Sweet lunchtime treats at Visual

Around Carlow Town
With Mairead Wilmot
YOUR lunchtime treat has just got sweeter! Carlow Storytellers’ Lunchtime Theatre in the George Bernard Shaw managed to pull in an audience of more than 100 re¬cently when they hosted a mini-the¬atre event at the start of the month.

The group is now busy preparing for a show on Thursday 22 September, described as an Irish Writing Special.

The lunchtime audiences will be treated to shreds and snatches from literature and drama in the best Irish writing tradition. Songs, drama and recitations, including pieces from Oscar Wilde, Samuel Beckett, Eamonn Kelly, Seán O’Casey, Briain O’Nuallian, Brian Friel and John B Keane.

Starting, as usual at l.l5pm, we’re told that this promises to be a very special entertainment, high on comedy and variety.

That evening, kicking off at 6.30pm, the Storytellers will host an event called A Book of Verse, A Glass of Wine and Thou.

Led by their founder and artistic director Seamus O’Rourke, the group will join forces with Carlow Little Theatre and friends to provide an entertaining evening, combined with the essential wine and cheese.

Again, the accent will be on Irish writers but with a completely different programme from the lunchtime show. It will feature an hour-long excursion through the comic, dramatic and musical talents of great Irish writers, and one of the highlights, Brian Friel’s Faith Healer, will be preceded by a pre-show presentation, with Seamus O’Rourke and friends detailing the life and achievements of Friel and including some very funny excerpts from Cass Maguire, Dancing at Lunasa and London Vertigo.

Pre-booking is essential for all of the above, as places are limited. The Storytellers’ regular monthly lunchtime shows will continue on Thursday 6 October.

More movie magic from Marc-Ivan

CARLOW film-maker and musician Marc-Ivan O’Gorman is not content just to make his own films, he likes to give his fellow movie makers a bit of a dig out from time to time.

In this case, Marc-Ivan, a Carlow town native, has composed and performed the music for the underground feature film hit Charlie Cassanova.

Directed by Marc-Ivan’s long-term creative collaborator Terry McMahon, the film features actors Emmet Scanlon (Hollyoaks) and Leigh Arnold (The Clinic) and has screened at festivals around the world and even picked up, among other gongs, the best first feature award at the Galway Fleadh.

The controversial film was made in the low-budget, guerrilla-style of the worldwide break-out hit ‘Once’. The music composed by Marc-Ivan was performed by his musical alter ego ‘The Spinning Boy’, with help from Carlow musician Paul Galbally.

Next month, the movie receives the honour of opening the Underground Film Festival in Dublin, and plans are underway for a general cinema release later in the year.

Calling all fashionistas
By Sarah Rowe

FASHIONISTAS of Car¬low, just a quick reminder to have your credit cards at the ready.

The fabulous Elaine Curtis is presenting her diamond anniversary fashion show next week.

To mark ten years of success, the Tullow Street-based boutique is hosting a celebratory fashion show in Dinn Rí, Tullow Street at 7.45pm this Wednesday, 14 September.

As well as showcasing the latest autumn and winter trends from top designers at affordable prices, special guest Sonya Lennon from RTÉ’s Off the Rails will MC the night, and all proceeds are set to go to the County Carlow Hospice fund.

Tickets, at €25, are selling fast and are available from Elaine Curtis and Dinn Rí, Tullow Street. For more information, visit their website on www.elainecurtis.ie or call 059 9141790.