Tag: performance

Concert

24-27 October 2023, 7:30pm

The James Joyce Centre was delighted to host a unique musical interpretation of James Joyce’s Dubliners. Irish folk ensemble Hibsen paid homage to Joyce with performances of their critically acclaimed album “The Stern Task of Living” over four nights from 24 to 27 October at 7:30pm. The album is a collection of 15 songs, one for each short story in Dubliners. Through their original music and lyrics, Hibsen brings the stories to life. In addition to a musical performance of the full album, Frank McNally of The Irish Times provided insights into and selected readings from Dubliners.

For lovers of Joyce, these concerts provided a unique perspective on Dubliners, combining songs and literary expositions. For those not familiar with the stories, the performances provided an ideal opportunity to get to know them in an intimate surrounding.

Tickets are free but booking is essential. https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/james-joyces-dubliners-interpreted-in-song-by-hibsen-tickets-721967944557

These performances were supported by the After Hours at the Museum Grant Scheme from the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.

“The arrangements . . . and lyrics come from the pen of people who have spent a lot of time in Joyce’s world.” John Meagher, Irish Independent

“One might almost sense the spirit of Joyce himself strolling through these tracks. Better still, you don’t have to know the stories to savour this as a musical experience in its own right.” Jackie Hayden, Hot Press Magazine

Hibsen are a contemporary folk music ensemble formed by Irish artists Jim Murphy and Gráinne Hunt. They released their debut album “The Stern Task of Living” on 26 May 2023. The album was inspired by the book of short stories Dubliners by James Joyce and it comprises 15 songs, one for each short story. It was launched at Bloomsday Festival 2023 and it has received critical acclaim. Some of the songs from the album received extensive national and regional radio play with one of the songs (Eveline) reaching number 2 on the RTE Radio 1 Airplay Chart. The Stern Task of Living was also selected as a featured album on RTE Lyric FM and on BBC Radio Ulster.

Performance

27 September 2023, 7:30pm

The James Joyce Centre was proud to host the Volta Theatre Company’s production of two short stories from Joyce’s debut work Dubliners on Wednesday, 27 September 2023 at 7:30pm.

Joyce’s collection of short stories provides vivid ‘slices of life’ of early 20th century Dublin. Against the backdrop of a society in paralysis, a pair of Dublin lives are revealed in stark, sometimes brutal, scenes. In Counterparts, an ungainly, bad-tempered law clerk is determined to have a heavy night’s drinking, while in A Little Cloud, a sensitive soul is embittered by a meeting with an old university friend back from London. At once funny and tragic, relatable and disturbing, the stories are populated with an array of colourful characters who remain entirely contemporary, despite the bowler hats and Edwardian collars.

Performed by two actors in the iconic setting of the Joyce Centre’s Georgian drawing room, and featuring period music, this was an exquisite, intimate study of Joyce’s Dublin and its lives of quiet desperation.

https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/counterparts-a-little-cloud-tickets-708566650927

Volta is a collaboration between classically-trained actors and musicians, combining theatre with cabaret, jazz and sketch comedy. Its remit is to bring classical theatre to a wide audience. Liam has worked with Shakespeare’s Globe, the Old Vic, and Second Age Theatre company and has written and performed sketch shows and comedy drama for Channel 4, RTE and the BBC. Jim has starred in Normal People, Harry Wild, Blood 2, Vikings, Damo and Ivor, Killinaskully, The Mario Rosenstock Show, The Tudors, and iCandy. Musicians Feilimidh Nunan and Conor Sheil work with all the principal orchestras in Ireland and have collaborated in a wide variety of musical genres ranging from jazz to traditional music.