ELECTRONICA
Portico
Whelan's Dublin 8pm €16.50
whelanslive.com
Formerly known as Portico Quartet and revered in certain circles for a febrile mix of experimental jazz and funk, Portico is now a trio and has left previous styles behind in favour of a kind of electronic music that’s tricky to pinpoint but easy to love. Their new album, Living Fields, will receive its Irish premiere here. Special guest is Snow Ghosts.
THEATRE
Madam de Markievicz on Trial
New Theatre. Apr 20 - May 4 7.30pm €15/12
thenewtheatre.com
The biggest risk of commemoration is the stale rehearsal of pageantry; the biggest benefit is a clear-eyed reappraisal. Ann Matthews, writer of last year’s Lockout during the centenary of the Dublin workers’ strikes, may anticipate the myopia of the coming 1916 celebrations with her new play, a drama about the shooting of a policeman during Easter 1916 that brings several historical characters to court. Chief among them is the nationalist, suffragette and politician Constance Markievicz. Matthews draws from real speeches for her dialogue, and Markievicz had a way with words: “Dress suitably in short skirts and strong boots, leave your jewels in the bank and buy a revolver.”
