FUNDING for an arts programme at the former Belltable has been diverted into a new city wide collective, Limerick Arts Encounter, that has three principal stakeholders: The Arts Council, Limerick City & County Council and Lime Tree Theatre.
Lime Tree’s Louise Donlon and Gillian Fenton hosted the formal launch on site Wednesday 18, chiming nicely with first birthday celebrations at this South Circular Road venue. (More next week on city arts officer Sheila Deegan’s expectations of Limerick Arts Encounter and the proper planning of Culture for the city)
“It will be a year to day since Lime Tree Theatre opened,” says marketing manager Gillian, “and we are more than happy with the 40,000 people having come to Lime Tree. They comment on the diversity of the programme – I guess our two big plays were DruidMurphy and The Abbey with ‘The Plough and the Stars’ and the musicals, ‘Cats’ which sold out over six nights and ‘West Side Story’.
“Hopefully we’ll be able to get some more through the door!”
A new challenge is helping to administer Limerick Arts Encounter of which Arts page will bring you more during its programme September to March 2014; Deirdre Flynn is appointed to box office specific to LAE’s programme at www.limetreetheatre.ie
The opener is Beoure Company’s rehearsed reading of Kate O’Brien’s ‘Distinguished Villa’ at Dance Ireland space in John’s Square on Saturday 21 at 8pm. Actors Gene Rooney, Aishleigh Dorrell and Kevin Kiely are among is professional cast of five.
Produced and directed by Joan Sheehy, co-producer with Beoure, Monica Spencer outlines the drama:
“‘Distinguished Villa’ was Kate’s very first literary work – her plays are not that exposed in recent times as much as they should be, but then that’s a matter for debate. It was a big hit when it opened in 1926 in London and some of its issues are not quite as relevant now as they were then, more of them are.”
Monica makes the point that one of the characters is Kate O’Brien herself, “strong, independent and bookish. ‘Distinguished Villa’ looks at the role of defining one’s life” and here, themes of marriage, class and relationships – there is “a conundrum of love”- come into play between six characters.
At John’s Square this Saturday 21, 8pm for just €5 in and a glass of wine served at this beautiful arts space, a converted church within gothic graveyard.
