Stephen Conlon's Posterous http://steveinbelfast.posterous.com Most recent posts at Stephen Conlon's Posterous posterous.com Wed, 31 Oct 2012 17:39:00 -0700 Review: Minsk 2011 A Reply to Kathy Acker http://steveinbelfast.posterous.com/review-minsk-2011-a-reply-to-kathy-acker http://steveinbelfast.posterous.com/review-minsk-2011-a-reply-to-kathy-acker

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"Strip clubs, underground raves and gay pride parades pulse beneath the surface of a city where sexuality is twisted by oppression. If scars are sexy then Minsk must be the sexiest city in the world.

A love letter to a home that exiles those willing to fight for it, Minsk, 2011 celebrates and mourns a land that has lost its way."

Indeed it does. Running in the Lyric Theatre until Sunday 4th November, Minsk 2011 is a thoroughly-engrossing, provoking piece of work. It features 9 actors who come together to play out struggles relating to: sexuality, class, objectification, and ownership - all of which converge in the city of Minsk which is grappling with terrorist attacks, social protests, and a long series of events which together led to a collective sense of disillusionment among these characters.

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'Characters' may not even be the correct word to describe the players on stage. They are more typically representations of the aforementioned struggles, with one woman giving a monologue on the etiquette of staring in Minsk, and how now a person there needs less than 1 second of eye contact to decide if someone is a friend or a foe. Another woman explains how, "the sight fo a man in a uniform makes [her] feel in danger", while a homosexual man is warned against the threat of 'skinheads', who are carrying out a series of hate crimes across the city. Then there is a third woman who knows nothing about the physical appearance of The Beatles, yet is aware of the identity of Yoko Ono, showing how 'Celebrity' has come to overthrow art in some circles.

This contestation between commodification and art is a key thematic component to the play. In one telling scene, three women dance in their lingerie to Britney Spears' cover of "I Love Rock 'n' Roll", grinding to the line, "... so put another dime in the jukebox". Indeed as the narrative demands of them, these women flit from shamed and prudish to titilating and explicit, all at the request of those with the perceived power to ensure their financial security.

This comes into play again when Katya, one of the dancers, is intoxicated and almost raped by two cyber-friends who prey upon her aspirations and force her to be a sexual creature, further demonstrating how these figures operate as representations rather than characters. Yet, this is a conscious (and effective) choice, as the lack of focus on character identity serves to emphasise the disconnect felt between the citizen and the city of Minsk.

The city's gay subculture is a perfect miniature example of the city's disconnect, with a worker's canteen being turned into a gay bar from sunset to sunrise. The property's uses from Day to Night are so disparate that even the guard who closes the bar "has no idea what it looks like during the day". Deception and ignorance have become essential means of survival in this setting.

The most startling sequence of the play is one in which a central figure is stripped naked, resulting in a full-frontal view for the audience. She is then pasted with black paint, before having her shape imprinted on the ground and her naked form becoming a spectacle, a symbol of the state of the oppressed female, sexual creature.

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Yet, despite its oft-morose tone, Minsk 2011 packs a punch thanks to strong performances and visual inter-cuttings of authentic video recordings of the strife in Minsk which sparked the development of this play in the first place.

With it having only a 90-minute running time, I am reluctant to say any more about the plots or the resolution the narrative offers. I will say, however, that the energy of the actors and the global resonance of the themes more than transcends the language barrier (which, for those unsure about this play, is solved thanks to subtitles overhead). Understanding the dialogue becomes secondary once the narrative establishes its pace and the actors make clear the play's perspective. Once that barrier is overcome, you are in for some beautiful, arresting, and challenging expressions of human oppression.

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Thu, 18 Oct 2012 09:37:00 -0700 REVIEW: Pvt. Wars http://steveinbelfast.posterous.com/review-pvt-wars http://steveinbelfast.posterous.com/review-pvt-wars

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‘Pvt. Wars’ is only on at Belfast’s Grand Opera House until Saturday, so first thing’s first: go buy a ticket now to see this well-executed, underrated gem of a play from James McLure.

 

Now for the ‘why’.

 

‘Pvt. Wars’ is funny. Funny in the way that only a great tragedy can be. Chris Robinson (Natwick) deserves props for making ‘asphyxiation-by-chair-leg’ a laugh-out-loud sight, while Gerard McCabe had the audience constantly amused with Gately’s drawling, glazed-eyed responses to Martin McCann’s Silvio romantic roleplaying and unhinged scheming. The singles’ bar scene between McCabe and McCann is one of the play’s true highlights, and serves as an example of the natural chemistry between all three of these actors.

 

The main plot focuses on these three men, who have been scarred by the Vietnam War, in a Veterans’ Hospital. Natwick is a seemingly-dismisive intellectual, whose arrogance masks his struggle to feel accepted by the others; Silvio is a show-boating, self-termed ‘psychopath’, whose comic full-frontal flashings are an attempt to compensate for genital injuries sustained in the war; and Gately is a meandering, floundering figure, both emotionally and physically at the centre of the play. Each character attempts to come to grips with a pervading concern throughout the course of the narrative, to frustrating ends.

 

Natwick is perpetually engrossed in The New York Times, creating a barrier between himself and the other patients, as Gately preoccupies himself with a technical task and Silvio finds it near impossible to sit still for more than 20 seconds.

 

It is this detachment which troubles Natwick. He longs for a sense of fraternity, trying repeatedly to forge a bond with the wound-up Silvio, to little success. Silvio, meanwhile, has lost security in both his sexual and national identities as a result of the War. He is constantly flashing the nurses, while his dream of appearing on The Johnny Carson Show is just one of many digs at America’s fascination with celebrity culture, instead of caring for its damaged soldiers.

 

Silvio’s concerns about his manhood and his patriotism come together when he contemplates wearing a Scottish kilt, a sartorial emblem of both a masculine and national identity untouched by the trauma of the Vietnam War.

 

Finally, there is Gately. All Gately seems to want is to fix a radio, believing that if he does so then he can leave the hospital. But as the play evolves and he is reminded again and again that, “You can leave any time you want”, we see that in actuality Gately is striving for any kind of purpose or drive to keep him going, and doesn’t know what that purpose would be in the outside world.

 

It is the fear of the unknown which ultimately draws all the characters together.

 

Bottom line: Go see ‘Pvt. Wars. It’s on a limited run and you do not want to miss it. When you see cinema listings consisting of 70% sequels and 30% CGI, it’s nice to sit in a theatre for 90 minutes and see a couple of talented actors just *gasp* ACT!

 

'Pvt. Wars' was produced by Pintsized Productions: keep up to date with all they are doing via their website.

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Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:50:00 -0800 David Copperfield read-a-thon http://steveinbelfast.posterous.com/david-copperfield-read-a-thon-81847 http://steveinbelfast.posterous.com/david-copperfield-read-a-thon-81847

Full article on the David Copperfield read-a-thon coming soon over at Toonari Post, but in the meantime here are some photos I took tonight:

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Thu, 26 Jan 2012 04:44:03 -0800 Dickens 2012 NI Launch http://steveinbelfast.posterous.com/dickens-2012-ni-launch http://steveinbelfast.posterous.com/dickens-2012-ni-launch

Dickens 2012 NI kicked off with a launch event at the Ulster Hall on Wednesday (January 25th) morning. Queen's University Belfast made its presence felt thanks to organiser Leon Litvack and a handful of MA students (including yours truly!). Press photgraphers were there from The Irish News, The Belfast Telgraph, Ulster Tatler and several other publications, so keep an eye out for all the coverage. In the meantime, here are some photos I snapped during the launch:

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Dr. Leon Litvack.

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MLA Michelle McIlveen.

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Barnardo's Director Lynda Wilson.

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Belfast Pickwick Players.

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Packed house.

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Myself and Mary-Teresa Madders.

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Myself, Mary-Teresa Madders and William Howell.

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Dr. Leon Litvack, Mary-Teresa Madders and William Howell.

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Wed, 14 Dec 2011 14:00:00 -0800 "Who is your favourite writer?" http://steveinbelfast.posterous.com/who-is-your-favourite-writer http://steveinbelfast.posterous.com/who-is-your-favourite-writer

"Who is your favourite writer?"

As an English Literature graduate, this question is the equivalent of asking a parent, "Which is your favourite child?" or asking a Trekkie, "Kirk or Picard?". Well, maybe I am stretching things a little with the Trekkies because the ones I know are more than happy to enter into a six-hour diatribe on their favourite. Hopefully, this blog post won't take six hours to get through.

People often ask me, "Who is your favourite writer?" because I was a passionate English student at school, I was an English major at university, and because I am now doing a Masters degree in Modern Literary Studies (hold the snorts of derision - this is my blog). Sometimes I will be really difficult with people and reply, "Well, I could tell you my favourite satirist! Or my favourite playwright, Or my favourite poet!", and so on and so on. But, honestly? The novelist, er, author, er... ah, screw it: the PERSON I keep coming back to is Jonathan Tropper.

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I was first made aware of Jonathan by an Irish novelist by the name of Ronan O'Brien. I had read Ronan's debut (and to this date, only) novel "Confessions of a Fallen Angel" and then emailed him to pass on my compliments. He responded and cited Jonathan Tropper as one of his inspirations, specifically his book, "How to Talk to a Widower". I had enjoyed O'Brien's book immensely (this feeling was short-lived and I'll get back to why later on), so I wasted no time in checking out this bizarrely-titled book by Tropper. I use the word 'bizarrely' because this was at a time when "Deathly Hallows", "City of Glass", "Breaking Dawn" and the oh-so-imaginative "The Secret" were flying around. Nothing against these books (okay, that's a lie) but they didn't exactly condition me to expect big things from a book with 'Widower' in the title.

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A dozen pages in and I was HOOKED! Tropper's style, his characters, his humour, and everything else he was doing came flooding through loud and clear. As a reader, this isn't something which you find too often in the first chapter of a first read of the first book of a new author. I found myself feeling more excited about reading than I had since Orwell's "Animal Farm" back when I was 12 years old. I devoured 'Widower' that weekend, and I quickly went around local bookstores in an effort to track down the rest of Tropper's back catalogue. I soon got my hands on "Everything Changes" and "Bush Falls" (as "The Book of Joe" is titled here in the UK), and read through those just as quickly. In fact, 'Joe' quickly surplanted 'Widower' as my favourite Tropper text and it is one which I cannot wait to get back to once this semester ends and I have time for some leisure reading again.

After 3 strong, entertaining and moving novels, I finally made a start on Tropper's debut piece, "Plan B". This was quite a different kind of reading experience because it was so clear to me that Tropper had learned a hell of a lot since his first book. Please do not misunderstand me: "Plan B" is still a great read, but Tropper's literary voice since then has only become more refined and more confident - as you hope to, but very rarely, see with any new author. Too many come out of the gate all guns blazing, but fall at the second hurdle and never recover. So, having read Tropper's work in reverse, it was refreshing to see a fledgling new writer with lots of potential and to know that all of that potential was well on its way to being realised in the present day.

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After finishing "Plan B" in late 2008, it was a bit of a shock to the system to realise that I had well over a year to wait until Tropper's next offering (the 2010 bestseller "This Is Where I Leave You") would be released. In this time, I began my undergraduate degree in English Literature and my habit of recreational reading was soon a thing of the past. Instead, I was buried under Joyce, Synge, Woolf and Poe; Edgeworth, Wells, Darwin and Freud; Dickens, Gaskell, Haggard and Eliot; Dickinson, Hemingway, Austen and Pope; Smollet, Sterne, Defoe and Fielding; and so on and so on and so on and so on.... These folks weren't the shabbiest company with whom to spend my days, and for a while they managed to shake Mr. Tropper out of my head.

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Then came summer break of my second year of college when I received an email from Amazon recommending that I pre-order the 'soon-to-be-released, sure-to-be-bestseller latest title from Jonathan Tropper' and I had one of those cartoon moments where my jaw hit the floor and my tongue rolled out to the end of the room.

Tropper!

I knew that name!

I knew that name because I read his books!

I knew that name because I read his books FOR FUN!

You must understand: by this point in my degree I was speed-reading 2-3 novels per week, was barreling through a few hundred pages of critical reviews, and working a part-time job which wound up involving more hours than my actual degree. So to be reminded of the one author in the last 5 years who had made me genuinely excited about reading was oh-so-sweet and oh-so-needed at that particular point in my studies. Come to think of it, I am nearing that point again in my Masters degree, so the sooner Tropper book #6 is released, the better for my sanity!

So, I ordered the book, I read the book, I loved the book. Same old routine as I had come to know when reading Tropper's books, but by this point in 2010 I was beginning to hear rumblings that several of his titles were in the process of being adapted into screenplays. Now, THIS was a real treat for me. I had always described Tropper's books as reading like film scripts, yet maintaining the depth and escapism that one mentally concocts when they talk about a 'great read'. As I type, the projects are still in development and very little is known about the cast/director/release dates; but for now I am happy to know that Tropper's stories will soon find an even wider audience.

For someone who has never read one of his novels before, let me attempt to break down what I find so appealing about Tropper's works of fiction:

  • A fictional world. Forgive the generic heading, but I'm fast encroaching on that six-hour limit I promised not to exceed. Tropper's novels tend to follow one main character, while a wealth of secondary characters populate the narrative and lend their own personal problems to whatever challenge with which the protagonist is saddled. Unlike a lot of contemporary texts which lump secondary characters as thinly-layered plot devices, each and every one of Tropper's figures has a quirk, a voice or a background which inform the ways in which they behave. This leads to a richer narrative and a more memorable story in the long run.
  • Flashy. Tropper isn't. He doesn't have boy wizards, he doesn't have werewolves, and he doesn't even go near vampires. His style doesn't seek to emulate Joyce, nor does it attempt to master a particular literary genre. All I can say to this is THANK FUCKING CHRIST. I think that along the way, too many writers forget to enjoy themselves and to enjoy how lucky they are to be writing books for a living. But with Tropper, you can just tell that this guy is having a blast. It's infectious.
  • Family. Perhaps the most crucial, recurring element of Tropper's novels is family. Whether this is the group of friends who form a make-shift family during a drug-detox in 'Plan B', or the Shiva-sitting immediate/extended relatives who are crammed together for the majority of 'This Is Where I Leave You', Tropper always seems to find some sort of event to bring all of his characters together and exercise the in-built tensions to which we can all relate when we are subjected to the torturous nightmare of a family gathering. The laughing through the tears, the crying through the laughs, the punching through the hugs - it is all there and then some. I have NEVER came across another writer who crafts characters and families with whom I am so easily able to identify. This is coming from a man who rebels against the idea of identifiying the self with fictional creations, but what do you know? Tropper gets to me.
  • Authenticity. Holy crap, how does he do it? I ask myself of this very question every single time that I finish a book. Hell, I ask it after nearly every chapter! The dialogue and the descriptions in these books are among the most raw, real and engrossing that I have ever experienced as a reader. The sex scenes are often full of awkward movements, clumsy manoeuvring and ridiculous excuses for 'dirty talk' (I am still traumatised by Doug's encounter with the neighbourhood nymphomaniac in 'Widower') that we can all unfortunately relate to in some way. What it all comes down to is the refreshing fact that Tropper does not bullshit his audience. I don't know much about Tropper as a person, but it would seem that he is a very down-to-earth, well-educated, professional family man... who just happens to have a wicked sense of humour (that birthday cake visual from 'This Is Where I Leave You' has never left my mind) and a taste for expressing the lesser-featured challenges in life.

Okay, I feel like I am only half done with what I could say, so I am just going to stop now and leave anything else for another day. If this post has made you half-curious about checking out one of Tropper's books, then head on over to Amazon. You can also find out more information about Jonathan on his website and/or by following him on Twitter.

Happy reading!

P.S. As for why my opinion of O'Brien's novel has changed? Well, after reading 'Widower' I realised that it was less of an influence on O'Brien, but more of a blue-print which he used as a play-by-play to write his novel. There was no plagiarism or anything like that, but it was certainly a case of one man believing imitation to be the highest form of flattery. Personally? I believe imitation is the highest form of needing a good kick in the balls, or (to follow in Tropper's footsteps) a good lit birthday candle shoved up the ass.

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Sat, 10 Dec 2011 12:01:00 -0800 I'm living in a Winter Wonderland! http://steveinbelfast.posterous.com/im-living-in-a-winter-wonderland http://steveinbelfast.posterous.com/im-living-in-a-winter-wonderland

Been decorating the living room this weekend, and here are some of the results:

 

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^ Tigger has been a fixture on the tree for more years than I can remember.

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^ I made (well, threw paint at) these bells back in nursery school when I was 2 or 3. They still have my original name tag attached.

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^ Got this little fella for my first Christmas 21 years ago.

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^ The Three Wise Men.

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^ Looking chummy.

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^ Around the World in half a dozen cards. 

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^ These belonged to my maternal grandmother, who died back in the early 1980s. These still get put up every year, no matter what.

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Fri, 09 Dec 2011 12:33:00 -0800 Victoria Shopping Centre at Christmas http://steveinbelfast.posterous.com/victoria-shopping-centre-at-christmas http://steveinbelfast.posterous.com/victoria-shopping-centre-at-christmas

The Victoria Shopping Centre is looking gorgeous at the moment. Get on down and spend money you don't have while basking in the beautiful sights/atmosphere.

 

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Wed, 30 Nov 2011 15:25:00 -0800 Continental Market - Take Two http://steveinbelfast.posterous.com/continental-market-take-two http://steveinbelfast.posterous.com/continental-market-take-two

Some more photos from the market:

 

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Mon, 21 Nov 2011 10:48:00 -0800 Continental Market http://steveinbelfast.posterous.com/continental-market http://steveinbelfast.posterous.com/continental-market

It's here again!

 

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Wed, 19 Oct 2011 06:52:00 -0700 Candid Magazine http://steveinbelfast.posterous.com/candid-magazine http://steveinbelfast.posterous.com/candid-magazine

Recently I began writing for a new digital publication called Candid Magazine. I had swore off any form of journalism after working at the Queen's student newspaper, but this magazine has a lot more freedom and diversity to it. Issue 1 of Candid is free to download now, and I strongly recommend giving it a go as it has the potential to grow in to something incredibly fun for people interested in fashion and the arts.

 

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My first article for the magazine was a review of Woody Allen's latest film Midnight in Paris and I would really appreciate people checking it out if they are thinking about seeing the movie. I couldn't say enough good things about the film!

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Mon, 04 Jul 2011 14:44:00 -0700 Recapping... http://steveinbelfast.posterous.com/recapping http://steveinbelfast.posterous.com/recapping

I have let this site slide over the last few months as other things got in the way, so here is a quick summation of what has been going on with me:

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Yep, I finished my degree and graduated with a high 2:1! This was exactly the result I was hoping for, and it has made postgraduate study a real possibility. Now if someone could hook me up with £12,000 for tuition/accommodation... well - that would be just dandy! Oh, and my middle name isn't blocked out due to some internet security fear; I'm just not opening myself up to any more nicknames ("Stevie-Boy!" seems to be an increasingly popular one these days).

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As for postgraduate study, I have some decisions to make. I was lucky enough to be offered spots on courses at London Met, Oxford Brookes, and my current stomping ground QUB. At this present moment in time, I cannot say where I will end up, but the deadline date for decision-making is fast approaching, so watch this space. The one thing I do know is that I no longer want to pursue a career in Journalism. I tried it, I had the fun of seeing my name in print, but honestly I just don't love it. The paper I was contributing to was determined to confine me to the "reviews" section and it seemed that time and time again, any 'opinionated' piece would be sidelined and they would request something more sickeningly positive. Being a critic just isn't in my nature and I sure as hell am not thick-skinned enough to deal with daily complaints about what I write. Maybe I would feel differently if I was passionate about it or had a say in what I was writing, but when I am getting flak about pieces I don't even care about, it is hard to see the point in continuing. I don't mean to sound like a victim or like I am deeply bothered by negative comments. People can say what they want, but better they direct their energies at someone who is the least bit interested in what they have to say. So no more journalism for now, and certainly no journalism degree. Maybe I will come back around to this one day and pursue it in a different manner, and I can assure that I will continue to review cultural events on here, but for the immediate future I am locking my professional pen away and focusing on other things.

Now, I had a real treat last month when one of my favourite contemporary crime authors, David Peace, attended an event as part of the Belfast Book Festival. Peace is based primarily in Tokyo, so the opportunity to see/hear him read in public was too good to pass up, as was the opportunity to have a brief chat with him - which I did in fact manage! I have spent the last 3 years studying writers from every past era imaginable, and while that was quasi-enjoyable, I get a real kick out of Peace because he isn't dead, dying or buried in a pauper's grave in the middle of County Sligo (seriously, the great writers of English Lit are depressing as hell!).

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In other news, I turned 21 a few days ago and that was an event made memorable by an array of mishaps so oddly comical that you would expect to find them in a Carry On movie. I won't go into them here because, quite frankly, you wouldn't believe me if I did. But I celebrated my birthday down in Dublin with some family members and we had some fantastic times. An unexpected gift was a new Nikon D3000 which I took full advantage of when we explored Phoenix Gardens and the Remembrance Garden. Here are some results from the weekend:

Next on the agenda: GRADUATION!! The ceremony is this Wednesday and I am genuinely looking forward to it. Got my suit, my gown, my tickets. Now I just need to get through the ceremony without tripping onstage, sneezing all over the Chancellor, or getting the time of the ceremony wrong (apparently this is something at which I'm very adept these days). After that, I have no major plans for the rest of the summer. Once I figure out where the hell I am studying come September, then I can figure out how I want to spend the rest of my summer break. After so many years of strict school routines (from primary, to secondary, and then higher), it has been fun to live without any schedule or time-frame. This year I have completed a degree, come away with strong grades, seen and met long-time idols, chose a new career and said goodbye to an old one, and scolded at a drunk Brendan Fraser for trying to tell me how to work an iPhone. Those are all moments to savour, and there is still another half of the year to go, so who knows where I will end up by the end of it? I for one am sure as hell not in any hurry to find out!

Fun times indeed.

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Tue, 26 Apr 2011 10:27:00 -0700 First weekend of the year in Donegal http://steveinbelfast.posterous.com/first-weekend-of-the-year-in-donegal http://steveinbelfast.posterous.com/first-weekend-of-the-year-in-donegal

For the 14th year in a row, my family and I have began our seasonal trips to Donegal, specifically Bundoran. It is always great to go there because I get to spend time at the beach and get away from the urban madness. Here are a bunch of photos I took over the Easter weekend.

View from our holiday apartment

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Rougey Cliff Walk

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Rossnowlagh Beach

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1028527/67685_1424974705734_1273766461_31025852_2874198_n.jpg http://posterous.com/users/he6XAC7pVyFdw Stephen Conlon steveinbelfast Stephen Conlon
Fri, 15 Apr 2011 11:28:00 -0700 In review: 2011 Belfast Film Festival http://steveinbelfast.posterous.com/in-review-2011-belfast-film-festival http://steveinbelfast.posterous.com/in-review-2011-belfast-film-festival

So another year has come and gone for the Belfast Film Festival! I will admit that despite this being its 11th year, this was the first time that I had actively immersed myself in the screenings/premieres/promotions, but it seems like I picked a phenomenal year to do so. Before it began, I blogged about what I was planning to check out during the festival:

Killing Bono

Killing Bono kicked off the festival on 31st March at Movie House, Dublin Road, and I attended the screening with my brother, my Dad and a few friends. It was a fun, by-and-large entertaining comedy with some nice heartfelt moments. I was very excited to hear Nick Hamm and Martin McCann speak at the screening, and I am still raging that I opted out of going to the after-party due to the fact that I had been in class until 6pm and was so tired that I could barely remember my own name. From stories I've heard and photos I've seen, it looked like a fun night, and Spring & Airbrake happens to be one of my favourite venues in Belfast. So yeah, raging!

The Shore

Okay, so this was the very first thing I set my heart on attending during the festival. Writer/director Terry George is a distant relative of mine (my dad's sister's husband's nephew - we're practically brothers!) and my parents and I always make sure to catch up whenever he is in town. I attended one of his masterclasses a few years ago, so I was relatively familiar with his "public" side, but it was still quite bizarre to see a packed room of hundreds hang on to his every word. Anyway, the film was breathtaking and I am dying to see it again. Also, that night I managed to briefly meet Brendan Fraser (I still can't get over my Mum calling him "Brendy!") and Martin McCann. I jokingly promised Martin I'd upload an old U2 video online for him to study for the Killing Bono sequel, but first Neil McCormick needs to hurry up and write a second book!

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Buffy Night

Ah, now this was a real treat! Buffy the Vampire Slayer was my favourite show when I was growing up, and I still hold it with deep regard, so the opportunity to spray my hair blonde, throw on a leather trench coat and swagger into the Black Box like a 128 year old vampire was one I could not pass up. Along with a host of other Buffy fans, I got to watch a few episodes, have a few drinks, take part in a quiz, and pull some party poppers to celebrate the wonders of the female orgasm. A fun night indeed!

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BBC Eye on TV Debate

Possibly the only letdown of my festival experience. There wasn't anything particularly wrong with the debate, but it seemed to offer up a bunch of common-sense statement with little in the way of provocative insight from supposed industry experts.

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QFT Short Film Competition

So, *I* had fun at this, but apparently so did the people who read this blog because my piece on the short film competition has received more hits than anything else from the festival!

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The Messenger

This was the last film I saw from the festival and it was absolutely incredible. A slow-moving, introspective look at the Casualty Notification Team in the US Army who are tasked with informing next of kin when their loved ones have died or gone missing in the war. This is a beautiful film with an exquisite cast, so please check it out if you can.

 

That's about it then! The festival is over and I am already missing it. Because of the things on offer, I had my eyes opened to so much great local and international talent and I am feeling incredibly proud of my city/country right now.. Thanks to the Queens Film Theatre, the Dublin Road Movie House, the Black Box, and all the other venues who helped host this year's events. Terry George has already promised to bring his next film ("Whole Lotta Sole") to the festival next year and you can be sure I will be there with bells and whistles!

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1028527/67685_1424974705734_1273766461_31025852_2874198_n.jpg http://posterous.com/users/he6XAC7pVyFdw Stephen Conlon steveinbelfast Stephen Conlon
Wed, 13 Apr 2011 04:49:00 -0700 Review: Adele at The Olympia Theatre, Dublin http://steveinbelfast.posterous.com/review-adele-at-the-olympia-theatre-dublin http://steveinbelfast.posterous.com/review-adele-at-the-olympia-theatre-dublin

Last night (Tuesday 12th April) I was lucky enough to attend Adele's concert at the Olympia Theatre in Dublin. Now, when I say 'lucky', I mean that I paid €30 for my ticket back in November, while fans desperate for a last-minute ticket were paying up to and over €1000 for the chance to see the singer live on stage.

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When I arrived at the Olympia, my first thought was that I had come to the wrong venue. Surely a BRIT-winning and Grammy-winning star who has ruled the British charts for months would not be performing in this 1300-seat hall squashed between a Chinese fast-food and a French restaurant? But once inside, I began to see the appeal of this venue and why such a place would be conducive to the intimate atmosphere generated by Adele's music. The Olympia is stunning and allowed Adele's voice to shine through and fill the room.

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Michael Kuanuka was the support act and he did a nice job of establishing the melodic, contemplative mood which would pervade throughout the night. If you want to read about him, check out his Facebook page.

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The lady of the hour took to the stage just after 9pm and she began her set with a performance of "Hometown Glory", a song which still produces chills for me after countless YouTube views and 2 years of it being the de-facto sentimental song in any one of many (far too many!) UK or US teen dramas. From here, she ploughed through a number of tracks from her latest LP "21" and then paused to express her deep affection for Dublin. Perhaps she heard of the €1000 fee some were willing to pay just to hear her sing for 80 minutes!

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Adele performed several tracks from her debut album "19", which hold up well, but the emphasis was certainly on her latest studio offering which demonstrates a much more mature, sophisticated, controlled sound.

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Aside from her sparkling vocals and natural stage presence, what I found most endearing about Adele was her witty personality and her eagerness to chat with the audience. Some fans had brought a billboard message on behalf of an even larger fan community and Adele was clearly touched by the gesture. Adele confessed that this was the first concert of her career where people had brought signs like this for her.

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It was her openness about the stories behind some of her songs that surprised me too. It has been fairly well-documented by the media that "21" details the breakdown of her previous relationship, but she provided anecdotes and personal details without ever seeming opportunistic or attention-hungry. Adele simply wears her heart on her sleeve with her music, and does not back down from that when the instruments stop playing.

Musically, I was most excited when she grabbed an acoustic guitar before launching into "Someone Like You", her first chart-topping single in the UK. This beautiful song is just at that point where over-play is becoming an issue, so to see Adele perform this song with the added twist of a guitar was a wonderful way to rejuvenate my passion for the track. There was a seamless transition between her guitar intro and the piano version, and Adele seriously BLEW THE ROOF OFF! She brought the concert a close with a raptuorous singalong of "Rolling in the Deep", the lead single from "21", and was visibly elated with the audience's response.

I can't really say anymore, so I will let this videos speak for me:

Rolling_in_the_Deep_sing-along.avi Watch on Posterous

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1028527/67685_1424974705734_1273766461_31025852_2874198_n.jpg http://posterous.com/users/he6XAC7pVyFdw Stephen Conlon steveinbelfast Stephen Conlon
Sat, 09 Apr 2011 12:11:00 -0700 QFT Short Film Competition http://steveinbelfast.posterous.com/qft-short-film-competition http://steveinbelfast.posterous.com/qft-short-film-competition

Today (Saturday 9th April), the Queen's Film Theatre in Belfast ran a series of short film competitions, split into three parts, in order to highlight the Irish film industry's growing commitment to nurturing home-grown talent. There were far too many films for me to discuss, but here are a few which I think are an absolute must-see for any film lover, mainly because they offer a fantastic array of genres, themes and styles:

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Rickshaw Rick: This ten-minute short is written and directed by Robert Manson, produced by Annville Films, and stars Martin McCann and Karen Sheridan. The plot is fairly straightforward. Rick (McCann) drives a rickshaw around the city of Dublin and offers to deliver three young women to a party. When one of the women, Grace (Sheridan), leaves her bag behind in the vehicle, Rick attempts to track her down and return the bag to its rightful owner.

What is refreshing about this piece is the detail and the perceptiveness Manson has been able to bring to the screen through his unique style and vision. For example, Manson will focus on the minutiae of a scene such as raindrops falling on the rickshaw's handlebars, the creaking noises made by the vehicle's wheels, while the noisy traffic and the urban space is relegated to the periphery of the narrative. This serves to highlight Rick's role as a detached protagonist, who appears to feel completely adrift when away from his rickshaw.

Credit must be given to Piers McGrail who, as cinematographer, figuratively and visually lights up the screen. The actors and the scenery are beautifully lit, and he manages to create a warm atmosphere within the confines of the rickshaw, one which is juxtaposed to the cold, angular environments Rick experiences on the streets and at the party.

Gareth Averill and Major Bullhorn also do excellent jobs in providing the original music. The score feels aptly sombre and melancholic without dragging the film down or boring the audience.

McCann and Sheridan have a genuine, instant chemistry, evident by how relatively little screen-time they share. I was rooting for Rick to find Grace at the party and I was a little deflated (as was the rest of the audience by the sounds of it) when he was made to feel like a bit of a spare tyre by her date. I have long been a fan of Marty McCann's, so it is nice to see him do so much, yet so subtly, with this character, and following his performance in Swansong: The Story of Occi Byrne, I think he is in with a good chance of cornering the market of protagonists for whom we can't help but feel empathy, even in the space of 10 short (too short!) minutes, as is the case with "Rickshaw Rick".

If you get the chance, GO SEE THIS FILM!

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Even Gods: "Even Gods" is written/directed/produced by Phil Harrison, and stars Lalor Roddy and Laura Thompson as a father and daughter who meet following a 13 year estrangement. When we first meet Hugh (Roddy), he has been living in a hostel for over 6 years and is surprised to hear that his daughter Sarah (Thompson) wants to meet. Over a lunch-time conversation in a wonderfully shot real-time scene, the audience learns more about the strained state of relations between these two people, while the promise of reconciliation is offered by Sarah's daughter, whose severe hearing impairment serves as a symbol of Hugh's and Sarah's need to learn to communicate to one another in a new way.

Tim Millen's score is gentle, slow and well in-keeping with the tone of this film. As I mentioned, the narrative's crux is a fantastic real-time interaction between the three main characters, and the fact that Harrison lets the story unfold with such freedom really allows the actors to dig into their roles, and the audience to care about whether Hugh and Sarah will reunite. Roddy and Thompson excel at creating a sense of shared, heart-wrenching history between their characters, while Lois Turkington is plain adorable as the little girl at the centre of their reunion.

This is a heartwarming film in a fairly atypical sense. So, once again, GO SEE IT IF YOU CAN!

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Small Change: Another parent/child story, but this time with a much darker, colder reality. Nora-Jane Noone plays Karen in this drama about a woman whose gambling addiction threatens her job, her safety, and most importantly for her, her relationship with her daughter Laura (played by Tina Maxwell). Olivia Nash appears in a small role as Karen's counterpart in the gambling scenes, but the fact that she is the most well-known actor in this film never overshadows the central relationship between Karen and Laura.

What I liked most about this film was the lack of pay-off at the end for some of the narrative strands set up by writer/director Cathy Brady. We never see Laura's inevitable disappointment at what we can imagine will be Karen's inevitable failure to secure the promised holiday in Spain, nor do we seen Karen's showdown with hassler Steven (played by Tom Collins). I can only guess that the film stops short of exploring these issues because by the end there is a strong implication that Karen's endeavours to better her's and her daughter's lives will prove both fruitless and tragic.

Brady has shot the film with a heavy reliance on hand-held camera, which successfully merges the exterior cinema-verite style with Karen's interior feelings of instability. Noone does not have an easy character with which to work, but I think she accomplishes the writer's aim to depict a woman who is in a self-perpetuating state of despair. For Noone's performance alone, I recommend you watch this film.

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Noreen: "Noreen" brought the screening to a close and a more perfect choice could not have been made to fill the slot. Merging farcical comedy with fond characterisations, Domhnall Gleeson borrows the Odd Couple format to tell the story of two policeman at opposite ends of their careers (Brian Gleeson the rookie officer; Brendan Gleeson the disenfranchised senior).

From beginning to end, this film evoked enormous laughs from the audience and this can only be put down to the impeccable timing and chemistry shared by the two Gleesons. There are some dramatic undertones to the proceedings as Frank's (Brian Gleeson) broken heart finds a way to collide with his job, and Con (Brendan Gleeson) admits to communicative difficulties with his son, however, I respect writer/director Domhnall Gleeson's decision to marginalise these plot points in favour of the main story. Like in "Even Gods", the narrative crux plays out in a fantastic real-time sequence which gives the Gleeson men the opportunity to take a ridiculous, unbelievable scenario and really sell it to the audience in a bizarrely entertaining way.

I would happily watch this film again, although if you are squeamish I would suggest you take something to settle your stomach before sitting down to view "Noreen" - and that is all you are getting out of me on this subject!

So, I went on a bit in this post, but that tells you why I chose to focus on only 4 films instead of the full 5-hour programme which was kindly offered by the QFT. For more on the films I have discussed, visit:

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002292380852

http://www.flixelpix.com/featured/even-gods/

http://www.smallchangeshort.com/

http://noreenthefilm.wordpress.com/

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Wed, 06 Apr 2011 06:30:22 -0700 Ronan Kerr http://steveinbelfast.posterous.com/ronan-kerr http://steveinbelfast.posterous.com/ronan-kerr
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This afternoon I attended a vigil at City Hall for murdered policeman Ronan Kerr. News of his death has received enormous media coverage around the world due to the fact that Ronan was targeted by a car-bomb attack.

Ronan's funeral took place today in his home-town of Omagh, but the memorial was important for those living in Northern Ireland's capital, a place where so many officers lost their lives during the Troubles. This city has made great strides in recent years, with yours truly touting pride at the cultural boost it is currently experiencing due to the Belfast Film Festival. As tragic as it is to see Ronan's life cut short in such a callous, cowardly way, I was moved to see such a large crowd gather today in support of this young man and in support of Belfast's continued efforts to move forward.

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Themes of progress were rife, with the opening speaker declaring, "We are also here to reiterate our message that the Trade Union Movement unreservedly condemn violence, whatever the source, and reassert our right, the right of every worker to go to and from their place of work without fear or violence - and without fear of the threat of violence".

Finally, Pamela Dooley, the Vice Chair of the Northern Ireland Committee of the Irish Congress Trade Union, insisted that "We will not permit the clock to be turned back... [by] the enemies of peace" before the vigil was brought to a close with a one minute silence.

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1028527/67685_1424974705734_1273766461_31025852_2874198_n.jpg http://posterous.com/users/he6XAC7pVyFdw Stephen Conlon steveinbelfast Stephen Conlon
Sun, 03 Apr 2011 15:50:00 -0700 The Shore http://steveinbelfast.posterous.com/the-shore http://steveinbelfast.posterous.com/the-shore

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Terry George's latest offering, the short film "The Shore", had its world premiere at the Queen's Film Theatre on Friday night with a packed audience in attendance. Terry will soon begin work on a new feature film, entitled "Whole Lotta Sole", and he brought the film's two stars (Brendan Fraser and Martin McCann) to this screening. I was fortunate enough to get the chance to speak with both actors and they could not have been nicer or more happy to be there. You can read more about the project here: http://www.iftn.ie/news/?act1=record&only=1&aid=73&rid=4283741&am...

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Back to "The Shore", the short film is, in a word, sensational. George makes the most of Killough, an area in Ireland quite close to his and his family's hearts, in this project as he tells the story of two friends reunited following decades of separation, due in small part to The Troubles but due largely to a series of sensitive, personal circumstances. George followed the screening with a brief conversation where he described the main theme of the film as that of "reconciliation". I would hate to go into more specific plot details because it was such a truly wonderful viewing experience when I had no foreknowledge of the story. Only know that in 30 minutes you will find a sterling ensemble cast, moments of great laughs, and moments of touching sentimentality. But if you are anything like me, you will leave the film with a sense of great pride that such high calibre work is now being produced in Northern Ireland.

Anyone who reads this may think, "Huh? What? This is a pointless post!", but TRUST ME when I say: Run, don't walk, to the nearest theatre, TV or website where "The Shore" can be seen. It is magic.

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Sun, 03 Apr 2011 15:33:11 -0700 Killing Bono http://steveinbelfast.posterous.com/killing-bono http://steveinbelfast.posterous.com/killing-bono
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The 11th Belfast Film Festival kicked off on Thursday night with a screening of "Killing Bono", a comedy film based on Neil McCormick's memoir "Killing Bono: I was Bono's Doppelganger" following the misfortune of two Dublin brothers who eternally live in the shadow of U2, their former schoolmates. The film was introduced by director Nick Hamm, head of the festival Stephen Hackett, and actor Martin McCann (who plays the titular character, albeit in a supporting role). Each man spoke of their pride at producing this piece of work in Northern Ireland, but by and large the focus of each of the introductions was on actor Pete Postlethwaite, who made his final screen performance in this project before passing away several months ago. Pete's death, however, did not cast a cloud over this event. Rather, it added a level of prestige to the proceedings that such a respected, talented actor would commit to a Northern Ireland Screen production for his final role.

While the cast is solid, with Ben Barnes and Robert Sheehan leading the charge as the McCormick brothers Neil and Ivan, respectively, the film as a whole is hit-and-miss at times. To sum it up, Neil and Ivan attempt to launch a music career as they consistently playing second-fiddle to U2, struggling to progress beyond dance halls and strip clubs while U2 experience a meteoric, global rise to stardom. The main dramatic drive of the film is Neil's self-motivated decision to prevent Ivan from joining U2, thus condemning them both to years of trying to succeed despite squandering their golden opportunity, a fact which Neil neglects to tell Ivan. From here we see the desperate lengths Neil will go to in order to prove that he was right to prioritise fraternal loyalty, with McCann's Bono appearing from time to time, serving as an inescapable reminder that Neil can never quite get it right.

In light of this plot summary, it is surprising that "Killing Bono" has been marketed as a comedy. The strength of the piece lies in two key relationships, the first being the brotherly rapport, and the second being the emotionally charged bond between Neil and Bono. The film's satire of the music industry, as well as the presence of a farcical gangster character (played by David Fennelly), both feel quite uneven and at times unnecessary, mostly because neither elements are at all original. Also, a romantic subplot involving Neil and Gloria (played by Krysten Ritter) never quite gets off the ground.

Aside from this, the film does a good job of keeping the audience entertained for the better part of two hours. The mix of an original score and signature U2 hits works well, and the historical detail (ranging from clothing and hairstyles to LP covers and Live Aid footage) is faultless. Even more impressive is Hamm's ability to mask Northern Ireland locations for scenes set in London and Dublin. As for the main cast: Barnes is riveting as the tortured protagonist; Sheehan is heartfelt and shows great promise; McCann is as effortless yet controlled as he is in every performance; and most importantly Postlethwaite is a pure delight. His character, the McCormicks' effeminate and flamboyant landlord Karl, appears sporadically but never fails to light up the screen, and at this premiere screening, the public affection for Postlethwaite was readily apparent.

Whether or not you are a U2 fan, "Killing Bono" is well worth seeing. No, you won't be howling with laughter, but you will surely be rooting for the McCormicks to succeed, despite knowing that this is a story about all those people who didn't get the golden ticket to stardom.

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Sun, 27 Mar 2011 13:07:58 -0700 God of Carnage http://steveinbelfast.posterous.com/god-of-carnage-0 http://steveinbelfast.posterous.com/god-of-carnage-0
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Last night (Saturday 26th March) I saw the final performance of "God of Carnage" at the Gate Theatre, Dublin. The play had been running since early February and judging by the full attendance at last night's performance, the play has been warmly received by the Dublin theatre-going community.

Translated by Christopher Hampton from the French text written by Yasmin Reza, the play centres around two married couples who meet in order to discuss an altercation between their young sons. What begins as a strained exchange consisting of pleasantries and falsities quickly descends into utter chaos as issues of spousal neglect and ineffective parenting rear their heads and force these repressed suburbanites to confront their unhappiness.

This was the latest in a string of adaptations of "God of Carnage" since its Zurich premiere in December 2006. Two further productions are planned in the coming months, and Roman Polanski is currently in the process of directing a feature film adaptation for 2012 release.

Back to the Gate Theatre's production, Alan Stanford takes the reigns as director while the main cast consists of Donna Dent, Ardal O'Hanlon, Owen Roe, and Maura Tierney as Veronica Fallon, Alan Reilly, Michael Fallon, and Annette Reilly, respectively. No actor is out of place in this production and Donna Dent in particular shines as the epitome of a repressed housewife, comically clinging to her pseudo-career as a contributor to the occasional, sporadic non-fiction book on various socio-political plights in Africa. Dent's jittery, unpredictable performance won some of the biggest laughs of the evening, with Ardal O'Hanlon's nuanced performance of a narcissistic businessman coming a very close second. A performer known to British and Irish audiences for his eccentric sitcom roles, O'Hanlon seemed to revel in the opportunity to play Alan, an outwardly cynical but inwardly desolate man whose obsessive attachment to his career masks a deep-rooted unhappiness which is finally unmasked in a brilliant show of physical comedy by Maura Tierney. When her character Annette, a well-coiffed, well-dressed wealth management worker, exasperatedly throws Alan's cell phone into a vase full of water, there is an immediate change of tone in the play as each character's psychological problem of preference converges and Tierney's Annette reflects (in a beautifully written/translated/performed/directed monologue) that she is finally experiencing relief at no longer being bound by social, marital or gender pretence. She may be drunk and she may be hilariously prone to projectile vomiting, but by the play's finale she appears to have attained the greatest exorcism, or at the very least acknowledgement, of her personal strife. The same cannot be said for Dent's Veronica, whose belated realisation of the state of her marriage and her attitude toward family brings the play to a sombre, contemplative close.

This review does not intend to downplay the vast array of comedic dialogue and action to be found in "God of Carnage", but rather to magnify the gravitas which permeates each exchange. It is worth citing Roe's performance as Michael Fallon in context of this statement. As a rodent-fearing, rum-drinking middle-aged neanderthal plagued by an over-bearing mother figure, Michael's unenviable and unsolicited role as an intermediary peace-keeper is figuratively and physically ripped apart when he sheds his cardigan, unbuttons his shirt and repeatedly refills his glass while ranting about the state of affairs until Roe is left red-faced, breathless and sweating. Like every other actor in this play, Roe completely loses himself in the role and it is this that makes "God of Carnage" such an enjoyable experience for the audience. These actors sell the comedy, the drama, the slapstick and the poignancy, and one can only hope that the Gate does not wait long before reproducing this fascinating play in this gloriously intimate venue.

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Sun, 13 Mar 2011 15:25:00 -0700 2011 Belfast Film Festival http://steveinbelfast.posterous.com/2011-belfast-film-festival http://steveinbelfast.posterous.com/2011-belfast-film-festival

It is that time of year again.

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Funded primarily by the Belfast City Council and Northern Ireland Screen, the Belfast Film Festival will showcase a series of local and international productions, with many cultural events planned throughout the festival's duration (31st March until 14th April). The main venues for these events will be the Queen's Film Theatre (QFT), The Black Box, Movie House Dublin Road, British Broadcasting House and the Belfast Waterfront, with various smaller cinemas offering viewings for more marginal tastes.

In recent years, the festival has been of increasing interest to me and this year I have quite a few events that I plan to include. They include:

 

Killing Bono - 31st March, Movie House Dublin Road, 7pm.

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"A rock n’ roll comedy about two Irish brothers struggling to forge their path through the 1980’s music scene... whilst the meteoric rise to fame of their old school pals U2 only serves to cast them deeper into the shadows." 

This film will be one of several opening the festival. The trailer looks very promising and the film is also the final performance by Pete Postlethwaite, who passed away in January. More information.

 

The Shore - 1st April, QFT, 7pm.

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"After 25 years in exile Jim Mahon brings his American daughter, Patricia, for her first visit to his hometown, Belfast. At a Welcome Home party for Jim at the local pub, Jim’s brother shows Patricia an old photo of Jim and Paddy Grogan, once Jim’s best friend, but long estranged. Patricia convinces Jim to search out his best friend Paddy. But Paddy doesn’t live alone - there’s Mary as well. Mary was engaged to Jim when he fled Belfast’s Troubles for San Francisco a quarter of a century before. Now she’s married to Paddy. Jim hasn’t been in touch with either of them... and racked by guilt and uneasy about the sort of welcome he might receive - possibly no welcome at all - he doesn’t want to go through with the visit. But Patricia insists “These are people you loved. You have to make your peace with them.” The reunion quickly goes awry with tears and old misunderstandings exposed - and plenty of laughter as well."

This film will be introduced by director and Oscar nominee Terry George, who wrote the screenplays for Hotel Rwanda and In The Name Of The Father. More information.

 

Buffy Night in The Black 'Bronze' Box - 4th April, The Black Box, 8pm.

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 "BFF celebrate one of the greatest ever TV shows with an evening of all things Buffy as we turn the Black Box into ‘The Bronze’ for one night only. Feel free to dress up as a vampire, an Evil bunny, the Buffybot or even Clem and join us."

This is a must for any fan of the cult series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The Black Box is a fantastic venue and with the promise of screenings and sing-alongs, this event promises to entertain everyone in attendance. More information.

 

Peter Mullan Masterclass - 6th April, QFT, 7pm.

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"Belfast Film Festival is delighted to welcome the highly driven and original actor, director, writer and producer, who will offer an insight into his intriguing career during this masterclass."

More information.

 

The Messenger - 13th April, QFT, 7.15pm.

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"Nominated for two Academy Awards, this moving drama follows two men who deliver the news of fallen soldiers to next-of-kin, testing their friendship and self-belief."

Woody Harrelson and Ben Foster lead the cast in this critically-acclaimed drama. Definitely has the promise to be one of the stand-out showings of the festival. More information.

 

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The full list of festival events can be found at http://www.belfastfilmfestival.org/2011/index.html

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1028527/67685_1424974705734_1273766461_31025852_2874198_n.jpg http://posterous.com/users/he6XAC7pVyFdw Stephen Conlon steveinbelfast Stephen Conlon