ARTSCAPE:IT WOULD be nice – if just a little unlikely – if Paul Muldoon some day made the main stage at the Electric Picnic, but the poet will be making an appearance at this year's festival. Someone turn the amp up to 11.
The Electric Picnic has always had a reputation for its more discursive side-events, and the years have seen a regular show from Ryan Tubridy, some stellar literary line-ups and always entertaining poetry slams.
Some of the readings have often proven pretty solid hangover cures and welcome escapes from the searing sun/pouring rain.
But, relaxed and welcoming, with people drifting in and out as they please, there has always been something special about these slices of cultural conversation wafting from a muddy tent.
These are no longer sideshows, as the Electric Picnic has been busy rebranding itself as a music “and arts” festival and this year’s Mindfield line-up is very strong. Muldoon will be in conversation with Philip King, while other writers to feature will include Irvine Welsh, Dermot Bolger, Roddy Doyle, Carlo Gebler, Claire Kilroy and current resident of the Booker longlist Paul Murray. Mike Scott of the Waterboys will read from his memoir.
Having perhaps made his name more as an iconoclast than a novelist, Julian Gough will be raising the thorny issue of just how good Irish literature actually is.
The Irish Timescrime reviewer Declan Burke will host a discussion on the genre with Arlene Hunt, Declan Hughes and Gene Kerrigan.
In a parallel with TV's penchant for Loose Womenand the like, there will be Savvy Womenwith journalists Kathy Sheridan, Justine McCarthy, Sara Burke and Tara Buckley. It will surely be better than its title.
There will also be events from the literary gameplayers Chaos Thaoghaire and the excellent Anti-Room blog has been given a place on the programme too.
Meanwhile, the theatre stage will feature The Gruffalo Story,for the younger festival goers, Beckett's Not Ifor the older ones and the parodic Obama Mia!for everybody. And the Science Gallery will bring the apt music-and-science Biorhythm exhibition.
The Electric Picnic is in its usual spot at Stradbally, Co Laois, from September 3rd-5th. Full details are available at electricpicnic.ie.
"GUERRILLA theatre," is what Tuam's community arts group Earwig! calls it, and it is one of the highlights of the town's annual arts festival which opens this Friday, writes Lorna Siggins.
Entitled “We like Short Theatre”, the night of drama on Saturday August 21st, co- ordinated by artist JoJo Hynes in Canavan’s bar, promises comedy, tragedy and just about “every genre” – the only stipulation being that plays can be of no more than 10 minutes’ duration.
The Government, the Wondertones, Rob Strong, Noelie McDonnell and The Saw Doctors – the latter fresh from tours of the US and England – are among this year’s musical participants. Run on a tight budget, with affordable ticket prices, the 10-day event, initiated by ex-Macnas man Midie Corcoran, focuses on local talent, of which there is no shortage.
One to watch is Laura Sheeran, who has performed with Little John Nee.
Sheeran first appeared at the Earwig! Arts Festival in 2006, and she returns to play material from her forthcoming debut album, Lust of Pig and the Fresh Blood. Sheeran uses a laptop, sampler and loop station to create "musical bends", but the most intriguing part of her repertoire is her bowed saw – and her wonderful voice.
She will be appearing at the Tuam festival on August 24th with Marc Aubele, alias Microscopic Pig, who has spent the last two years touring and recording with Irish band Bell X1. There is also a plethora of children’s events, including storytelling, drama and traditional music workshops. Further details at earwigart.com.
