By Rose Rushe
LOOKING ahead to 3rd The Royal Picture Show film festival running Thursday 18 to Sunday 21, director Declan McLoughlin makes the point that “we are programming 15 days of cinema each year. That’s a big project.
“Just think what we could do if the Royal [Cinema Film and Media Hub] in Cecil Street were open”.
Still, the mod digital cinema facility at 69 O’Connell Street, its exhibition space and bottle bar provide a central, familiar site for
10 screenings, memorabilia and two charity gigs.
In fact, classics and community bookend the four days that will appeal to schools, rock and roll chicks, veteran cinema buffs and comedy capers.
Photo: Paul Mullins
Dress up for the occasion and prepare for confetti of toast and rice; tickets access the earlier screening of film shorts from 7pm and a 10pm gospel choir performance.
The closing night tribute to Robin Williams, ‘Mrs Doubtfire’ at 7pm, will benefit ADAPT Domestic Abuse Services. Again, tickets are €10 and selling direct from ADAPT Shop, Sarsfield Street.
This 3rd Royal Picture Show of 2014 has a back to the future vibe to next week with another tribute movie to a legend now gone, (Edith) Madeline Carroll. Her father was an Irish professor of languages, and son of a Lough Gur man.
“Madeline was the top British screen actress of the 1930s.
“We are screening Hitchcock’s ‘The 39 Steps’ to open the festival on Thursday 18, her movie with Robert Donat. Ticket holders are welcome to the wine reception first in Chimes at 7.15pm,” Declan makes clear. “She was born (1906-1987) in West Bromwich but her grandfather was Patrick Carroll, born in Rusheen by Lough Gur in 1844. Her cousin John O’Carroll from Bruff has written about her and her connections to Pallasgreen also”.
A resourceful stage actress, she went on to work with Ford, Hitchcock, de Mille, marry four times and work for the Allied Relief Fund and Red Cross after her sister was killed in The Blitz of London, World War 1. On retirement, Carroll took up an ambassadorial role with UNESCO. Not bad for a lass who began modelling at the age of three.
Saturday 20 has the primetime of 2pm reserved for families, with familiar favourite ‘WALL-E’ showing; under 3s go free.
This will be followed by a musical theme, the 50th anniversary of The Beatles rolling on ‘A Hard Day’s Night’ at 7.30pm. The Beatles era will pass in a couple of hours, followed by Rob Reiner’s riot of a debut set in rock world, ‘This is Spinal Tap’. 9.30pm screentime here.
Look to Lime Tree Theatre box office for affordably priced tickets and the schedule in full at www.limetreetheatre.ie. Tickets from €5 and only charity support screenings rise to €10.
