Tokyo Games Show
September 18-21
The Tokyo Games Show, Japan’s most prominent video game expo, kicks off on September 18. The five day press show will showcase some of the most hotly anticipated Japanese titles to come out over the next year. Among the officially announced titles are Bloodborne, From Software’s follow-up to the punishing, critically acclaimed Dark Souls series; the fifth instalment of Hideo Kojima’s legendary Metal Gear Solid series; and the long-awaited Persona 5, the newest entry in Atlus’ groundbreaking RPG/Dating Sim series. Some Western releases will also be making an appearance, with Microsoft’s Xbox One’s booth featuring the intriguingly imbalanced multiplayer title Evolve and the delightfully kinetic Sunset Overdrive. However, in spite of this increased Western influence, no PC-exclusive titles will be on display, given Japan’s resolute preference of consoles. TGS should prove to be not only a major Japanese event, but also a massive online one. Hype has already been raised by the Persona 5 and Metal Gear Solid 5 teaser trailers, and should continue to build until the wave of updates and announcements begins this Thursday. – EM
Culture Night
September 19
The outdoor basement spaces of Merrion Square will come alive for Culture Night with Downstairs Dublin, a series of pop-up events curated by The Irish Times, including papier mache art installations, Ireland’s Smallest Cinema, a fashion show, The Science Gallery’s Dine in the Dark, classical music performances and free books from the Library Lottery. Casino Marino are offering tours of their “small house”, a quietly monumental 18th-century neo-classical gem. Although it looks like one storey from a distance, the building actually has three, with sixteen rooms spread throughout, decorated with ornate, geometric-patterned parquet floors and beautifully restored stucco work. Independent Irish publishers Lilliput Press will be welcoming visitors into their publishing house in Stoneybatter to read, chat, and explore their books. Karl Burke, an Irish artist concerned with perceptions of space and time, will present a multi-channel sound installation and performance in the Joinery, a not-for-profit art gallery set to close at the end of this year. Burke is known for his site-responsive works, and this work is no different, made for and from the physical space of the gallery, encouraging an interplay with the environment and asserting the viewer’s role in constructing the surroundings. Across the river, No. 15 Usher’s Island, the setting for James Joyce’s literary masterpiece The Dead, will be handprinting the Centenary edition of the story on handmade paper using a Victorian press. The project has long been a dream for restorer Brendan Kilty, and this edition will have a life specification of 400 years, with the owner’s name printed with ash from the last fire lit in the house in 1892. – MMG
IFI Stranger Than Fiction Documentary Film Festival
September 25-28
The IFI’s Stranger than Fiction festival (September 25-28) showcases the best in Irish and international documentary filmmaking. With many screenings featuring Q&A session with the film’s directors, it’s a fascinating insight into the process of shaping a non-fictional cinematic narrative and what drives the motivated men and women behind the camera. This year’s line up sees an exciting mix of political and cultural subjects, with an special focus on film and television. For the politically minded we’d recommend The Act of Killing producer Andre Singler’s Night Will Fall (September 27) which traces the unique history of footage captured during the liberation of the concentration camps. Receiving its international premiere, Des Doyle’s Showrunners (September 28) delves into the world of television showrunner with interviews from the likes of Joss Whedon. Tickets for all screenings €10.20. – SLG
Dublin Theatre Festival
September 25-October 12
As festival season swings into full force, the biggest and the best in Irish and global theatre will be occupying twenty spaces around town, and filling them with world-class productions as part of the 2014 Dublin Theatre Festival. Those keen on Irish drama might look to the world premiere of new writing from Mark O’Rowe, one of the country’s most exciting playwrights, and an alternative in black comedy to the likes of Martin or John Michael McDonagh. Our Few and Evil Days promises to leave a lasting impression on its audience, as O’Rowe’s work up to this point has been relentlessly unsettling. If you’re looking to extend your comfort zone, Australia’s Back to Back Theatre are bringing their globally acclaimed Ganesh versus the Third Reich to Ireland for the first time. This meta-theatrical spectacle is performed by a group of actors with disabilites and tells the story of the elephant-headed god Ganesh, “travelling through Nazi Germany to reclaim the Swastika, an ancient Hindu symbol”.
Something a bit more light-hearted should be found in an adaptation of The Way Back Home by Oliver Jeffers, a picture book maker whose work is ineffably lovely. This non-verbal performance will use puppetry to convey its story and its focus on design makes this piece of children’s theatre appealing to all ages. Nicola Gunn will provide adult theatre with a playful edge in her participatory performance of Hello my name is, an event exploring the basics of human communication. – HK
Check out our interview with Gavin Quinn of Pan Pan Theatre about their upcoming production, Americanitis Presents A Seagull and Other Birds, which goes up as part of the Festival.
Hard Working Class Heroes Festival
October 2-4
Sponsored by HMV Ireland, Hard Working Class Heroes is an independent annual showcase for new music as well as a technology conference for digital start-ups (in partnership with the NDRC). For most people, though, this three day festival will be all about catching up-and-coming artists in what is being widely touted as a “golden age” for Irish music. With 104 acts playing across seven Dublin venues (Meeting House Square should be particularly lovely), this is set to be an exciting weekend for anyone with an interest in Ireland’s burgeoning music scene. The fantastic line-up includes the likes of tn2 favourites Cloud Castle Lake, CLU, Meltybrains?, Princess, SPIES, Me and My Dog and Liza Flume to name but a few. – TJ
Weekend tickets: €45, day tickets: €20. See: www.hwch.net. Check out our interviews with Meltybrains?, Princess, and Me and My Dog.
The Affair
October 12
Whilst Showtime’s The Affair seems fairly self-explanatory — in that it charts the extramarital affair of novelist Noah (Dominic West) and waitress Alison (Ruth Wilson) — the tale itself is anything but simple. Their budding and eventual all-consuming desire conflicts not only with ideas of class and tradition, but threatens to unhinge the lovers’ psychological stability, especially in the aftermath of a mysterious and unrevealed crime. Told from the perspectives of both Noah and Alison as they recount their illicit liaison, the quest for an objective truth is plagued by shifting paradigms and dark undertones, all set against the seemingly idyllic beach resort of Montauk. This show promises to be both enthralling and intriguing with fine performances from West and Wilson. – CF
The Affair premieres on October 12 on Showtime.
