THERE'S lots to see, hear and experience at The 19th Galway Arts Festival over the coming week, so chances are there won't be much time to talk. Which is why you should start your weekend at the Druid this afternoon, when acclaimed travel author Bill Bryson, who has written about such far flung places as Britain and Iowa, will give a reading in his own offbeat, observational style, as shown in books such as The Lost Continent and Notes From A Small Island. Later this evening at the Taibhdhearc, Red Kettle theatre company will present their production of Neil Simon's Brighton Beach Memoirs, directed by Peter Sheridan, and starring American singer songwriter Carole King. This modern classic runs tonight and tomorrow night at 8 p.m. Late night at the Warwick, another U.S. songsmith, Jonathan Richman, will make his own wry musical comments about everything from ice cream vans to the Velvet Underground. The road runner of rock performs tonight and tomorrow night at 11 p.m.
The streets of Galway belong to Macnas tomorrow afternoon, when their annual parade sets off from Eyre Square at 3 p.m. The theme for this year's parade is, appropriately, "Spellbound", and there should be quite a mass of mesmerised people lining the streets to watch this bewitching spectacle. Tomorrow at 8 p.m., Shamtown rockers The Saw Doctors will have their own big night out in the Festival Big Top, doing a few oul songs from their current album, Same Oul Toun, and highlights will include their two recent UK Top 20 hits, World Of Good and To Win Just Once.
Arriving at the Town Hall Theatre at 21:30 hours on Monday night is the acclaimed stage: production of Trainspotting, adapted by Henry Gibson from Irvine Welsh's novel, and performed by UK company G & J productions. At this year's Edinburgh Festival, there was a mad rush to get a seat on this comedic chemical trip, so make sure you fit this into your timetable.
Trainspotting runs from Monday 22nd to Saturday 27th.
The folksman for the acid generation, Arlo Guthrie, is at the Roisin Dubh on Monday and Tuesday night, continuing in the tradition of his father, Woody Guthrie, plus other legends like Pete Seeger and Doc Watson. Arlo is best known for his epic story song, Alice's Restaurant Masacree, so expect the full tale to unfold one more time.
Acclaimed Swiss company Mummenschanz make their Galway debut on Tuesday, when they bring their very visual theatre to the Festival Big Top. Parade is by way of a greatest bits revue, and it features some of the imaginative and entertaining routines which have enthralled children and adults over the past 25 years.
Parade runs until Saturday 27th.
Twenty four year old Grammy winner Alison Krauss brings her band, Union Station, to Seapoint on Thursday night at 8 p.m. for an all seated concert of bluegrass, country and gospel. Krauss has been called the Queen of New Country, but her multi platinum album, Now That I've Found You, crosses many borders and barriers.
Finally, on Friday, leading British crime authors Ruth Rendell and P.D. James bring a double dose of murder and mystery to the Town Hall Theatre at 7 p.m. Expect suspense filled readings from the fifes of Rendell's Chief Inspector Wexford, and James's Commander Adam Dalgliesh.
