718 or log on to www.grow.ie

Library on the Radio

The Blanchardstown Library Show is broadcast every Friday evening at 7.30pm on Phoenix 92.5 FM, with a new edition on the last Friday of every month.

Do you know?

Borrowers can now renew and reserve their books online. Ask at Desk for your Pin Number to avail of these services. Also if you wish to be on our monthly listing of events please add your name at the Information Desk or e-mail charlie.quinn@fingalcoco.ie

Follow our events on Twitter:http://twitter.com/fingallibraries

Oh and the most important part of all this? It’s all FREE.

So what’s changed?

Much like a caterpillar becoming a butterfly (or for my fellow nerds, Gandalf the Grey becoming Gandalf the White), we’ve changed a few things with the aim of making these events even more worthwhile.

1) No longer will our events be confined to just one venue. Unlike the Government we’re here by the people, for the people. The democratic state of Booze ‘n’ Schmooze (more commonly known as Inebriationland) will vote on venues and we’ll do our damnedest to organise them there.

2) There are no more presentations – these interfere with the boozing and the schmoozing. We will strongly encourage as much mingling as possible though.

3) While Booze ‘n’ Schmooze is primarily for the media sector, we’re going to open our doors up to those from the land of marketing too, as we believe they’ve got something to bring to our proverbial table.

What’s the same?

The reason for Booze ‘n’ Schmooze’s existence has not changed. Below are a few key points about us.

• Free monthly networking event for young journalists, PRs, other media workers (and now marketing folk).
• The aim of Booze ’n’ Schmooze is to provide a relaxed environment in which to make useful and interesting contacts – essential to their success in the industry – without the awkwardness involved in formal networking.
• Targeted at professionals, who are starting out or about to start out in their chosen industry and, of course, anyone who can employ them.
• Lots of free finger food and great drinks promos.

So what are the need to know details?

Booze and Schmooze will take place next Thursday at 6.30pm in The Sycamore Club on Sycamore Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 2.

All you need do to attend is RSVP to Alan, letting him know how many friends or colleagues you are bringing with you (if any) at booze.n.schmoozelives@gmail.com

I might see you there

The first speaker of the morning was Keith from Realex Payments.

Keith advised that you should know what your key metrics are – for Realex they are customers, transactions and times spent on site. They now have QRCs online – Qualified Realex Commentators – individual members of staff who are allowed represent the company online. They collectively focus on one theme at a time so as not to dilute the company message.

Barry Hand of Lastminute.com was next up and gave a very interesting and in-depth presentation on how to measure social media and it’s worth to your business.

Points made include that social media is not free – it takes resources, most importantly time. ROI is a business metric and not the same as social media. Social media is basically communication with your customers but what is the objective of using social medi – you need to work out what it is – more sales? Customer service? Does social media do this for you?

Final speaker of the morning was Stephen O’Leary of O’Leary Analytics.

Stephen gave a really great synopsis of the recent Hunky Dorys campaign, which was entirely run offline but which exploded in the online forum. It was very interesting to see where the noise about these posters and the Hunky Dorys came from – you can see all of Stephen’s data here.

Measure It! was a great insight into how much I don’t know and need to learn about social media in order to use it to the best of it’s ability. If there is another Measure It! I heartily recommend that anyone using social media for business goes to it.

It was free of charge and took place in the Academy Plaza Hotel in Findlater Place, Dublin 1, just off O’Connell Street.