Galway Advertiser 2010/GA_2010_02_18/GA_1802_E1_077.pdf 

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February 18 2010

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Th W e e ek

KATS' Hedda Gabler
BY CHARLIE MCBRIDE IT'S SPRING time, and that means the KATS - the Knocknacarra Amateur Theatre Society - are on the prowl again! To start off a new decade, the award-winning drama group are taking something old (125 years old, in fact) and modernising it. For their eighth festival production, KAT's director Frank Commins has chosen John Osborne's adaptation of the Henrik Ibsen classic, Hedda Gabler. Hedda Gabler was originally published by the Norwegian writer in 1890, and, since its first production the following year, has gained recognition as a classic. The main character, Hedda Gabler, has been hailed as one of the great roles in theatre - "the female Hamlet" - but this play is just as much about the people and the social influences that surround her, and no one has recognised this more than John Osborne, who wrote this adaptation in 1972. It was written at a time of much personal turmoil in Osborne's life: his relationship with his fourth wife Jill Bennett was breaking down, drama critics were writing him off as a `hasbeen', and his confidence was at a low ebb. In Hedda Gabler he is sure to have identified many parallels between the Norwegian heroine of the 1890s and some of his own infamous traits of bad behaviour and devastating wit. In general, as with all great classics, the themes endure and are just as relevant today are they were more than a century ago. Indeed it is remarkable how such a classic of its time can be modernised so seamlessly
Padraic McDonagh and Miriam Pettit play Judge Brack and Thea Elvsted in KATS' production of Hedda Gabler.

and so effectively to the present day. This production promises to be a powerful piece of theatre. Every line is loaded with humour, cruelty, passion, pathos. Everything of great theatre can be found in Hedda Gabler, and the KATS cast and crew have

been pursuing it for the past several weeks. "I first came across the play when I was doing a theatre diploma in Maynooth," Frank Commins reveals. "I found it a particularly interesting play and so decided to do it this year. I had numerous

adaptations of the play by writers like Frank McGuinness, Christopher Hampton, etc, but what I liked about John Osborne's version is that it is very gritty. It's very down to earth, the language isn't chunky. Ibsen hasn't always translated very well into English, sometimes they can be very chunky but I really liked the way the Osborne adaptation flowed." Commins goes on to offer his observations on the character of Hedda and the other protagonists in the play. "In a way it is an injustice that the play is named after Hedda because her actions are all influenced by the actions of the other characters around her," he notes. "They all add something that ends up driving Hedda over the edge. So the play is more about what they do than what

Hedda does. "She's a product of their actions. I reckon she is a victim of circumstance. She's a tragic victim but she chooses to go down that road despite numerous opportunities to do otherwise. "The other main female character in the play, Mrs Elvsted, makes difficult choices; she leaves her husband to be with her lover, when he commits suicide she takes the surviving notes of his book and helps reconstruct it. She is a survivor no matter what life throws at her. She builds a life for herself whereas with Hedda, if things aren't going her way, she goes `That's it, I'm killing myself'." Though it's more than a century old, Commins argues that the play's relevance is undiminished. "The play is just as relevant today," he says.

"Human nature hasn't changed since 1890. Hedda Gabler is partly about the fear of scandal and we have seen that in recent headlines about the likes of Tiger Woods and John Terry." Commins argues that an essential prerequirement is having a fine cast and KATS production of Hedda Gabler features Patricia Creaven in the title role. Also featured are Miriam Petit (Thea Elvsted), Colm Cannlon (Hedda's husband Tesman), Lorcan Mannion (Tesman's rival, Lovborg), Padraig McDonagh (Judge Brack), Marie Forde (Aunty Juju), and Sinead Keaveney (the servant Bertha). Hedda Gabler runs at the Town Hall Theatre from Wednesday 24 to Friday 26 at 8pm. Tickets 18/15 and available from 091 - 569777.

Renaissance music and dance concert for children
BY KERNAN ANDREWS SEODA, GALWAY Early Music's ensemble, are promising Galway children a `Ye olde Merry time', with a concert featuring Renaissance dances, historical instruments, and 15th and 16th century costumes. The concert takes place on Sunday February 21 in the St Patrick's Band Hall immediately next to the train station. Doors open at 2pm for children's pre-concert activities. Here children will get to see historical instruments such as bagpipes, recorder, fiddle, percussion, and early Irish harp. The concert begins at 2.30pm and will feature Renaissance music and dances from the period like bransles, pavanes, and farandoles. All ages welcome, young children particularly so. Tickets are 5 per person 20 for a family (children under two get in free) and are available at the door or in advance at the Town Hall Theatre (091 - 569777) and www.mykidstime.ie

The Head of Red O'Brien
BY KERNAN ANDREWS THEATRE, MUSIC, art installation, and storytelling will combine in a new production of Mark O'Halloran's The Head of Red O'Brien, which will be staged in Galway next month. Red O'Brien is recovering in hospital from a near-fatal knife attack by his wife. The resulting injuries temporarily left him without any cognitive processing skills. Slowly, however, they are returning. As he makes his recovery he evaluates and analyse his life, desires, regrets, and hopes, through stories about his wife, Sean Connery, James Joyce, and the Cold War. The play is written by Mark O'Halloran (Adam and Paul, Garage) and will be staged by TrueWest Theatre Company in the Nuns Island Theatre from Tuesday March 9 to Sunday 14 at 8pm. The Head of Red O'Brien features Galway actor/writer John O'Dowd in the main role. The director is Rae Visser. There will be imagery and sound from visual artist Ronan Casey and music by Mark Long.

The Three Tenors to sing at Town Hall

The ever popular Three Tenors - Declan Kelly, David Martin, John Scott - return to the Town Hall Theatre on Saturday February 27 at 8pm where they will perform a mixture of light opera, favourites from the musicals, and popular song. See www.threetenorsireland.com. Tickets are available from the Town Hall on 091 569777.

The Mikado comes to Galway in March
BY KERNAN ANDREWS THE GALWAY Patrician Musical Society will stage Gilbert & Sullivan's marvellous operetta The Mikado next month, exactly 125 years after it was first performed. The Mikado made it's stage debut in London's Savoy Theatre on March 14 1885. The PMS will stage its production in the Town Hall Theatre from Tuesday March 9 to Saturday March 13 at 8pm. Set in the town of Titipu in Japan, The Mikado is actually a send up of contemporary British politics and institutions, and features such well known songs as `The Sun & I', `Tit Willow', `The List Song', `Alone and Yet Alive', `Beauty In The Bellow' and `Three Little Maids'. The cast includes Fine Gael councillor Hildegarde Naughton (Yum Yum), Paul Conroy (Nanki-Poo), James Harris (Koko), Emer Barrett (Katisha), Declan Kelly (PoohBah), Katie Creaven (PittiSing), Emer O'Flaherty (PeepBo), Frances Connelly (Pish Tush), and Liam Brennan (The Mikado). The Mikado will be directed by Tim Landers and the musical director will be John Roe. Tickets are on sale now, 15 for Tuesday 9 and 20 for Wednesday to Saturday. Early booking is advisable through The Town Hall on 091 - 569777