Blackwater Valley Fit-Ups are back
The Blackwater Valley Theatre Fit-Up Festival 2022 started on Wednesday night (9th) and Geoff Gould and his Blood in the Alley Theatre team have lined up another exciting programme for us to enjoy.
Events are scheduled for Fermoy, Mitchelstown, Bartlemy, Ballynoe and Youghal, kicking off in Youghal’s Mall Arts Centre on Wednesday night and finishing in the Palace Theatre, Fermoy on Sunday the 20th.
Taking part this year are Seamus O’Rourke and his crew with two of his plays (‘The Handy Man’ and ‘Victor’s Dung’), Irene Kelleher with her self-penned play ‘Wake’ and bringing us music for this Valentine’s season is the wonderful violinist, Vladimir Joblokov.
‘THE HANDY MAN’ & ‘VICTOR’S DUNG’
Seamus O’Rourke is, by now, no stranger to the Blackwater circuit and his first piece ‘ The Handy Man’ can be seen in Youghal ( Wed 9th) and the following night in St George’s Mitchelstown. Hugh Spotten the handyman is about to receive an award from his community, but . . . This is a hilariously funny, yet poignant and poetic piece!
O’Rourke continues with the brilliantly-written madcap piece ‘ Victor’s Dung’, on Friday 11th and Saturday 12th in Bartlemy and Ballynoe respectively. This piece carries an age limit of over 16s and features O’Rourke himself along with Charlie McGuinness and Tommy Sharkey. This is the comic tale of Victor Maguire, a crude, vulgar, abrupt, un-PC Cavan farmer who gets a surprise one Friday morning.
VLADIMIR
Last December, violinist Vladimir Joblokov played two concerts in The Palace Theatre Fermoy, albeit to a very small but appreciative audiences. Vladimir returns with his skilled fusion of classical music for this Valentine’s weekend with the playfulness and emotion of gypsy, folk and popular music. Three venues - on Sunday 13th in Fermoy Hospital (3pm) and Palace Theatre (8pm) and on Monday 14th in St George’s Arts Centre, Mitchelstown.
‘WAKE’
They take a break on Tuesday but the remainder of the week brings Irene Kelleher to the festival. Irene will perform one of her own great pieces entitled ‘Wake’ directed by Geoff Gould. We meet Lily ‘getting through’ her mother’s wake, when an old face from her past arrives. Lily is not going to let the night that’s in it thwart her plans (please note over 14s).
You can catch ‘Wake’ at The Mall Arts Centre in Youghal on Wednesday 16th, St George’s Mitchelstown on Thursday 17th, Bartlemy on Friday 18th, Ballynoe on Saturday 19th and the Palace Theatre, Fermoy on Sunday 20th.
Tickets for all events are €15. Tickets can be booked for performances at The Palace Fermoy on 025-32042, for Youghal 087-9593276. Tickets at the door for all the venues
FREE VIEWING
Please note that on
Sunday, 13th February at 8pm, ‘Victor’s Dung’ and on Monday, 14th February at 8pm, ‘ Valentines with Vladimir’ will be livestreamed for free viewing online, available to view at fit-uptheatrefestival. com.
The Blackwater Valley Theatre Fit-Up Festival 2022 is kindly supported by Cork County Council and The Arts Council of Ireland.