Friday 22
nd February, 2013: Irish artists and performers are blazing a trail across Australia and receiving rave reviews for their performances in a range of high-profile festivals and venues. Australia will experience a breadth of Irish creative talent, presented as part of
the Culture Programme for Ireland's Presidency of the European Union, during which approximately 400 events are taking place in Ireland and across the European Union and beyond.
The shows which have already opened: Fishamble's Silent and The Rape of Lucrece with Camille O'Sullivan have been playing to packed houses with standing ovations.
Jimmy Deenihan, TD Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht said: "Irish artists continue to play a hugely important role in building Ireland's reputation abroad. The interest in Irish culture is very strong and Australia is an important marketplace for Irish creativity."
Director of Culture Ireland Christine Sisk added that "Culture Ireland has been building relationships with key Australian presenters over many years and these resulting tours offer significant work for Irish artists, which will hopefully lead to further career opportunities".
The critics' reaction to the Irish work has been really positive with the Sydney Morning Herald describing Pat Kinevane’s performance in Silentas "engrossing from first to last" and Camille’s performance reported by the Daily Telegraph as "devastatingly, hauntingly and unforgettably beautiful experience". Her performance has also been very favourably reviewed by The Australian, The Herald and the Brisbane Times.
Hot for Theatre, the company who took Ireland by storm in the past 3 years, began a six week tour of Australia and New Zealand with their critically-acclaimed hit shows Eternal Rising of the Sun and I ♥ Alice ♥ I . Australian Stage has described Amy
Conroy’s script forI ♥ Alice ♥ Ias "practically a masterpiece. Her writing is so very real that it’s hard to accept that, as the play suggests, its protagonists do not actually exist".
The Gate Theatre had an extremely successful run with its acclaimed production of Watt to the Perth International Arts Festival, where it sold out. From Australia it goes on to tour at the Barbican in London from February 28th. Pan Pan Theatre have also impressed the critics with artsHub asserting that "The Pan Pan Theatre production of A Doll House might be the most baffling, mad, infectiously passionate interpretation of a classic you see this year".
Later in March circus fans can see Tumble Circus presenting This is what we do for a living in a tour which will include Perth, Queensland, Adelaide and Sydney. Pony Dance are undertaking an international tour, with Anybody Waiting and Straight to DVD and are touring Australia until March.
And last but not least, Macnas will serve up their particular magic with their performances of Boy Explorer to audiences in Brisbane and Sydney. Their performance in China has already been a spectacular success at the Chaoyang New Year Festival, which this year featured Ireland as the guest of honour.
Forthcoming Productions:
Tumble Circus will be at the Adelaide Fringe Festival from February 28th to March 8th
Pony Dance will tour Australia until March 11th.
The Macnas production of Boy Explorer will be in Womadelaide from March 8-11th in Brisbane on March 16 and in Sydney on March 17th.
Fishamble’s Silent will be at the Perth Fringe until February 23rd.
Hot for Theatre will be in Brisbane until February 24th. They will then be in Auckland from March 7th to 11th and Tasmania from March 16th to 21st.