ALSO PLAYING

On the subject of health, one of the great innovations in recent years has been First Fortnight, the arts-based mental health festival that takes place throughout the country in the early weeks of the year. Now in its ninth year, it’s aimed at challenging the stigma attached to mental health problems. It was founded by a group of volunteers who recognised a crucial need for more open dialogue around these issues in Ireland. The annual festival has expanded significantly since 2010, and it continues to grow, with more than 100 events across 17 counties throughout Ireland this January. The post-Christmas gloom is a time when people seem more open to what the festival has to offer. Among the extraordinary range of performances, talks, discussions and music there are some great theatrical and film performances, some serious, some wildly humorous. The whole purpose is to tackle the issue of mental health and to let people see they are not alone, that there are thousands who share their problems and want to address them honestly. Events range from screenings of a beautifully made film about Vincent van Gogh, Loving Vincent, to the staging of black comedy The Egg is a Lonely Hunter at Smock Alley Theatre in Dublin. The festival runs until Saturday, January 27, but some items will be continued in later months. All details are on the website firstfortnight.ie.