Just back from a walk on the prom with cheeks a glow and the fesh saltly air still in my lungs. It might be my last sojourn to the prom for a while and that dejects me somewhat. The prom is my salvation from the mayhem of life; the air is better than any drug, the sounds of the water and cries of the seagulls are soothing, the people are civilised and all of life is in harmony there. The sea is such a soothing presence; I don't know how people live in-land or (god forbid) in landlocked countries. I, for one, could never live too far from the sea.
Luckily my next port of call is also beside the sea. I hate to announce but I'm not going to Paris afterall (just yet)--I'm moving to dear, dirty Dublin at least for a little while. I'm doing interviews with several places and am on the hunt for a place to live (if you happen to know of a room close to the city centre for 400eur let me know!)
This week I'm helping out with a friend's play in Players' Theatre in TCD (The Biography of Bernie Ward by Painted Filly Theatre--go see it!) and at the weekend I'm off to Electric Picnic for the last great session of the summer. You know what? I'm glad it's almost over; it was a great summer but I think I've had enough of festivals (Yes you can have too much of a good thing). I want to get stuck into a new job, get some routine back and just stay in one spot for a while.
And so to Dublin for phase 2 of the Great Career Break Adventure of 2007. Job and accommodation to follow...
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Fringe Benefits
"Jihad--The Musical"
"Macbath on a Bouncy Castle"
"Dickens--Unplugged"
"Tony! The Blair Musical"
"A (Gay Disabled Transexual) Love Story Told to a Ticket Inspector at Alton Towers"
Well it's five days in and I'm taking a morning off shows to come up for air. If you locked yourself away with an espresso machine filled with LSD you still couldn't come up with show titles to match those appearing at this year's Edinburgh Fringe. With your potential audience being bombarded at every corner you need something, well, dramatic to grab their attention. Shock tactics a go go.
So far I've seen stand-up comedy, sketch comedy, physical theatre, acrobatics, one-woman shows, off-beat obscure films and one show involving a french troup who played with home-made instruments for an hour. Basically I'm in heaven.
Best stuff so far--
Maeve Higgins (stand up)****,
Rebecca Drysdale (American lesbian sketch comedy)****,
Traces (acrobatic theatre--cirque de soleil style) ***** (Why can't all modern dance be this entertaining?)
Dai -Enough (One Woman Show set in Tel Aviv cafe moments before a suicide bomber strikes)****
Still to come--Andrew Maxwell, Dickens Unplugged and much more.... I might move here.
As for tales from A & E at Edinburgh's hospitals...well buy me a pint and I might tell you all the gory details.
"Macbath on a Bouncy Castle"
"Dickens--Unplugged"
"Tony! The Blair Musical"
"A (Gay Disabled Transexual) Love Story Told to a Ticket Inspector at Alton Towers"
Well it's five days in and I'm taking a morning off shows to come up for air. If you locked yourself away with an espresso machine filled with LSD you still couldn't come up with show titles to match those appearing at this year's Edinburgh Fringe. With your potential audience being bombarded at every corner you need something, well, dramatic to grab their attention. Shock tactics a go go.
So far I've seen stand-up comedy, sketch comedy, physical theatre, acrobatics, one-woman shows, off-beat obscure films and one show involving a french troup who played with home-made instruments for an hour. Basically I'm in heaven.
Best stuff so far--
Maeve Higgins (stand up)****,
Rebecca Drysdale (American lesbian sketch comedy)****,
Traces (acrobatic theatre--cirque de soleil style) ***** (Why can't all modern dance be this entertaining?)
Dai -Enough (One Woman Show set in Tel Aviv cafe moments before a suicide bomber strikes)****
Still to come--Andrew Maxwell, Dickens Unplugged and much more.... I might move here.
As for tales from A & E at Edinburgh's hospitals...well buy me a pint and I might tell you all the gory details.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Lainey says Relax!
I'm off to Edinburgh tomorrow for a week for Fringe festival fun.
(Aside: I may be getting a little sick of festivals--why are humans not able to have fun all the time?? Why do we need to feel like we've earned it?)
The Big Sister and fiancee (Edin-burger) have finally bought a flat there so with a place to stay and ridiculously cheap flights from Shannon the time is finally nigh to bear witness to The Festival. We've booked tickets for a pile of new comedians, a French-Canadian circus act, a play set in a Tel Aviv cafe moments before a suicide bomb goes off and a Spanish film about Kleinfelter Syndrome.
Ya.
Bring on the mood swings.
Helping me get in the mood for all things Scottish are the Big Sis's fiancee's family (Rosses) who flew in last night. His parents and two grannies come to Galway quite regularly now, although probably not quite so often as my folks visit Scotland. (Lucky for my Dad that my sister moved to the region with the highest concentration of great golf courses in the UK; he still hasn't stopped smiling since he witnessed Padraig Harrington lift the Claret Jug in July.)
Granny Richie (Cathleen) and Granny Ross (Alice) are great craic. They get on far better than in-laws rightly should and spend so much time together they actually finish each other's sentences. Well, in general, Alice tells the stories and Cathleen interjects with juicy details and raucous cackles of laughter. They actually say stuff like "Ooh dearie me".
I think I prefer them to my own family.
We spent the day visiting the church and hotel for the wedding (which isn't happening till July 09....yes 09!) debating the merits of the yellow walls of the church and whether they'd be able to pull off a Scottish ceili on Glenlo Abbey's small dance floor. It's our first family wedding and their last one so the pressure's mounting. (So glad I'm a middle child.)
Fortunately the Rosses are pretty easy-going and relaxed about preparations. a good counter-point to our control freak mother who will be worrying about the shade of lipstick on the bridesmaids as my sister says her vows.
Dammit I'm a bridesmaid.
I'm Chief Bridesmaid!
It's two year's away and I can already sense the tears, arguments and accusations.
Note to self--July 09--buy Valium, in bulk.
(Aside: I may be getting a little sick of festivals--why are humans not able to have fun all the time?? Why do we need to feel like we've earned it?)
The Big Sister and fiancee (Edin-burger) have finally bought a flat there so with a place to stay and ridiculously cheap flights from Shannon the time is finally nigh to bear witness to The Festival. We've booked tickets for a pile of new comedians, a French-Canadian circus act, a play set in a Tel Aviv cafe moments before a suicide bomb goes off and a Spanish film about Kleinfelter Syndrome.
Ya.
Bring on the mood swings.
Helping me get in the mood for all things Scottish are the Big Sis's fiancee's family (Rosses) who flew in last night. His parents and two grannies come to Galway quite regularly now, although probably not quite so often as my folks visit Scotland. (Lucky for my Dad that my sister moved to the region with the highest concentration of great golf courses in the UK; he still hasn't stopped smiling since he witnessed Padraig Harrington lift the Claret Jug in July.)
Granny Richie (Cathleen) and Granny Ross (Alice) are great craic. They get on far better than in-laws rightly should and spend so much time together they actually finish each other's sentences. Well, in general, Alice tells the stories and Cathleen interjects with juicy details and raucous cackles of laughter. They actually say stuff like "Ooh dearie me".
I think I prefer them to my own family.
We spent the day visiting the church and hotel for the wedding (which isn't happening till July 09....yes 09!) debating the merits of the yellow walls of the church and whether they'd be able to pull off a Scottish ceili on Glenlo Abbey's small dance floor. It's our first family wedding and their last one so the pressure's mounting. (So glad I'm a middle child.)
Fortunately the Rosses are pretty easy-going and relaxed about preparations. a good counter-point to our control freak mother who will be worrying about the shade of lipstick on the bridesmaids as my sister says her vows.
Dammit I'm a bridesmaid.
I'm Chief Bridesmaid!
It's two year's away and I can already sense the tears, arguments and accusations.
Note to self--July 09--buy Valium, in bulk.
Monday, August 13, 2007
Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows....
It worked!
I demanded sunshine and we got it. I can now be officially classified as a deity. Start praying to me plebs.
We just had a bee-utiful sunny day in Salthill (Don't care about the rest of Ireland). At 2pm I went for a run from Knocknacarra, down to the shore behind the golf club, whole length of the prom and back :)
Saw a fantabulous Pirates of the Carribbean style ship sail into the bay and a lot of smiley, happy people.
Later I came back to Ladies beach armed with a bikini and had a bracing swim in the cold, clear, wavey Atlantic Ocean. It was agony for about 5 minutes and then, sheer heaven. I saw Marie Joyce drying off as I went in. It's thanks to her that I (and half of Galway) can swim. She's one of those invincible Galwawegians that swims in the Bay all year round. I want to be like her when I grow up.
Met Eireann have just predicted a crazy storm over Ireland tonight or tomorrow. I don't care; I can still feel sand in between my toes and the glow of sun on my skin.
I demanded sunshine and we got it. I can now be officially classified as a deity. Start praying to me plebs.
We just had a bee-utiful sunny day in Salthill (Don't care about the rest of Ireland). At 2pm I went for a run from Knocknacarra, down to the shore behind the golf club, whole length of the prom and back :)
Saw a fantabulous Pirates of the Carribbean style ship sail into the bay and a lot of smiley, happy people.
Later I came back to Ladies beach armed with a bikini and had a bracing swim in the cold, clear, wavey Atlantic Ocean. It was agony for about 5 minutes and then, sheer heaven. I saw Marie Joyce drying off as I went in. It's thanks to her that I (and half of Galway) can swim. She's one of those invincible Galwawegians that swims in the Bay all year round. I want to be like her when I grow up.
Met Eireann have just predicted a crazy storm over Ireland tonight or tomorrow. I don't care; I can still feel sand in between my toes and the glow of sun on my skin.
Rain Drain
“Into each life some rain must fall.”
Longfellow was right but it's pretty obvious that he wasn't saying this after enduring a summer like the one we've just had. Who can be philosophical about needing 'rain to get a rainbow' after the wettest summer in Irish recorded history?
I've tried to get on with it; going swimming in the pool rather than the sea, keeping occupied with trips to the cinema and theatre etc. I've run out for a walk on the prom between showers (bringing a mac with me just to be sure).
But I've had enough! I want sunshine!
NOW!
Longfellow was right but it's pretty obvious that he wasn't saying this after enduring a summer like the one we've just had. Who can be philosophical about needing 'rain to get a rainbow' after the wettest summer in Irish recorded history?
I've tried to get on with it; going swimming in the pool rather than the sea, keeping occupied with trips to the cinema and theatre etc. I've run out for a walk on the prom between showers (bringing a mac with me just to be sure).
But I've had enough! I want sunshine!
NOW!
Friday, August 10, 2007
Monday, August 6, 2007
Flee to Spraoi
Just back from a crazy weekend in Waterford--it rained non-stop (moreorless) but that didn't stop us enjoying the street theatre on offer, a great barbecue, the Yee-Haw! Parade and fireworks.......fair play to Irish people for letting the rain stop nothing.
I'm severely sleep deprived (yet another festival club was involved) so won't give you the details just yet--check out these vids of the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain, by far the stand out show at Spraoi--who knew how much fun Ukuleles were?!
I'm severely sleep deprived (yet another festival club was involved) so won't give you the details just yet--check out these vids of the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain, by far the stand out show at Spraoi--who knew how much fun Ukuleles were?!
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