In her weekly column Jo Kerrigan looks at the theatre highlights taking place Leeside in the coming days
Opera singer Majella Cullagh with Ger O'Mahony from PWC; Ashley Keating, Cork Opera House and conductor John O'Brien at the announcement of the inaugural The Cork Proms.Picture. John Allen
At the Opera House until Sunday, Theatre For One has six of Ireland’s leading playwrights premiering original five-minute plays performed by one actor for one audience member. Marina Carr, Stacey Gregg, Louise Lowe, Mark O’Rowe, Enda Walsh and Emmet Kirwan are all featured for this part peep-show booth, part confessional entertainment which takes place on the plaza outside the theatre between noon and 3pm. It’s entirely free, no ticket is required — just join the queue!
Friday to Sunday, it’s The Cork Proms at the Opera House, with Midsummer the theme on Friday night (Mendelssohn, Mozart, Vivaldi and more from the Opera House’s own orchestra, conducted by John O’Brien), Broadway on Saturday (Rodgers & Hammerstein, Sondheim et al), and Diva on Sunday, with all the pop and rock classics from the last few decades, sung by Cork’s own stars, including Majella Cullagh, Kim Sheehan, Laoise Leahy, Karen Underwood, and Camilla Griehsel.
An 8pm start each night and a special price ticket for all three if you’re a real Prom lover!
Next Wednesday, June 26, multi-platinum selling Australian singer-songwriter Matt Corby is on stage.
Call 021 427 0022 or www.corkoperahouse.ie for all bookings.
At the Everyman tomorrow, Graffiti Theatre Company and Fighting Words Cork put young talent onstage with a rehearsed reading of eight short plays from the Young Playwrights Programme. This exciting new event is free, but ticketed, 2pm start.
Meanwhile, the musical version of Mick Flannery’s concept album Evening Train continues until Sunday at 7.30pm (such has been the demand for tickets that they have added another performance on Saturday at 2.30pm. Meanwhile on Sunday at 3pm, you have the chance to sing your heart out with Choir, Choir, Choir. The Toronto-based singing group teaches the audience an original arrangement to a familiar song. Hugely popular on YouTube, so be at Everyman on Sunday afternoon, ready to flex your vocal chords. www.everymancork.com or 021 450 1673.
Butter Nights #2 is at the Firkin Crane on Sunday night at 7pm. Curated by Junk Ensemble, Artists-in-Residence, it’s a shared performance in promenade-style with dinner and wine for the participants and audience members afterwards. Last year’s one sold out very early, so be warned! Tickets 021 450 7487 or www.firkincrane.ie.
The Good Room presents Crosstown Drift, a trail of tales and scéals across the streets of Cork and beyond, this Friday and Saturday. At 7.30pm on Friday, it’s Midsummer’s Night in Live at St Luke’s, with a programme of poetry. The free Walking Tour is already fully booked, as is the Magical Mystery Bus Tour, but you might still get tickets for the Writers’ Dinner at the Crawford Café, or A Night at the Gallery. Full info on corkmidsummer.com.
Iphigenia in Splott, which opened last night at the Cork Arts Theatre, runs until Sunday at 5.45pm. Performed by Sonya O’Donoghue and directed by Gavin McEntee, it’s a story of a girl whose life spirals through drugs, drink and drama. And the theatre reminds us that it is currently taking submissions for its very popular 10 x 10 Minute Play Event which returns in the autumn. Your great work (no more than 10 minutes in length, with a simple setting) should be in by Friday August 16. Send it to James Horgan, theatre@corkartstheatre.com.
Finally, a reminder that the legendary West Cork Chamber Music Festival takes place this year June 28 to July 7. On Friday June 28, West Cork Music will host a Fundraising Lunch in Seaview House, Ballylickey, at 2pm, hosted by Margaret Gilligan and Deirdre O’Donovan. Featuring a performance by Mairéad Hickey all proceeds will go towards the West Cork Chamber Music Festival Masterclass Series. For full details see www.westcorkmusic.ie
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