Press Releases
Eclectic line up of theatre, dance, visual art, music, comedy, family entertainment & outdoor fun unveiled
as programme for the
Drogheda Arts Festival 2009
is announced
Festival runs from 29th April – 4th May
Drogheda Arts Festival, held annually over the May Bank Holiday weekend is firmly on the Festival Fun Circuit! With an eclectic mix of theatre, dance, visual art, music, comedy, family entertainment and outdoor fun in a variety of venues, Drogheda is the place to be this May Bank Holiday, Wed 29 April – Monday 4 May. The atmosphere is electric, with something for everyone – families, theatre goers, film buffs, art lovers, disco heads, trad fans, culture vultures, comedy addicts, dance devotees, and those who love free street entertainment!
According to festival organiser Alice Ring of Drogheda Borough Council’s Arts Office, there’s something for everyone in Drogheda this May Bank Holiday. ‘There’s so much going on here from dance to disco, trad music to visual art, theatre to comedy. We have selected super acts for this year’s festival and are expecting huge crowds again this year. Book early to ensure your tickets!’
There’s a host of Irish and international stars appearing on the Boyneside this Bank Holiday, with Des Bishop, CoisCéim, Eliza Carthy, Fionn Regan, DJ Norman Jay, Super Extra Bonus Party, The Funeral Band, Lunfardia, Nico Brown, Gare St Lazare and Alexander Knaifel headlining the festival acts.
A number of world renowned musicians will perform the haunting music of Russian-born composer Alexander Knaifel as it echos in St Peter’s Church of Ireland in a celebration called ‘The Rest is Noise: The Music of Alexander Knaifel’. The evening will include a world premiere performance of a piece entitled ‘To EF and the Three Visiting cards of the Poet’. Aelxander Knaifel will be in attendance at the festival. The concert is jointly presented by Drogheda Arts Festival, Louth County Council Arts Service and Louth Contemporary Music Society.
The festival is delighted to announce that acclaimed playwright Marina Carr will read from a selection of her work followed by a Q&A session. Marina is a member of Aosdana and recently had two new plays premiering in Dublin - Marble at The Abbey Theatre and The Giant Blue Hand at The Ark, A Cultural Centre for children.
Theatre productions will include a very innovative theatre piece in an unusual venue – a bus driving around town where Upstate Theatre Project will present ‘No Change Given’ a look at life, love and youth in a walled town. Also performing at the festival will be Gare St Lazare Players (renowned for their acclaimed productions of Beckett’s work), present Moby Dick, following the tale of Captain Ahab on his epic journey of revenge after the great white whale. (not suitable for children)
Coiscéim will bring their celebrated show, ‘Boxes’ to Drogheda where dance, imagination and spectacle are packed away in this touching duet for two men, featuring Broadway dancer Jason E Bernard and Lee Clayden.
Singer songwriter Fionn Regan will play much loved tracks from his Mercury and Choice prize-nominated debut album ‘The End of History’, as well as showcase his forthcoming follow up album. Eliza Carthy’s famous folk songs are sure to strike a chord with Drogheda audiences.
A taste of Buenos Aires comes in Lunfardia’s energetic performance whose freewheeling repertoire embraces simmering Tangos and Milongas, Chacareras, Huaynos and Joropos in an exotic concert.
The Funeral Band, celebrating music and life, formed after the death of noted musician Liam Ó Floinn in 2008, brings the combined talents of Sean Keane, Rita Connolly, Seamus Begley, Rod McVey, Artie McGlynn, Noel Eccles, Neil Martin, Shaun Davey and Liam Óg Ó Floinn together for just three special concerts, St Peter’s Church of Ireland in Drogheda being one.
Upbeat eclectic music taking in elements of indie and hip hop, the Super Extra Bonus Party will have everyone dancing at the Purple Room in the Star & Crescent! London DJ Norman J – billed as ‘one of the fines and most respected deejays in the world today’ -also appears at the Purple Room. Catch External Sounds, a collective of DJs, musicians and visual artists from Drogheda, at the Purple Room, and experience their Electric Picnic sounds.
School’s out and Des Bishop can now speak and perform ‘As Gaeilge’. Don’t miss his new comedy show ‘Unbéarlable’ at Drogheda Arts Festival.
The sun is sure to shine as usual when thousands throng the streets for the Fair on Fair Street on Saturday, with a continental-style market and live music and entertainment. Live bands including Manilla Strings, perform on the Gig Rig all day offering the ‘chance to dance’ to passers-by! There’s music and art, face painting, unique gifts and artisan foods on sale at the popular Fair on Fair Street.
There’s a Traditional Day in Millmount from noon-6pm on Sunday, with top musicians and even a School Days Sing-Along with word sheets provided to encourage all to ‘raise their voice’. Stalls again line the ancient walls of the town’s garrison, and soldiers in period uniform will defend the Martello Tower, sounding off the replica cannons.
The Fabulous Fanzini Brothers show at the Little Duke Theatre gives the audience the choice of seeing ‘The Fluffywish’ or something more gorey – wonder which the kids will select!
Families can enjoy a free day’s fun on Bank Holiday Monday in St Dominic’s Park with Cahoots NI and Family Hoffmann’s Mystery Palace. Join in the magic and mayhem created by Cahoots NI and by Silly Billy who will provide unending entertainment and laughs for all ages during the afternoon.
Composer Nico Brown and musician Martin Brunsden bring a taste of Culture Night to
Drogheda in Musical Tales at the Little Duke Theatre where families and children can participate in, play and compose music.
Art-lovers will enjoy Flicks, celebrating the cinematic in art, by bringing together work of nine artists who draw on and are inspired by film to create new original works of high imagination. Located in Droichead Arts Centre, the Highlanes Gallery and at Drogheda's railway station, the exhibition is in three parts. At the Highlanes a group show with Christian Marclay, Paul Pfeiffer, Tracey Moffatt and Gary Hilberg, Martin Healy, Bea McMahon Tobias J. Anderson and Nicholas Jasmin; at Drogheda Railway Station is Jenny Brady's site-specific sound installation Brief Encounter and at Droichead Arts Centre Suky Best and Rory Hamilton present a collaborative exhibition examining the macho mentality of cowboys! There’s a screening of a classic Hitchcock movie ‘North by North West’, which also features in Tobias Anderson’s visual art piece.
Rounding off the enjoyment nightly is the Festival Club at The D Hotel where top local and national bands entertain until the wee hours.
Arts Council chairperson Pat Moylan will officially open Drogheda Arts Festival in the Highlanes Gallery on Wednesday 29 April at 6.30pm.
And it’s all good news – street events are free in Drogheda this May Bank Holiday weekend, April 29-May 4! Booking now open for many events. Further information on www.droghedaartsfestival.com