HAPPENINGS:

Musictown Jr

Artists from across the musical spectrum will gather in Dublin from April 5-12 to collaborate and create unforgettable musical moments at various venues across the city as part of Musictown Jr. One of the highlights is taking place at 11am in St Andrew’s Church on Saturday, April 6. Conductor, James Cavanagh and the exuberant members of the RIAM Intermediate Orchestra will put the oom into oom pah pah during the Academy’s perennially popular Meet the Orchestra event. See musictown.ie/musictown-junior for all event details.

Our Plundered Planet

The first solo museum exhibition in Ireland by US artist Mark Dion entitled Our Plundered Planet opens in Hugh Lane Gallery on April 4.

This exhibition runs until the end of August and addresses the serious and topical issue of global warming and the resulting consequences for our planet.

Dion presents a critical discourse on the relationship between nature and civilisation and reveals his long-standing interest in and knowledge of the earth’s eco systems.

Trad

Theatre company Livin’ Dred are taking their award-winning play ‘Trad’ around Ireland from April. They open at the Pavilion Theatre, Dun Laoghaire, on April 5 and 6. The play stars Emmet Kirwan, Clare Barrett and Seamus O’Rourke. Emmet is Da, Seamus is Son and Clare plays two roles – of Fr Rice and Sal. Written by Mark Doherty and directed by Aaron Monaghan Trad is a poignant and hilarious tale of a 100-year-old Irishman Thomas… and his father. Together they set out to discover the son they never knew he had. Trad features live Irish musicians and is a side-splitting, heart-warming comedy saga.

What Would the Countess Say?

Dalkey Castle will be celebrating the 100th anniversary of Countess Markievicz being appointed the first Minister for Labour with a stage adaption of the Martina Devlin’s (pictured) story ‘What Would the Countess Say?’ The performance, which has been adapted for stage with leading actors and directed by Margaret Dunne, will take place on Tuesday, April 2 – exactly 100 years to the day of the appointment in 1919.

Last Great Album of the Decade

The LAB Gallery, located on Foley Street, Dublin 1, presents the ‘Last Great Album of the Decade; in association with Musictown. 

The exhibition is co-curated by Pádraic E Moore and Sheena Barrett and features new work by Anne Maree Barry, Declan Clarke, Alan Phelan and Cliodhna Timoney. 

The exhibition seeks to celebrate the musical relic and souvenirs of the subculture, taking in gigs in the ‘90s, a selection of zines from Brand New Retro, the Dublin rave scene in the early 2000s, the demise of rural nightclubs and journeys from early photographic experiments through to the potential backdrop for a new music video.

The exhibition runs until May 12. For more information, visit www.thelab.ie

Photography exhibition 

The forthcoming FACETS exhibition from award-winning photographer, Mandy O’Neill, artist-in-residence at The Digital Hub is now open to the public until April 6 and is themed around the people and places of The Liberties in Dublin 8. Mandy’s work-in-progress exhibition is based on what has emerged from her responses to the people and places in the Digital Hub campus and surrounding neighbourhood in Dublin 8.. Further information is available at: www.thedigitalhub.com

Urinetown

Rush Musical Society will stage ‘Urinetown the Musical’ at the Millbank Theatre, Rush, from Thursday, April 4 until Saturday, April 13 at 8pm nightly (no performance on April 8). 

Set in a not too distant future, it deals with the impact of wholesale water shortages on the masses, corrupt politicians, power hungry utility companies and the inevitable love struggle between the classes.

With every scene the satirical plot twists and turns offering comic and clever observations on life, love and society. Visit www.millbanktheatre.com.

Offset

With over 2,500 attendees each year, Offset has fast become one of the world’s most inspirational, educational and vocational conferences for the design and creative industries.

Happening at The Point Square, from Friday, April 5 to Sunday, April 7 speakers are makers, innovators and educators crafting every aspect of the visual landscape. They industry at all levels, and are key disruptors and influencers in their field driving everything from huge global campaigns to awe inspiring personal projects. See www.iloveoffset.com for ticket details.

The Noble Call

‘The Noble Call’, by Michael Harnett, will be staged at the Sean O’Casey Theatre, East Wall, on Tuesday and Wednesday, April 2 and 3, as part of the Five Lamps Festival.

It will then transfer to the Teachers’ Club in Parnell Square on Friday and Saturday, April 5 and 6. The curtain comes up at 8pm at both venues.

Vinnie McCabe of the Abbey Theatre and Fair City fame, and Noni Stapleton are appearing together on stage. Direction is by Elyn Friedrichs.