Originally published in print December 2020. There’s more of gravy than of grave about you, whatever you are!” – A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens It is fitting that Ebenezer Scrooge’s Christmas journey of … Continue reading Time Out of Mind: How Victorian Writers Invented Christmas
Originally published in print November 2020. Milk is a cookbook with a manifesto. Its authors, John and Sally McKenna, are among Ireland’s foremost food writers, and are perhaps best known for the annual 100 Best Restaurants in Ireland guide, which … Continue reading Milk // Cookbook Review This new cookbook by John and Sally McKenna milks the most out of Irish produce
I spent six of the early weeks of lockdown watching the BBC/Hulu adaptation of Sally Rooney’s Normal People, and I’ve spent the past six weeks reading and rereading from Lorrie Moore’s fantastic Collected Stories. When I saw that Moore had … Continue reading Artemis Fowl, Normal People, and Cultural Imperialism
Jamaica Kincaid, born Elaine Cynthia Potter Richardson in St. John’s, Antigua, is not just the holder of the 21st century’s greatest pen name. She is a novelist, gardening writer, and Professor of African and African American Studies in Residence at … Continue reading Some thoughts on Jamaica Kincaid’s Lucy and A Small Place
●●●○○ Ulster American, a new play by David Ireland, ran at the Abbey Theatre from 9-20 April, and is directed by Gareth Nicholls. Ireland is best known for his play Cyprus Avenue, which won the Irish Times Theatre Award for … Continue reading Ulster American // Review
●●●●○ Watt is an adaptation of Samuel Beckett’s novel of the same name.The piece was written and performed by acclaimed Beckett interpreter Barry McGovern and directed by Tom Creed. Watt, an odd, impoverished man goes to work at the house … Continue reading Watt // Review
●●●●● Beginning is a mildly comic, tremendously moving drama by David Eldridge, which ran in the Gate Theatre from 28th March-24 April and was directed by Marc Atkinson. The play bears witness to a first meeting between Laura (Eileen Walsh) … Continue reading Beginning // Review
The Seamster’s Daughter, a new drama written and directed by Jimmy Murphy, ran at the Smock Alley Theatre Boys’ School from 16th April – 4th May. Megan (Aoife O’Sullivan) is the product of her mother (Rachel Pilkington) Alison’s rape … Continue reading Thoughts on The Seamster’s Daughter
●●●●○ We follow Scarlett (Ali Hardiman) and Joni (Ericka Roe) as they navigate Electric Picnic’s complex milieu of mud, intoxicants, and socio-economic relations. Scarlett is posh–one of those ‘all-girl fee-paying secondary school types’, and has been forced to attend the … Continue reading Electric // REVIEW
●●●○○ The Wickedness of Oz – an original piece written and performed by Kate Gilmore, and directed by Clare Maguire – was staged in the Project Arts Centre from 25th February to 5th March. Gilmore won Best Supporting Actress at … Continue reading The Wickedness of Oz // review Debbie’s rich, melodious interior life is brilliantly juxtaposed by the banal existence she must act out every day.
●●○○○ Knick Knack, directed by Sophie Cassidy and devised by Cassidy and Emily Long, Mae-sula Leahy, Lora Hartin and CN Smith. It was performed in the Samuel Beckett Theatre from 20th to 22nd February as part of the TCD Debut … Continue reading Knick Knack // REVIEW
●●●○○ Where Are You From? is an original monologue piece written and performed by Choy-Ping Clarke-Ng, featuring voice recordings of her father, Chi-Wai Ng, and directed by CN Smith, both Trinity students. The piece was part of the Scene & … Continue reading Where Are You From? // review An original work that explores the conditions of nationalities and identities by Trinity students.