Kilkenny Arts Festival to bring Shakespeare’s Globe to Ireland August 10-19, 2012
All the world’s a stage….
Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre to make first ever visit to Ireland with “As You Like It”.
The phrase “too much of a good thing” originated in Shakespeare’s romantic comedy As You Like It and that’s just what Kilkenny Arts Festival audiences will have this summer, when the Festival welcomes Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre to Ireland for the first time. Tickets go on sale today.
The beautiful medieval city of Kilkenny is the perfect place for Shakespeare’s Globe to tour this lively outdoor production to Ireland. Using an Elizabethan-inspired stage, the production will be influenced by paintings and etchings from Shakespeare’s time, and be performed in the courtyard of the Crafts Council of Ireland (the original stables for Kilkenny Castle) in Castle Yard, Kilkenny.
Every year, for 10 days in August, Kilkenny comes alive with a feast of artistic entertainment. Kilkenny Arts Festival is Ireland’s oldest arts Festival, a premier arts event that constantly programmes innovative and spectacular cultural events from Ireland and the world. “We’re thrilled to be bringing Shakespeare’s Globe to Ireland for the first time, “ said Artistic Director Rosemary Collier. “the Festival is about bringing the most innovative and dynamic cultural events to the city, and the Globe certainly fit the bill.”
As You Like It is a glorious romance; filled with cross-dressing and love-notes; poetry and brilliant conversation; gentle satire, slapstick and passion. The Irish performances will be part of a European tour which opens on July 5, and tours venues in the UK, Romania, Austria and Denmark before finishing at the Globe on 16 September. A young vibrant UK cast of 8 and team of creatives will bring Shakespeare’s wonderful comedy to life.
Shakespeare’s Globe Artistic Director – Dominic Dromgoole
Artistic Director of Shakespeare’s Globe, Dominic Dromgoole is no stranger to Irish theatre, having directed plays in London by Irish writers Sebastian Barry, Conor McPherson and Billy Roche in his career. He said today,”It is an honour to be bringing a Globe production to Ireland. Having worked in Ireland many times, premiered the plays of talented Irish writers, and having worked with many Irish actors, it is a particular pleasure to be bringing Shakespeare’s Globe to Ireland for the first time, thus uniting two of my greatest passions, the Irish theatre and Shakespeare.”
Director – James Dacre
James Dacre directs this production. His world premiere production of The Mountaintop (Theatre503 and Trafalgar Studios) won the 2010 Olivier Award for Best New Play and was nominated for a further five awards. Precious Little Talent (Trafalgar Studios) won Best Play at the 2011 London Theatre Festival Awards. James has directed world premieres by Mike Poulton, Torben Betts, Ella Hickson, Katori Hall, Dic Edwards, Suzan Lori Parks, Ed Kemp and Molly Davies.
Kilkenny Arts Festival – Further Highlights Announced
In addition to this major theatrical announcement, Kilkenny Arts Festival have announced 4 further Festival highlights which go on sale today:
Le Concert Spirituel (France) one of the world’s leading Baroque music ensembles.
La Morra (Switzerland) highly acclaimed Early Music group
Jape (Ireland) 2012 Choice Music Award Winners
Dán (Ireland, Scotland, Brittany, UK) A musical journey by a 14 member ensemble featuring trad, jazz and poems specially written by Theo Dorgan.
Shakespeare’s Globe Tickets
Tickets go ON SALE TODAY and can be booked through www.kilkennyarts.ie
Prices: €25, €22 (concession), with family ticket for €60 (2 adults/2 kids)
For Irish press enquiries about Shakespeare’s Globe in Ireland:
Christine Monk | christinemonk@eircom.net | 087 675 5329
A Call to Sing – Kilkenny Arts Festival Choral Project
Kilkenny Arts Festival is pleased to announce that it will continue its Festival Choir event in 2012.
Due to the phenomenal success of previous year’s choral events, the festival is again calling for members of choirs from throughout Ireland to take part in an exclusive choral project that will run during 2012 festival.
Those involved will be provided with tuition from experienced singers under the direction of Fergus Sheil.
There will be workshops with leading soloists and rehearsals will take place throughout festival week culminating with a performance on Saturday 18th August in Kilkenny’s magnificent St Canice’s Cathedral.
The total cost of participating in this exciting event is €70. This covers the purchase of music, the making of a practise CD, and other administrative costs. Members of the Festival Chorus will also be entitled to a reduction in ticket prices to other festival events and selected accommodation.
The work to be performed this year is Beethoven Mass in C.
Places in Kilkenny Festival Choir are limited in order to maintain a balanced choir. Places will be secured on a ‘first come, first served’ basis after which names will go on a waiting list should there be cancellations.
Please download the application form here, you can email info@kilkennyarts.ie or call 056 7763663 for more details. To secure a place please submit an entry form along with €70 non refundable fee to:
Kilkenny Festival Choral Project,
c/o Kilkenny Arts Festival,
11 Patricks Court, Patrick Street,
Kilkenny
» download the application form here
BBC’s Early Music Show celebrates St. Patrick’s Day with Kilkenny Arts Festival 2011 Highlights
Catherine Bott marks St Patrick's Day with highlights from the 2011 Kilkenny Arts Festival, including music by Bach, Telemann, Ravenscroft & Byrd alongside traditional Irish tunes.
Performers featured include soprano Niamh McCormack with recorder player Laoise O'Brien, guitarist John Feeley and fiddle player Odhran O Casaide.
The Early Music Show - Highlights From The 2011 Kilkenny Arts Festival
Saturday 17 March 2012
1.00-2.00pm
BBC RADIO 3
Kilkenny Arts Festival are recruiting a Marketing Manager
Kilkenny Arts Festival (KAF) is one of Ireland’s premier arts festivals. Taking place annually in August, KAF is an artistic celebration with an international reputation for cultural excellence.
We are now looking to fill a key role in our team as follows:
Marketing Manager CONTRACT - 6 MONTHS
The primary role of the Marketing Manager is to grow visitor numbers and maximise visitor engagement to enable the festival to achieve its box office income targets. The Marketing Manager will be responsible for devising and managing an integrated communications marketing plan, visitor information management, brand development, research and budgeting.
We are looking to recruit an experienced marketing professional, ideally from a festival/event management background with exposure to box-office systems. The successful applicant will be a hard working, committed team player with strong interpersonal and influencing skills.
For detailed Job Description click here.
Applications with CV and cover letter by email only to
info@kilkennyarts.ie by Friday 16 March
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Marketing & Development Intern 2012
To market the festival and to achieve improved donor income generation, the Festival wishes to expand its marketing and development capacity via the recruitment of a Marketing and Development Intern. The Intern will support the work of Kilkenny Arts Festival for a nine month period through the JobBridge scheme and under the guidance the Development and Marketing Managers.
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Kilkenny Arts Festival invites submissions from established Visual & Craft Artists
Kilkenny Arts Festival invites submissions from visual and craft artists for consideration for inclusion in this year’s festival programme.
In addition to the festival’s curated visual art strand, we are inviting submissions for inclusion in our visual art programme.
In recognition of the high standard of visual art and craft currently being created in Ireland, Kilkenny Arts Festival invites established professional artists to submit a comprehensive proposal to be considered for inclusion in this year’s Festival Programme. Places are limited and prospective applicants should download the application form for full details of application requirements.
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Thanks to everyone involved in this year’s festival - Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!
2011 was again a very successful and enjoyable festival. Planning for next year’s programme is well advanced and we will be working hard over the coming months to bring you the best of Irish and international visual and performing artists next August. We are also looking forward to 2013 when we will be celebrating our 40th Anniversary.
Thanks to everyone involved in this year’s festival, from the staff & crew, to our curators, our volunteers, our sponsors and funders and everyone else who made a contribution, for all their hard work and dedication throughout the entire year. Roll on 2012! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all.
Make sure that you take note of next year’s dates and put them in your diary now: 10th-19th August 2012!
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New Director/CEO for Kilkenny Arts Festival
We are delighted to announce Rosemary Collier as our new Director/CEO.
Rosemary has worked with the National Chamber Choir and Opera Ireland as a professional singer. She worked as an Arts officer with Louth Local Authorites and was responsible for establishing the Drogheda Arts Festival. She is coming to Kilkenny Arts Festival from her position as Head of Music and Opera at the Arts Council. Rosemary is a native of Stamullen, Co. Meath.
Rosemary takes over from Damian Downes and will begin working with the festival in mid-November.
Review: Paul Muldoon and Michael Longley
Paul Muldoon appeared at the very first Kilkenny Arts Festival so it was quite nice to have him back 38 years later. He was joined this time by the great Michael Longley, his fellow Northern Irish poet and fellow award winner.
Both men were introduced by the always elegant Olivia O'Leary with the splendid backdrop of St. Canice's Cathedral behind them as they read poems both old and new, with the new work being Muldoon's collection Maggot and Longley's most recent collection of work A Hundred Doors.
The readings were all quite short with both men talking at the length about the background to the various poems and their own personal experiences that fed into them. Having spent many a school hour studying the poetry of Michael Longley, it was particularly interesting to listen to him contextualise his work and approach. It was all very illuminating stuff and was well received by the crowd in St. Canice's Cathedral. The intimacy of the reading was at odds with the scope of the building and its a testament to the poets that as readers they were able to evoke this feeling. Everyone in attendance was appreciative of both men, no doubt aware what a rarity it is to have two giants of Irish poetry in the same building.
Hopefully it won't be 38 years before either man decides to return to Kilkenny to read again.
John
Review: Francisco Goldman
American novelist Francisco Goldman joined Colm Toibín in The Parade Tower on Saturday 13th August to talk about and read from his latest book, Say Her Name. In the summer of 2007 Francisco’s much loved young wife Aura was killed in a surfing accident on a beach in Mexico while they were on holidays. Naturally devastated and heartbroken with grief he found it difficult to move on with his life. Three years later he was still thinking about her obsessively every day and was unable to move away from this. Then came the book, Say Her Name. As a way to remember her and ensure she was never forgotten (something which troubled him greatly), he decided to write down everything. Everything about when they met, how he felt, how their relationship happened, how it progressed, right down to things like missed dates or that time she was stuck in an elevator.
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