Actors with Irish Wanted for a Short Film in Galway City

Loosely based on Persuasion by Jane Austen, Áitiú agus Ionracas is a retelling of that novel set in modern-day Ireland.  Áine has spent her adult life taking care of her invalid mother, whose recent death has meant Áine finally gets to start her own life in earnest.  When she was a teenager, she was in love with another girl, but she let her go to start a new life in the US, on the advice of her brother, for several reasons which seemed to make sense at the time.

At the start of the film, Áine is about to start a new job as assistant to the artistic director of a local theatre, when she finds out that Freddie, the love of her life, has moved back from America.  On the first day of her new job, she meets another new employee, a stage manager recently returned from the US …

This is a student film, for the MA (Cleachtas Gairmiúil sna Meáin) in University of Galway.  The film will probably also be entered into festivals.  Seán Breathnach, director of the feature film Foscadh, is mentoring this film’s director.  Unfortunately there is no pay, but you will get a copy of the finished film for your showreel.  The filming will take place in a couple of locations in Galway City, including the Taibhdhearc, the national theatre for the Irish language.

There is a lot of interest in Irish language films at the moment, both in Ireland and internationally, and this is a chance to be part of this movement.  You don’t need to be 100% fluent – the crew will be working through English – you just need to be able to say your own lines fluently and understand the other actors’ line and the story of the film.

If you would like to be considered for one of the roles, please email the director, Mary Tynan, at mttynan@hotmail.com with your CV and headshot (small file please – if there’s a photo on your CV that’s fine) and a link to your showreel if you have one.

DATES

12, 13 & 14 February in Galway City

FOIREANN AISTEOIRÍ

Freddie
Playing Age: 35 – 50
Middle-aged woman, lesbian, stage manager
This character kisses two other women in the film – the actor will need to be comfortable with this

Peadar
Playing Age: 40 – 60
Middle-aged man, Áine’s brother

Mairéad
Playing Age: 30 – 60
Woman, artistic director of the theatre

 

Canadh agus Caint – Part Three

There will be a third session of Canadh agus Caint returns for a second session on Wednesday, 25 August, at 7.30 pm.  We will start off by learning a simple song in Irish, and then see where the conversation takes us.  Irish speakers of all levels are welcome, from complete beginners (we recommend Duolingo) to fluent Gaeilgeoirí.  As usual, you need to register for this in advance by emailing notesfromxanadu@hotmail.com, and materials will be sent out in advance

This month, Canadh agus Caint will be hosted by our artistic director Mary Tynan, and we will be learning Bean Pháidín.  See you there!

Beidh an triú seisiún Canadh agus Caint ar siúil ar an gCéadaoin, 25 Lúnasa, ag 7.30 pm.  Beidh muid ag foghlaim amhrán simplí as Gaeilge, agus ansin, tar éis an canadh, an caint.  Beidh fáilte roimh daoine le gach leibhéal Gaeilge.  Mar ghnáth, ní mór duit clarú le haghaidh an imeacht – seol ríomhphoist chuig notesfromxanadu@hotmail.com – agus seolfaidh muid nasc agus focail an amhráin duit roimh an oíche.

Beidh Canadh agus Caint óstailte le ár stiúrthóir ealaíne, Mary Tynan, agus beidh muid ag foghlaim Bean Pháidín. Bígí linn!

Canadh agus Caint – Part Two

After a successful launch in April, Canadh agus Caint returns for a second session on Thursday, 10 June, at 7.30 pm.  We will start off by learning a simple song in Irish, and then see where the conversation takes us.  Irish speakers of all levels are welcome, from complete beginners (we recommend Duolingo) to fluent Gaeilgeoirí.  As usual, you need to register for this in advance by emailing notesfromxanadu@hotmail.com, and materials will be sent out in advance

This month, Canadh agus Caint will be hosted by Suzanne Ledwith and Julia Kennedy, with assistance from our artistic director Mary Tynan.  See you there!

Beidh an dara seisiún Canadh agus Caint ar siúil Deardaoin, 10 Meitheamh, ag 7.30 pm.  Beidh muid ag foghlaim amhrán simplí as Gaeilge, agus ansin, tar éis an canadh, an caint.  Beidh fáilte roimh daoine le gach leibhéal Gaeilge.  Mar ghnáth, ní mór duit clarú le haghaidh an imeacht – seol ríomhphoist chuig notesfromxanadu@hotmail.com – agus seolfaidh muid nasc agus focail an amhráin duit roimh an oíche.

Beidh Canadh agus Caint óstailte le Suzanne Ledwith, Julia Kennedy, agus Mary Tynan. Bígí linn!

Canadh agus Caint

14 April at 7 pm will see the launch of our latest live event, Canadh agus Caint.  We will start off by learning a simple song in Irish, and then see where the conversation takes us.  Irish speakers of all levels are welcome, from complete beginners (we recommend Duolingo) to fluent Gaeilgeoirí.  As usual, you need to register for this in advance by emailing notesfromxanadu@hotmail.com, and a short vocabulary cheat sheet will be sent out with the link, as well as the words to the song.

Canadh agus Caint will be hosted by our artistic director Mary Tynan and contributor Suzanne Ledwith.  See you there!

Ar 14ú Aibrean, ag a seacht a chlog, tá muid ag tosú le eachtra beo nua, Canadh agus Caint.  Beidh muid ag foghlaim amhrán simplí as Gaeilge, agus ansin, tar éis an canadh, an caint.  Beidh fáilte roimh daoine le gach leibhéal Gaeilge.  Mar ghnáth, ní mór duit clarú le haghaidh an imeacht – seol ríomhphoist chuig notesfromxanadu@hotmail.com – agus seolfaidh muid nasc agus focail an amhráin duit roimh an oíche.

Beidh Canadh agus Caint óstailte le Mary Tynan agus Suzanne Ledwith.  Bígí linn!

Art, by James Guinnevan Seymour

James Guinnevan Seymour is an Irish artist and illustrator who has just returned home after living in South Korea and Vietnam for 12 years. He is a graduate of Limerick School of Art and Design and since his graduation in 2003 has had over 30 exhibitions with the majority of them as a member of the I.A.C (International Artists of Corea (Korea)) and Limerick Printmakers Ireland. He has also had a handful of exhibitions in America as well as some published work in a number of magazines, newspapers as well as for independent comic book companies. He is currently living in Co Mayo with his wife and two kids and is currently illustrating for two independent comic books as well as working on some personal projects.  James also runs the independent publishing company Red Skull Press.

You can follow James on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter, email him on guinevan25@hotmail.com or visit his online store.

 

See No Evil

 

Draw Pilgrim

 

I’m Gonna Make A Monkey Out Of You

 

Byzantium

 

Speak No Evil

 

The Monster

 

Belfast Girl: A Love Story

As it’s now less than two weeks till opening night, I wanted to let everyone know about Belfast Girl: A Love Story, from London Irish Theatre.

Set in the aftermath of the Good Friday Agreement, Belfast Girl: A Love Story considers the human dimension of the Northern Ireland question, and uncovers the personal costs of political struggle.  Annie is the Belfast Girl of the title: a working class protestant who grew up during the troubles.  Her marriage to Orangeman Billy is on the rocks, and an unexpected visit from English Catholic Dave, her childhood sweetheart who she hasn’t seen since her teens, brings matters to a head in an explosive manner.  The play is written and directed by John Dunne, and features Mary Tynan (me) as Annie and Ian Macnaughton as Dave.

The story of Dave and Annie has been through several incarnations over the years.  The first, titled Belfast, premiered in the 1990s and featured the couple as teenagers, with Tanya Franks as Annie.  I become involved during the second incarnation, Belfast Boy, which was written to be the second play in a double bill with Geraldine Aron’s A Galway Girl, touring in 2009/10.  This was a two hander, with the older Annie and Dave meeting again after many years.  Belfast Girl followed in the summer of 2010, and I played Annie for the second time in a completely new work which also featured Annie’s brother and husband.  This play has recently had a Belfast run, in which the story was expanded to include two further characters.

Belfast Girl: A Love Story returns to the two-handed format, but with a twist.  There may be only two actors, but there are more than two characters!  I’m really looking forward to playing Annie again, and would like to invite readers of Notes From Xanadu to join the audience.  Previous versions Belfast and A Belfast Boy have both received critical acclaim from the press, and Belfast was a Time Out Critic’s Choice.

“John Dunne’s sensitive squint at the Ulster legacy adapts well to the stage.  What’s impressive about the rapid stucco of tense, bite-sized scenes is that they’re eloquently counterpointed by a driving commitment to character development.”  Time Out

“A sharply realistic play still willing to speak for love, however guarded, as the central human value.” City Limits

 “Fantastically gripping.”  What’s On

 “Moving stories in an Irish odyssey.”  Camden New Journal

Belfast Girl: A Love Story is playing on both sides of the Thames this Summer.  It opens on 20August 2013 at the London Theatre, New Cross, running nightly at 8pm until 24 August, with a Sunday matinee on 25 August at 4pm.  It then runs from 27 to 29 August nightly at 7.30pm at the Babble Jar, Stoke Newington and from 30 August to 1 September at the Precinct Theatre, Islington, with all performances there also at 7.30pm.  Tickets can be bought on the door, from the London Theatre Box Office (www.thelondontheatre.com), and from www.irish-theatre.com .

Belfast Girl: A Love Story