What's on at Cork's theatres this week?

CINDERELLA continues its run at the Everyman until January 15, and while the youngest performers will doubtless be exchanging happy memories for the rest of the year, the organisers will be taking a very brief break before starting to plan next year’s show. Yes, they really do start that early on!

Booking for the Everyman on https://everymancork.com/

You can also still catch the wonderful production of The Sleeping Beauty over at the Opera House for another week, though. 021 427 0022 or www.corkoperahouse.ie.

The Blackwater Fit Up Festival is back! It opened last night at Ballynoe and for the next three weeks will be offering several different productions across a range of venues from Bartlemy to Youghal, Ballynoe to Mitchelstown and Fermoy.

The shows on tour are The Parish, Turf/Gombeen, The Rocks Abawn, and Words, Lies & Stories of D’Unbelievables. Tomorrow’s show at Bartlemy Hall will feature Michael Ryan and Sean Kelleher in The Parish.

Great to see local touring events like this, especially in the gloomy month of January! Tickets on the door for this and all the venues. More info on 083 394 1580.

And here is something else to cheer you up! What could be nicer than an afternoon gathering of music and movement? Right when we need it most, The Lord Mayor’s Tea Dance will recommence in the City Hall on Sunday, January 29 from 3pm to 5.30pm. This great gathering of young and old who love to move around the floor in the good old fashioned way, brings eager participators from all over our city and county to enjoy the music of Evelyn Grant and the Cork Pops Orchestra as well as spots from Keith Hanley, Voice of Ireland, and little Emma Sophia, aged just six!

The event is a not-for-profit initiative organised by a local committee of people from the public, private and voluntary sectors, and in conjunction with the Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr. Deirdre Forde. The committee is chaired by Dr Andrew Crosbie.

Young people are invited to bring one or more older persons to the ball, since in these strange and stressful times, the need for such happy events is greater than ever.

Tickets are now on sale in Pro Musica on Oliver Plunkett Street, and you can see a previous Tea Dance on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v= 7xR8uLhRR1Q&feature=email

Back in the spring of 2020, Cork Arts Theatre was busy planning its short play event, Views From A Window. The pandemic put paid to that, but now they are picking up where they left off, and looking for submissions for this year’s Views From A Window. Deadline for entries is Sunday, February 19, so get working! They tell us if you already submitted a play for this event in 2020, feel free to re-submit the same one (or a revised version).

Bear in mind that the window, and the view from it, should be an integral part of the plot, not just a stray reference. Plays should be no more than 10 minutes in duration (that is vital - if you’re unsure, hold your own live reading), and should have a simple setting (minimal props and furniture).

Other than that, they are open to plays of all genres - comedy, tragedy, farce, fantasy, horror, whatever... All submissions will be read by a panel, a shortlist compiled and 10 of those plays selected by directors. Those 10 plays will then be staged during the performance week in late April.

Plays must be submitted by February 19, as a Word document or PDF to: theatre@corkartstheatre. com with the subject line Views from a Window Submission 2023. Any queries to the same address.

And a hilarious new show is coming up at the Cork Arts Theatre from Wednesday to Saturday, January 18-21. EVEnEVE is set in a couples’ retreat. It is no ordinary retreat and they are certainly no ordinary couples. Great fun.

Call 021 450 5624 or www.corkartstheatre.com for bookings.