ArtScape: Tensions arising from the budget overspend (understood to be currently about €1 million) at the Cork 2005 European Capital of Culture organisation seem to lie behind the rumours of sackings, resignations and diplomatic illnesses in the past week, writes Mary Leland.
All untrue, except that there is continuing confusion about the role of Dr Martin Barrett as director of special events and that an alternative grouping, lightly called Where's Me Culture?, has been formed by the disaffected, including Mick Hennigan of the Kino Cinema. Its objective is to give those who feel excluded from the event a chance to organise activities of their own.
While an overspend of €1 million might not seem excessive when spread over an ambitious year-long programme, it can look serious in relation to a budget - which many think inadequate in the first place - of €6.5 million. Small amendments have been made, as with the €1.5 million from the Department of Tourism, but the important disappointment for the 2005 company has been the refusal of the city's main financial powers to get involved except at the most minimal level.
Such help is crucial given that the original €13.5 million budget was set without much inflation flexibility in 2001, and that the additional €7 million needed to reach the target has not yet been achieved. With RTÉ as the premier partner, and AIB, Heineken, Musgraves and Thomas Crosbie Holdings all announced as official partners, sponsors and suppliers such as the Bowen Group, Project Management, Barry's Tea and Ford have chosen particular events for their involvement.
But the list of corporate members shows heavy hitters such as O'Callaghan Properties, P.J. Hegarty and Sons, Permanent TSB, Deloitte and Touche and McCarthy Developments Cork taking the €1,000 membership options along with Pizza Republic, Cork Taxi Co-Op and local shops and restaurants. This is shameful, indicating either a lack of pride in the city or a refusal to invest in the economic aftermath of Cork's chance to shine on the European stage.
Among the investment opportunities is the building of the Libeskind Pavilion, the flagship of the architectural programme. Facilitated by architect John Keogan, representative of CITE, the property management group which owns the pavilion, this aluminium structure, worked on the theme of 18 turns by Daniel Libeskind, was to have been erected in FitzGerald's Park, where it would have evoked Cork's great exhibitions of 1902 and 1903. An inspection team from CITE decided recently that the park would not be suitable, and the front lawns at Fota House, in east Cork, were hurriedly agreed as the better location.
But the pavilion's problems are not over: while Keogan and CITE will be responsible for the transport of the pavilion from its home in England to Cork, a special steel base has to be built to hold it, and Cork 2005 is looking for someone to tackle the construction and assembly as a sponsorship package.
Everyman up and running
Cork 2005's commitment to the Everyman Palace, however, is in place and running without hindrance, according to Everyman's artistic director, Pat Talbot, writes Mary Leland. As he announced his new season for the first half of next year he distinguished between those shows (Madame T, from Meridian; Apocalypse, from Theatre Cryptic in Glasgow; and Music Migrations) which would use the theatre as a venue, and the two commissions funded by Cork 2005: Neil Labute's new play, and the '05 project from playwright Brian Delany, both part of the autumn/winter programme. In the meantime, the theatre will host everything from Danny La Rue to Mo Mowlam, from Steven Berkoff (in Shakespeare's Villains) to the Irish Repertory Company of New York (with Eugene O'Brien's Eden). Corn Exchange's production of Dublin By Lamplight will feature, as will Anna Manahan, in Declan Hassett's new play, Sisters. Michael Twomey will delight local hearts with the renaissance of such favoured sons as Paddy Comerford and Cha and Miah in Hello Cork!. The Opera Theatre Company and English Touring Opera will present La Bohème, Cara O'Sullivan will give two Easter concerts, and Shell Connections will bring the Royal National Theatre and the Everyman Palace Studio together for a festival of new writing for children.
The Opera House is celebrating the first half of its 150th anniversary year with productions of Swan Lake and Romeo and Juliet from the State Ballet of Russia as well as performances from Ballet Ireland and Cork City Ballet. Cork 2005 projects include Opera 2005's Figaro's Wedding and Mozart's Requiem, the visit of the Abbey Theatre with The Plough and the Stars, and the Royal National Theatre production of The Pillowman, by Martin McDonagh.
Birthday acts
The actual 100th birthday of the National Theatre will be marked on December 27th with a day of drama, storytelling and music at the Abbey. Most of the events are free and you can just turn up on the day, writes Belind McKeon.
One event is now booked out, but this weekend offers a preliminary chance to catch what may prove to be the highlight of the day. On the same date in 1904, four amateur groups were invited to raise the curtain with performances of what were then brand new one-act plays: On Baile's Strand and Kathleen Ní Houlihan, by W.B. Yeats; Spreading the News, by Lady Gregory; and In the Shadow of the Glen, by J.M. Synge. Those same plays will be performed once more this year by four amateur groups chosen in a nationwide competition run by the Drama League of Ireland: Balally Players, Dublin; Ennis Players; St Patrick's Dramatic Society, Dalkey; and Newpoint Players, Newry. The four groups, all award-winners, will come together at Moat Theatre in Naas, Co Kildare, tomorrow at 7.30 p.m. to perform the Abbey plays. Admission: €15. Details: 045-883030; www.moatheatre.com
Nifty film financing
So, here's a film investment scheme with a difference. A feature film about the life of James Connolly will coincide with the 90th anniversary of his death in Easter 2006. It is directed by Adrian Dunbar and stars Peter Mullan as the man himself. The budget for the film is about €12 million, and co-writers Frank Allen and Tom Stokes, of Rascal Films, are aiming to raise more than 15 per cent of that through a public share scheme whereby members of the public or groups can invest in units of €1,000. Profits from the investment will go to the Connolly Film Education Trust, to fund educational programmes for the disadvantaged.
Dublin's Lord Mayor, Michael Conaghan, is patron of the trust, and Des Geraghty is liaising between the city council, trade unions and Rascal Films. The public share scheme was launched with a concert this month in Liberty Hall Theatre, and brochures for the scheme will be distributed via unions. The take-up so far has been encouraging. Novel idea, nifty approach. Watch out for the share brochures or e-mail rascalfilms@ireland.com
Ding Dong Denny O'Reilly is back! The drunken republican balladeer has his own TV special on RTÉ2 next Wednesday. Ding Dong - aka Paul Woodful, one of the writer/performers from this season's RTÉ comedy, Stew - will be doing his own brand of spoof balladry (for example, his Famine song, The Potatoes Aren't Looking the Best, or the subtle rabble-rouser, Spit on the Brits). "It will have most of the usual Ding Dong stuff, with the odd cut for libel and blasphemy reasons . . . although a little light blasphemy has been given the thumbs-up," says Woodful.
Light relief for anyone in the vicinity of Blanchardstown Shopping Centre in coming days: Daniel Shaw-Smith's papier-mâché dogs in the studio at Draíocht. As artist in residence there since May, he has created a pack of not-quite-cuddly canines, but then again, none of them need walking or feeding. Prices start at €250, and you can contact Mr Shaw-Smith at 087-7796995.
Among the films showing at the 2005 Jameson Dublin International Film Festival (February 11th to 20th) will be: theGolden Globe-nominated Kinsey, starring Liam Neeson; quirky comedy The Life Aquatic; Melinda and Melinda, Woody Allen's best film in years; The Woodsman, starring Kevin Bacon; and Joshua Marston's award-winning drama, Maria Full of Grace. New Irish films include the world première of Fintan Connolly's romantic drama, Trouble With Sex, starring Aiden Gillen. The full programme is out on January 27th (www.dubliniff.com).