Notices

Whale Theatre announce their ambitious re-opening programme featuring a stellar line-up of highly acclaimed performers and productions, encompassing everything from music and comedy, to live theatre and spoken word. 

Coming back with a flourish, their re-opening weekend kicks off on Thursday 19 August with performances from renowned Irish musicians Lisa Hannigan, Emma Langford and The 4 of Us. The contemporary music programme boasts an enviable line-up throughout August and September with other performances from Something Happens, Jack Lukeman, Niamh Regan, Hothouse Flowers, Paddy Casey, Eleanor McEvoy, Mike Hanrahan and more!

With a total of 26 live performances taking place over a 6-week period, the Whale Theatre presents this series of events under the theme “disPLAYced”, seeking to highlight the extent to which thousands of Irish artists, arts workers and productions have been displaced by the restrictions imposed as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. This poignant and timely “disPLAYced” theme is explored in more detail in Andrea Splendori’s spoken word/music event, “Social Fabric Podcast”.

Theatre fans can look forward to seeing Limerick’s award-winning Bottom Dog Theatre Company performing “A Wilde Fan” starring Miles Breen, as well as the hilarious “Seven Ages of MAM”, from Pauline O’ Driscoll Productions. Younger arts audiences are also well catered for, with Ceol Connected presenting their critically acclaimed and unique production “The Quiet Tree”, suitable for audiences aged 3-6 and their families.

Now more than ever before, we all need a bit of a laugh, so Neil Delamere is set to provide some of that much-needed comic relief! There will also be music of different genres, including jazz from the Carole Nelson Trio, classical music from tenor Ross Scanlon and trad from acclaimed musical duo, Steve Cooney & Cormac Breatnach. 

Extensive Covid-19 Health & Safety measures have been implemented at the theatre in preparation for the reopening, including reduced capacities, contact tracing systems and enhanced cleaning and disinfecting protocols. Face coverings will be mandatory for audiences, and the majority of performances are slightly shorter than usual, with no intervals. For more information about the Covid-19 Health & Safety measures at the theatre, please CLICK HERE!

The Whale Theatre’s “disPLAYced” programme kicks off on Thursday 19 August and runs until Thursday 30 September. To explore the programme in full and to book your tickets, please CLICK HERE!

Wicklow County Council presents Summer Songs – Inland & By The Sea, a series of live music events taking place throughout the summer.

There will be five days of music at five different outdoor venues across County Wicklow, featuring amazing bands who are from, living in, or with strong connections to Wicklow.  Artists include Hothouse Flowers, Kíla, Pillow Queens, Wyvern Lingo, Mary Coughlan, plus many more

County Wicklow Arts Officer, Jenny Sherwin, said the gigs will be intimate with crowds of between 200 to 500 only at each event where restrictions allow – but there will be no compromise on production values.  She added: ”It’s a rare opportunity to catch these musicians in boutique crowds  where the audience’s view will be up close and personal in these unique settings.”

Wicklow County Council is proud to bring live music and performances by these local musicians back to the community for the first time since the industry was shut down due to the pandemic. There is lots to choose from and something for everyone with traditional Irish, classical, opera, rock and contemporary gigs all on sale.

There will be strict event control for the safest experience for our artists and patrons.  Should any event be cancelled for any reason due to COVID-19, a full refund will apply.

Greystones Event Weekend 

7th August 2021  Location: Burnaby Park, Greystones

• Kíla
• Glimpse
• Scullion
• Perfect Friction

8th August 2021               Location: Burnaby Park, Greystones

• Sonamus
• Mobile Music Machine
• Into the Deep Dark Woods

Tickets are available to purchase on summersongswicklow.eventbrite.ie in pods of six people and not on an individual basis. Each pod costs €120, with one exception in Greystones on August 8th for families where a pod of six people is €60.  Due to current guidelines in place for the presentation of programmes in pods no greater than six people, it is not possible to purchase individual tickets at this time.

We advise people to book now to avoid disappointment as capacity is limited.

Other events taking places throughout the country include: 

14th August 2021             Location: People’s Park, Dargle Road, Bray

• Wyvern Lingo
• Cathy Davey
• The Booka Club

21st August 2021              Location: Brockagh Resource Centre, Laragh

• Hothouse Flowers
• Mobile Music Machine
• Leslie Dowdall & Mark Caplice

5th September 2021       Location: North Beach, Arklow

• Pillow Queens
• Mary Coughlan
• Leslie Dowdall & Feel the Pinch

A concert in Wicklow Town will be announced during the summer.

Summer Songs – Inland & By The Sea is funded by The Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media as part of their Local Live Performance Programming. This scheme is to support the commercial live performance sector to assist producers, promoters, venues and musicians who have been severely impacted by the pandemic restrictions.

In March 2020, shortly after the first Covid-19 lockdown was announced for Ireland, the Whale Theatre teamed up with Greystones-based poet and curator Frances Browner to create a “Poets Wall” which featured over 30 poems from people of all ages inspired by the locality, its history and its stories and saw these poems being displayed all over the town.

Now, one year and three lockdowns later, the Whale and Frances are back together and planning a “Greystones Poetry Trail” another celebration of creativity for national Poetry Day Ireland, which takes place on Thursday 29 April. The Poetry Trail will see poetry once again flood the streets of Greystones, as poems begin to appear in shop windows, on digital displays and who knows where else!

Poetry Day Ireland’s theme for this year is “New Directions: Maps and Journeys” and curator Frances Browner is asking people of all ages, experience, and backgrounds to submit a poem for this very special project. You can send your sonnet, rhyme, limerick, pantoum, or any poem at all to frannerb2@gmail.com.

The deadline for entries is Thursday 22^nd April 2021, and don’t forget, your poem should be based on the theme of “New Directions: Maps and Journeys”. Poems should be no more than 16 lines.

Frances is also looking for shops and premises in Greystones who would be interested in displaying a poem in their shop front window, so if you are a shop owner please get in touch!

“Greystones Poetry Trail” is curated by Frances Browner and is proudly supported by The Whale Theatre and Greystones 2020. For more information, please visit www.whaletheatre.ie.