Event of the Week
67th Cork International Film Festival
Thursday, November 10th, until Sunday, November 20th; various venues/times/prices; corkfilmfest.org
If the words “A full return to cinemas and venues throughout Cork City…” are heartening for the reader, then what must it be like for the organisers of the Cork International Film Festival? The durable festival celebrates its 67th birthday this year, and you can almost hear the champagne corks pop as the programme unfolds page after page. The Family Gala is Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical, while the festival opens with Frank Berry’s quietly profound Aisha (which is one of – deep breath – 80 Irish feature premieres). All details on film scheduling and associated events can be viewed on the website and the festival app myCIFF.
Gigs
The Delines
Sunday, November 6th; St Patrick’s Gateway, Waterford; 8pm; €30; Monday, November 7th; Róisín Dubh, Galway; 8pm; €25/€23; Tuesday, November 8th; Pepper Canister Church, Dublin; 8pm; €33.50; eventbrite.ie/ticketmaster.ie
They describe themselves as “a retro country band”, but there’s much more to this Portland, Oregon group than a three-word definition. Formed 10 years ago by songwriter/author Willy Vlautin from the ashes of Richmond Fontaine, The Delines continue to draw a line under the desperation of lives existing, just about, in the American hinterland. Recently released album The Sea Drift will be mined for songs that blend narrative intimacy with song styles reminiscent of Kris Kristofferson and Glen Campbell. Sweet, very sweet.
Bob Dylan
Monday, November 7th; 3Arena, Dublin; 6pm; €70.45; ticketmaster.ie
On his Rough and Rowdy Ways world tour, Bob Dylan engages with a sequence of shows that actually promotes a recent album, rather than a relatively unstructured set list that represents various stages of his recording career. In other words, forget about wanting to hear the likes of The Times They Are a-Changin’ and other touchstone songs. Advance notices of European/UK shows report that nine of the ten tracks on Rough and Rowdy Ways are performed, interspersed with songs that fair-weather Dylan fans might not recognise. A gig for Bobheads, then? Absolutely, but there’s something else: this is a “mobile phone free” show, which, say the promoters, is “a non-negotiable deal”.
Biffy Clyro
Tuesday, November 8th; 3Arena, Dublin; 6.30pm; €62; Wednesday, November 9th; SSE Arena, Belfast; 6.30pm; £51.50; ticketmaster.ie
What’s in a name? This Scottish rock band have spun many a fabrication about the source of their name (our favourite is that it’s the name of a Finnish footballer from the 17th century) but there are no tall tales about the music. If you want heavy, melodic, and quiet/loud variable dynamics, then you’ve got it from a group that cites Metallica, Rush, Pixies and Fugazi as primary influences.
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Belle & Sebastian
Wednesday, November 9th; 3Olympia Theatre; 7pm; €40.05; Thursday, November 10th; Telegraph Building, Belfast; 7pm; £35; ticketmaster.ie
It has taken some time (their debut album, Tigermilk, was released in 1996) but at last Glasgow’s Belle & Sebastian can say with some degree of certainty that the critical reverence they have been on the receiving end of for more than 25 years is finally starting to equate to a reasonable level of commercial success. The tunes? Ignore the words of Jack Black’s character in the film High Fidelity (“old sad bastard music”) and get close to the band’s assured and quite perfect pop/rock earworms.
Literature
Dublin Book Festival 2022
Tuesday, November 8th, until Sunday, November 13th; various venues/times/prices; dublinbookfestival.com
As per usual, Dublin Book Festival 2022 is running the rule over established Irish writers as well as providing much-needed space to up-and-coming wordsmiths. Thankfully, in-person events are not limited to restrictions and will take place in numerous venues (including The Printworks, National Gallery of Ireland, The National Botanic Gardens, Dublin Port, Iveagh Gardens, the Museum of Literature Ireland, and libraries across the city). Highlights are numerous, but try to get to in-conversations with Louise O’Neill, Sophie White, John Banville, Paul Brady, and Seán Hewitt (the recent winner of the 2022 Rooney Prize for Irish Literature).
Film
Dingle Distillery International Film Festival
Friday, November 11th, until Sunday, November 13th; Dingle, Co Kerry; various venues/times/prices; dinglefilmfest.com/eventbrite.ie
Films, seminars, Dingle, three full-day masterclass workshops, films, Dingle – the Dingle Distillery International Film Festival, now under new directorship, returns as a physical entity following a couple of years in the online Twilight Zone. Films (almost 20 features, as well as numerous feature-length documentaries, including work from Sweden, Ukraine, Italy, Iran, Finland and Belgium) will be shown in venues as diverse as the Díseart Centre, Beehive Studio, and the Blasket Centre. The masterclass workshops, meanwhile, are hosted by film director John Sayles, casting director Ros Hubbard, and cinematographer Owen McPolin.
Opera
William Tell
Tuesday, November 8th, until Sunday, November 13th; Gaiety Theatre, Dublin; 7pm; €15; ticketmaster.ie
Irish National Opera (INO), in a co-production with Switzerland’s Nouvel Opéra Fribourg, stage Gioachino Rossini’s final opera, performed here in French with English surtitles. Sharing the stage with an international cast (including Canadian baritone Brett Polegato, Mexican tenor Jesús León, and South Korean tenor Konu Kim) are Irish performers (including sopranos Máire Flavin, Rachel Croash, Amy Ní Fhearraigh and baritone Owen Gilhooly-Miles). It is an epic production, and no mistake, as the INO’s artistic director, Fergus Sheil (who conducts the production), admits: “I don’t know whether I’m foolhardy or a visionary to have taken on such a gargantuan project.” No pressure, Fergus – the target will be hit, no doubt.
Still Running
The Last Return
Until Saturday, November 12th; Gate Theatre, Dublin; gatetheatre.ie
Druid Theatre Company’s production of Sonya Kelly’s seriously satirical comedy mixes computer-says-no obstinacy with charged topics that incorporate geopolitical governance. Directed by Sara Joyce and with a sterling cast (Bosco Hogan, Fiona Bell, Anna Healy, Naima Swaleh, and Fionn Ó Loingsigh), you have seven days to experience one of this year’s best plays.
