Mermaid Arts Centre Brochure May to August 2017

2017 MAY JUNE JULY AUgust

MErmaid INFORMATION BOOK YOUR TICKETS, HOWEVER SUITS…

01 272 4030 www.mermaidartscentre.ie 10am – 6pm Monday to Saturday or until 8pm on performance nights

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Please note, once purchased, tickets cannot be exchanged or refunded.

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There are no booking fees – at all.

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There are lots of ways to save when visiting Mermaid.

You can bring nine of your friends and avail of our group discount, choose from our special offers, if you’re a student join Culture Club or become a Mermaid Friend.

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The Mermaid gallery is open from 10am – 6pm from Monday to Saturday and until 8pm on performance nights.

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The Betelnut Café serves breakfast, lunch, snacks and baked goods from 8am – 6pm Monday to Saturday.

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The theatre bar is open for pre-show and interval drinks.

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To join our mailing list, please contact the box office or join online at www.mermaidartscentre.ie

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Gift vouchers are available from the box office.

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For the comfort of patrons and performers,

latecomers will not be admitted until the interval.

WELCOME In one of Auden’s finest poems, In Memory of W. B.Yeats, there is a quote ‘poetry makes nothing happen’. It is a phrase often taken as an admission of art’s essential uselessness. It is a statement we agree with in Mermaid just not in the way it has been read or used by others.

We believe there is a different way to consider this statement.

Poetry makes nothing happen because, like all art, it is creative. It makes nothing into something: that is what creation means.The beautiful intangible, inexplicable poetry of Auden and of Yeats, did not exist before they spoke or wrote. It exists now, even though they do not.They made ‘nothing’ happen. Nothing became something. In Mermaid we believe everyone is creative. We are not all poets or all artists but we are creative beings. The art each of us make is valuable, because it is creative.

Everyday in Mermaid we make nothing happen (and believe me it is exhausting). We make, present and support over 355 different events each year with just over 43,000 people joining us. We do this work with and in our community where there is hardship, sometimes violence and fear, whether it be homelessness, the refugee crisis, or political uncertainty. Our performances, exhibitions, films and festivals and partnerships do not banish the hardships but what they do do is say ‘there is something else’.They say ‘this is not everything’.They help us see, feel, experience something better, something hopeful, something we cannot express except in a shared experience of music or dance or images.

Our events make nothing happen every day and we and our audiences are stronger for it because we are reminded that there are alternatives, there are better ways of living together, there are things that matter to us all, we are shown who we are and what we have in common.

Come this season and join us in making nothing happen and we will all be stronger because we will be equipped with ideas, skills, confidence, knowledge, insight and empathy and all of that - is empowering.

Niamh O’Donnell & the Mermaid Team.

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MERMAID SPACE Mermaid Space is our residency programme which helps us ensure we’re not just a centre of presentation but a place for creation. It confirms our commitment to supporting the work of artists to research, make and produce new works.We are a space for artists and audiences. This season we are very pleased to announce returning initiatives and new artists and projects; Emma O’Grady is a theatre maker from Galway. She has worked for the past four years on making a piece about her Grandfather, Paddy O’Grady who lived in Bray.The performance features tapes Paddy recorded before he died and plays, short stories and poems he wrote in the ‘50s when he worked as a civil servant. In this piece Emma questions whether unrealised creative potential was behind his distemper post-retirement.This work is a tribute and a warning. By sharing his story and giving him an audience Emma will try to neutralise his ‘failure’ as an artist. He was born in 1917: this 2017 performance will mark his centenary.

Emma developed the show by working solo and experimenting with other artists. They are; Rob Moloney, Jonathan Gunning, Catherine Ireton, Caroline Lynch, Andy Smith, Grace Dyas & Donna Rutherford and Mermaid supported her in getting funding for the production along with important partners The Arts Council, Galway City Council, Galway Theatre Festival and Áras Éanna – we are incredibly excited about What Good is Looking Well When You’re Rotten on the Inside? – see page 18.

Mermaid are also delighted to have the wonderful and oh so talented Bray theatre maker Camille Lucy Ross back in Mermaid. Camille just toured her last show Big Bobby Little Bobby around the country (14 different venues- exhausting!) and we’ve offered her a couple of week’s rest and creative time for her to start a new comedy / dance / theatre piece called How To Be Angry. We all can struggle with anger but have learned to suppress / control it, with perhaps slamming the odd door, huffing and puffing but not roaring or breaking things! Camille wants to look at how her generation and nation deals with anger. She will look at protests and riots and keyboard warriors and at how we express ourselves when we feel strangled, how we find a voice in chaos.

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MERMAID SPACE Camille will look at ways we can be okay with not liking each other all the time. She will see if we can identify the difference between disrespecting and disagreeing while using the healing nature of compassion, humour and expression. Camille said to me ‘I’d like my new work to be dark, uncomfortable, hysterical, moving, rousing and gut-wrenchingly frustrating and satisfying all at once!’ and how could we all say no to that! We’ll present Camille in our Autumn season when the work is complete.

Shaun Dunne is back in Mermaid with a new play cocommissioned by Rough Magic Theatre Company and Mermaid.

Mermaid supports Shaun because his work is alternate to the mainstream. It is issue based, social minded, provocative and importantly reflects the reality and complexity of our lives and world. The Visibility Exercise is about a young woman who is working as a nurse in an abortion clinic in London.

The play centres around Sinead’s decision to return home to participate in a televised campaign towards abortion rights in Ireland. Shaun is interested in exploring the complex world of activism and the weight that comes with blending the personal with the political. He has explored the difficulties of representing complex issues and the strain it can cause on both the advocate and the people around them. We have Shaun and Rough Magic’s Lynne Parker (Director) here with a full cast for a rehearsed reading – its free - see page 42 – don’t miss it!

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MERMAID SPACE And finally we’ve just completed GAP DAY 2017. Gap Day an initiative led by Lian Bell with Mermaid (funded through the Arts Council Theatre Development Programme) through which we offer freelance theatre artists creative days where their dreaming, thinking and planning time is valued. This year through an open submission, an exciting crop of 33 independent theatremakers, directors, devisers, writers, designers, etc. across Ireland in 13 counties were given the opportunity to spend a total of 54 days of creative development – here is a picture of all of them!

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MADE IN MERMAID Made in Mermaid is an initiative where we offer a range of supports to artists to help the creation and presentation of new work. This coming summer we have two wonderful theatre makers Anna Newell and Doireann Coady making work on our stage.

Anna Newell lives in Bray and makes extraordinary pieces for children. She’s just about to embark on a new show, collaborating with Scottish Composer David Goodall, called BigKidLittleKid. This piece is for early years (ages 2 to 5) and their adults. It’s for an age-group who may well have been the youngest in the family who find themselves with a younger sibling; who might have been the oldest in the nursery and are now the youngest at school. Are you a big kid or a little kid? Or both? Anna and David will be making for a week and we have two free showings so you can bring your little creative consultants to let us know what they think of our ideas so far! – see page 52 for details.

This piece is co-commissioned by Pavilion Theatre, Dun Laoghaire and the Mermaid Arts Centre, Bray.

For a week in August, Doireann Coady (THEATREclub) will work in Mermaid on her new piece called I’m Not Here which will premier in October in Dublin Theatre Festival. For the last two years Doireann has been trying to figure out how to perform a duet with someone who is not here. In 2014 Doireann found Dictaphone tapes of her brother singing. He was being recorded by her father who was simply testing out a second hand Dictaphone in their family home.This piece will be a kind of duet between Doireann and her brother. Her brother is dead.

Doireann is attempting to explore presence in absence and ultimately this is an attempt at staging the impossible. Doireann is collaborating with sound designer Rob Moloney and Mermaid will present the work in our Autumn season.

Doireann has received support from the Arts Council to make this work and she is a PROJECT artist.

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SUMMER MADNESS at MERmaid Introduce a friend to Mermaid and get your ticket free!

At Mermaid we know that we have our great reliable customers who come regularly and support us.We also know that there are people out there who have yet to give us a try.Why not help us by introducing a friend to Mermaid for the first time?

Ring our Box Office team to book yourself and your friend in for one of the following shows and we will give you one of the tickets for free. All we ask is that your friend gives Mermaid a whirl and considers signing up to our mailing list.

So go on…spread the summer fun and add a sprinkle of sunshine!

Summer Madness tickets are limited for each show so don’t delay, call box office today!

Tel: 01-2724030

SUMMER MADNESS Selected shows

have i no mouth FRIDAY 12 May | page 20

“One of the bravest shows I’ve ever seen...You should definitely go and see Have I No Mouth.” – Huffington Post 8

Charlie’s A Clepto SATURDAY 3 June | page 27

A fast-paced and funny play about motherhood, messing up, and doing your best to make it up.

Danny O’Brien FRIDAY 23 June | page 36

“O’ Brien took to the stage like a force of nature…one suspects it won’t be too much longer before stadiums come calling” – The Examiner * * * *

route 66 bIg band SATURDAY 2 September | page 55

Let the fabulous big brass sound take you on a magical musical trip from the 40’s right up to the present day.

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MERMAID CINEMA at a glance Our cinema programme brings you the best in international cultural film as well as some blockbusters and classics too.

Thanks to Dermot Marrey, Róisín O’Grady and Stephanie Casey for selecting this season’s programme.

First mondays

Continuing our First Monday series, where short films by emerging filmmakers are screened on the first Monday of each month, this season we’re presenting shorts made by Bray based group NoWiFi (North Wicklow Films). See www.northwicklowfilmma.wixsite.com/ northwicklowfilm.

MAKE MINE A DOUBLE

by Joseph Morris, David Butler, Shane Conaty, Byron Hayes MONDAY 1 May | Duration: 2mins & 4mins Two short shorts set in a bar: GLANCE – the result of a chance glance caught in a pub mirror, and WISHFUL DRINKING - in which a chance encounter with a genie leads to three wishes.

THE CONFESSIONAL

by Shane Conaty, Conor Waldron MONDAY 5 June | Duration: 6mins Written by Conor Waldron and directed by Shane Conaty.

Because sometimes, it’s good to confess…

ANOTHER DOUBLE PLEASE!

by Oisin McFarland Smith, Byron Hayes, Joseph Morris, David Butler MONDAY 3 July | Duration: 6mins & 4mins Two more pub shorts:THE DEBT – in which all debts must be paid, and A BLIND MAN WALKS INTO A BAR – where the entrance of a blind man into an empty bar rapidly turns into a nightmare.

BLACKROCK SEQUENCE

by David Butler & various NoWiFi directors MONDAY 7 August | Duration: 10mins David Butler’s poetry project BLACKROCK SEQUENCE, a Per Cent Literary Arts Commission, is variously interpreted and brought to life by the directors and filmmakers of NoWiFi.

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The Spaces of the Imagination Melissa O'Flaherty

Opening THURSDAY 4 May 2017 | 6pm Free | Exhibition runs FRIDAY 5 May − SATURDAY 3 June | 10am − 6pm Melissa O’Faherty is a visual artist based in Co.Wicklow.This is her first solo show at Mermaid Arts Centre. While Melissa is trained in the classical skills of drawing the main focus of her artistic practice is exploring and pushing the boundaries and physical materials of drawing. Her work process is both experimental and focused.

For her upcoming show at Mermaid called “ The Spaces of the Imagination’, she exhibits visual diaries which look at the drawing thought process and also new work which imagines the environments of new planetary worlds where the scientific actuality and the artistic imagination may meet.

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Janine Davidson Into the gravelly ground

Opening THURSDAY 8 June | 6pm Free | Exhibition runs FRIDAY 9 − SATURDAY 8 July | 10am − 6pm Janine Davidson’s practice incorporates sculpture, installation, video, and photography. Having recently completed a Fine Art Masters researching the archaeology of optical devices, her interests focus on visual perception, its fluidity and the construction of images.

Her work references duality and contradiction and theories of binocular disparity.

Layering is transposed in the work through a process of filming, projecting and re-recording. Through a process of experimentation, the filmed work is diffused and filtered. Every time film is recorded and re-recorded something is lost and something is gained and Janine’s films have the ability to capture and create alternate realities.

Observing where the artificial and natural worlds collide.

‘The changing contours of memory are of interest to Janine, amplified by both context and sense of place. Her work draws our attention to what we look at versus what we see, what memories we retain and what we discard, what is obscured and what is laid bare. How an image is framed affects our perception and understanding of how we engage with it. Site and the use of particular architectures both geological and manmade, retain shadows, memories and secrets, in her work we are invited to explore the gradations and balance of both illumination and shadows.’

Séamus McCormack

tanad williams and tom watt

Opening THURSDAY 27 July | 6pm Free | Exhibition runs FRIDAY 28 July − SATURDAY 2 Sept | 10am − 6pm Tanad Williams works with philosophically engaged objects, dialogues and texts. Rooted in academic research and linguistic investigation, the final object is constructed to represent both its material reality and its theoretical conception. He is a multidisciplinary artist working with performance, texts, objects in both his solo practice and his collaborative projects.

Tom Watt’s practice deals with altering the existing architecture of a space or temporarily assigning it a new function. His interests lie in the gap that exists between our understanding of the space that we dwell in and other spaces, which co-exist alongside us. Watt plays with uncovering these spaces, and their properties of silence and invisibility, re purposing them through actions and built extensions.

Tanad and Tom are primarily interested in work that engages with the diverse elements of Architecture. Their work focuses on altering existing spaces or temporarily changing their view, function or use.

Together they create spaces and platforms that are constructed in a way that reflects the processes that made them, inviting viewers to investigate and question their environments. In this exhibition Tanad and Tom will use Mermaid’s gallery as a testing ground for modular structures designed and built to work through the existing space, 13 making visible and creating new spaces to be used and to be in.

BRAY JAZZ FESTIVAL

FRIDAY 28 April − MONDAY 1 May 2017 www.brayjazz.com Bray Jazz Festival returns for its 18th year on the May Bank Holiday weekend. Firmly established as a major contemporary music weekend on the Irish calendar, Bray Jazz Festival will once more present some of the leading names in international jazz, in 2017.

For more information visit www.brayjazz.com.

Lionel Loueke Trio FRIDAY 28 April | 8pm €25

(Benin/USA)

Lionel Loueke is a major guitar talent whose band fuse traditional West African music with modern jazz harmonies and power-trio rock to create a sound that is all their own. Loueke’s selection to the all-star band to celebrate Blue Note’s 75th anniversary is testimony to the talent, as is his long-standing presence in the band of the legendary Herbie Hancock, who has described him simply as “a musical painter.”

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Beats & Pieces Big Band SATURDAY 29 April | 8pm €25

(UK)

Beats & Pieces Big Band is a fourteen-piece juggernaut that swaggers old school when it wants to, but also reveals a contemporary urban edge, with Radiohead medleys, electronica and Bowie in amongst the brass and reeds. Winners of the ‘Best Newcomer Award’ from Jazz FM in 2013 and ‘Best Ensemble’ at the prestigious Parliamentary Music Awards a year later, Beats & Pieces idiomatic range and flat out attack have drawn justifiable comparisons to their acclaimed 1980s forebears’s ‘Loose Tubes.’

Malin Wättring 4 SUNDAY 30 April | 8pm €25

(Sweden)

Malin Wättring is one of Sweden’s emerging young saxophonists, a great jazz talent to emerge from a rich Scandinavian tradition.

She released Glöd, her critically acclaimed debut album and has been establishing a growing reputation as a major player in Nordic jazz. Live, the Malin Wättring 4’s performance can run the gamut from fragile to incandescent, from menacing to tender and beautiful. Wättring has a sympathetic foil in pianist Naoko Sakata, a virtuoso and award-winning pianist whose deep love of Nordic jazz brought her from her native Japan to Sweden, almost a decade ago.

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fences

(Cert: 12A)

MONDAY 1 May | 8pm €8/6.50 | Duration:139mins | Language: English Working from August Wilson’s screenplay exploring race and familial relations in 1950s Pittsburgh, Denzel Washington directs and stars in Fences. Washington plays garbage collector and proud patriarch Troy Maxson, who hides a deep-seated bitterness and resentment that gradually comes to affect those closest to him, namely wife Rose (Davis) and two sons Lyons (Russell Hornsby) and Cory (Jovan Adepo), whose dreams of becoming a professional footballer remind Troy of his own frustrated ambitions.

Short films Glance and Wishful Drinking will be screened prior to Fences as part of the First Monday series.

BIFE Annual Celebration of Musical Talent TUESDAY 2 May | 8pm €12/8

What wonderful talent we have in Bray! Do come and hear the winners of BIFE College of Music scholarships, cups and trophies. Also showcasing will be students from the BIFE Music Performance Diploma course who have completed their first year with flying colours. Formerly known as Bray Music Centre, the College of Music has been providing quality music education to the Bray area for over 30 years and offers classes for individuals, groups, children and adults in classical, popular and jazz styles.

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Lakers Lightning

THURSDAY 4 May & FRIDAY 5 May | 8pm €15/10 It’s time for Lakers to showcase their talents again and this year will be an even more memorial occasion as it’s the 15th Anniversary of Lakers Drama group! They are combining their acting, musical and dance talents to perform their very own show a 1950’s celebration of nostalgia “Lakers Lightning”, you will be guaranteed to be blown away with the moves and grooves from each member. We know that you will go away clicking you fingers and tapping your feet.

Neruda

(Cert: CLUB)

MONDAY 8 May | 8pm €8.50/7 | Duration:107mins | Language: Spanish, French (English subtitles) The Nobel laureate Pablo Neruda is well known for his sublime love poems. But this film brings to the foreground Neruda’s political poetry. It begins in 1948, immediately before Neruda has to go into hiding: he has publicly condemned the Chilean president Gabriel González Videla. As a communist and senator, Neruda is driven from both the Senate and his home and must flee with his wife. Police detective Oscar Peluchonneau is trying to apprehend them. An elegant, poetic thriller and an original depiction of Chilean history.

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What Good is Looking Well When You're Rotten on the Inside?

SATURDAY 6 May | 8pm €16/14 One month before his death, retired civil servant and man of few words Paddy O’Grady had a sudden urge to talk. Using a portable cassette tape recorder, he recorded 15 hours of stories about leprechauns, aliens and lonely pharmacists; absurdist political satire; musings on life, love and death.

Paddy’s granddaughter, Emma O’Grady, later discovered he had written plays, poems and stories but until now his work has been without an audience.This one-woman show – created with multiple directors - examines the fragile personas we present to the world, who we might be behind them and what we could be instead.This show is about emotional inheritance and grief for wasted creativity that serves as both a tribute and a warning.

Supported by the Arts Council, Galway City Council, Galway Theatre Festival, Mermaid Arts Centre and Áras Éanna (Inis Oírr).

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Music Network presents – Darol Anger and Republic of Strings TUESDAY 9 May | 8pm €16/14

With his unique genre-bending blend of bluegrass, jazz, folk and classical styles, Grammy-nominated fiddler Darol Anger is a master of the unexpected, darting from Swedish polkas to Brazilian choro before segueing seamlessly into a soul classic – all delivered with the rollicking abandon of a hootenanny. Anger developed his signature sound working alongside great improvisers such as Stéphane Grappelli, Martin Hayes, Jerry Douglas and Béla Fleck, and over the past 40 years has produced an array of critically-acclaimed albums, including 17 with the legendary Turtle Island String Quartet alone.

Tim Crouch – I, Malvolio THURSDAY 11 May | 8pm €15/10

Multi-award-winning playwright and performer Tim Crouch reimagines Twelfth Night in this, his brilliant one-man show.

In a charged, unsettling rant, Malvolio – a man ‘notoriously wronged’ – draws us into the madness of Shakespeare’s play and forces us to confront our own cruelty. I, Malvolio is Twelfth Night told from the loser’s perspective. It’s a show for anyone who has ever been told off, called a name, or fallen in love with the wrong person. ‘…a downright joyous celebration of theatre.’ – The Guardian * * * * * 19

Brokentalkers FRIDAY 12 May | 8pm €16/14

– Have I No Mouth

Have I no mouth is a powerful piece of theatre exploring the changing nature of the relationship between a mother and son in the aftermath of a family tragedy. Written and performed by real life Mother and son Feidlim Cannon and Ann Cannon, the production takes a brave, unflinching look at their past and attempts to piece together the truth, whilst exploring different ways we heal ourselves after the unthinkable happens. Ann and Feidlim are joined on stage by professional psychotherapist Erich Keller.

A post-show discussion with Brokentalkers will take place after the performance.

I, Claude monet

(Cert: CLUB)

SATURDAY 13 May | 8pm €8.50/7 | Duration: 87mins | Language: English

Based on over 2500 letters I, Claude Monet reveals new insight into the man who not only painted the picture that gave birth to impressionism but who was perhaps the most influential and successful painter of the 19th and early 20th centuries. Monet’s life is a gripping tale about a man who suffered from feelings of depression, loneliness, even suicide. However as his art developed and his love of gardening led to the glories of his Giverny garden, his humour, insight and love of life are revealed.

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BEAUTY & THE BEAST CHICAGO GHOST

junior musicals –

tale as old as time

SUNDAY 14 May | 2pm, 5pm + 8pm €18 | €65 Family Ticket (2 Adults & 2 Children under 12 yrs — Limited Availability) Junior & Youth Musicals present ‘Tale As Old As Time’ their Summer show bursting with talent and colour.This show features vibrant excerpts from Beauty & the Beast, Ghost and Chicago, hip hop routines to the latest chart hits, choral singing by the Junior Musicals Theatre School choir and the tots will present their very own version of Beauty & the Beast. Join in the fun with audience participation & our live band.

between land and sea

MONDAY 15 May | 8pm €8/6.50 | Duration: 89mins | Language: English

(Cert: PG)

Directed by award-winning filmmaker Ross Whitaker (When Ali Came to Ireland, Saviours, Unbreakable:The Mark Pollock Story), Between Land and Sea is a year in the life of an Irish surf town at the mercy of the Atlantic Ocean.This observational feature – at times intimate, at times epic – embeds itself in the Big Wave surf community to present a thoroughly engaging and visually stunning portrait of the ever-changing life at land’s end.

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Action arts

WEDNESDAY 17 − SUNDAY 21 May | 7.30pm + SATURDAY 20 | 3pm €15 Adults | €12 Children | €50 Family Ticket (2 Adults & 2 Children) Action Arts end of year shows present a wonderful mixture of dramatic art, singing and dance. Performers ages 3-12 years will engage you with drama and song from well known musicals and plays. Be amazed and entertained by these very talented children.

Action Arts Academy (13-17 years) will entertain you with their presentation of ‘Fiddler On The Roof ’ on Sunday the 21 of May. These gifted and talented teenagers were placed 1st at the Bray One Act Drama Festival Youth Section last January. Relax, sit back and enjoy this amazing group of teenagers.

loving

(Cert: 12A)

MONDAY 22 May | 8pm €8/6.50 | Duration: 123mins | Language: English Loving celebrates the real-life courage and commitment of an interracial couple, Richard and Mildred Loving, who married and then spent the next nine years fighting for the right to live as a family in their hometown.Their civil rights case, Loving v.Virginia, went all the way to the Supreme Court, which in 1967 reaffirmed the very foundation of the right to marry – making their love story an inspiration to couples everywhere.

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Stagedoor ireland – back to the future TUESDAY 23 May | 5pm & 8pm €15/10

Brother and sister Marty and Chrissie discover an old chest in the attic of their new home. What lies inside leads the two siblings and their new neighbours on a fantastic adventure through time.You can join our intrepid time travellers as they move through the decades celebrating the music, dance and fashions of the times. Stagedoor Ireland presents the many talents of students as young as four years of age upwards.

Ballet ireland

– GisellE

WEDNESDAY 24 May | 8pm €22/20 | €75 Family Ticket (Family of 4)

Love. Betrayal. Redemption. Giselle is a haunting story of love and betrayal. The modern re-telling of this romantic classic is a timeless tale about the redemptive power of love. Betrayed by Albrecht, Giselle dies of a broken heart but her spirit returns to protect and forgive her now repenting lover from death at the hands of the vengeful Wilis. Choreographed by Ludovic Ondiviela, former Royal Ballet dancer and choreographer, this production of love that transcends death, will capture the hearts and minds of audiences today.

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Performers theatre – Alice in Wonderland and a Musical Mash Up FRIDAY 26 May | 7pm & SATURDAY 27 May | 2pm €15/12 | €45 Family Ticket (Family of 4)

Performers are delighted to return to Mermaid after a very successful production of Cinderella in December. The junior classes bring you a wonderful adaptation of Alice in Wonderland, with not one but four Alices! Ranging in age from 3-7yrs, these talented students will bring you on an exciting musical adventure through Wonderland. Our senior class bring you musical mash-up, a variety of songs and dances from well known shows. Great entertainment for all the family and not to be missed!

District 9

(Cert: 15)

SATURDAY 27 May | 8pm €8/6.50 | Duration: 112mins | Language: English Come see this startlingly original science fiction thriller on the big screen with an insightful introduction by Wicklow Film maker and Lecturer Noel MacAoidh. Noel will share lesser known facts and point out things to watch within the stunning special effects and gritty realism. Aliens have landed and been exiled to a slum on the fringes of Johannesburg. One lone human discovers the mysterious secret of their weapon technology. Hunted and hounded through the bizarre back alleys of an alien shantytown, he discovers what it means to be the ultimate outsider on your own planet.

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barbara donnelly school of dance – DANCE magic SUNDAY 28 May | 6.30pm €15/13 | €50 Family Ticket (Family of 4)

The Barbara Donnelly School of Dance Greystones will perform a Magical Evening of Dance in ‘Dance Magic’. Students, boys and girls ranging from 3 years of age up to adults, including mothers and grandmothers (dance is ageless) are sure to dazzle you with their artistic take on Swan Lane, Billy Elliott and La La Land, plus many more dances featuring music from classical scores and broadway hits.

Aquarius

(Cert: 18)

MONDAY 29 May | 8pm €8/6.50 | Duration: 145mins | Language: Portuguese (English subtitles) To Clara, a widowed music critic who has resided at the Aquarius apartment block for nearly four decades, it is home; but to a slick property developer determined to transform the site into luxury flats it is an investment opportunity.The developers want Clara out, by fair means or foul, but she won’t budge.This is a rousing parable of individual resistance and an exquisite exploration of the way architecture can be a repository of cherished memories, full of secret meanings and intimate echoes of the past.

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The far field

WEDNESDAY 31 May | 10am + 12pm €10/8 | Teachers Free | Suitable for ages 3 – 7 years & their families The Far Field tells the story of Farmer Lonán, who, one summer’s day discovers a magical whistle hidden in a hare’s nest. Suspecting that it belongs to the fairy folk who live at the edge of his farm, Lonán decides that the whistle should be returned to its rightful owners. Join Thomas Johnston (whistles/song), Seán McElwain (guitar/fiddle/whistle), Samantha Harvey (piano), and Emma Fisher (puppeteer) in a show perfect for young audiences. Ceol Connected brings the realm of fairies and folklore to life in this interactive traditional music, puppetry, and storytelling performance.

Serendipity

THURSDAY 1 June | 8pm €12/10 Serendipity Barbershop Acapella Chorus have entertained Bray audiences for 13 years. No strangers to cameo performance at Mermaid, they now present an entire evening of beautiful harmony singing. Celebrating silver medal success at National Barbershop Convention 2016, the fun loving ladies will wow you with song.

Special guests, Caerphilly Ladies Choir from Wales feature with an eclectic mix of songs ranging from classical to musical to spirituals.

Watch out for more guests on this fabulous night!

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Charlie's a Clepto SATURDAY 3 June | 8pm €16/14

Charlie is a kleptomaniac - the doctor told her. Reckons it stems from childhood trauma. But she has the robbin’ completely under control these days. For real. She has a bit of a mouth on her, but she’s only trying to be funny, give everyone a laugh, not cause trouble, like. Not today, of all days. Everyone has a story to tell... but... there’s a time and a place. Follow Charlie, the queen of self-sabotage as she tries desperately not to mess up - for once in her life.

Written & Performed by Clare Monnelly.

Presented by Axis Ballymun.

MOOnlight

(CERT: 15A)

MONDAY 5 June | 8pm & TUESDAY 6 June | 2:30pm €8/6.50 | €5 Matinee | Duration: 110mins | Language: English Miami.The 1980s. Chiron is a reticent child, different from the other kids.There’s something about the way he walks, the way he talks, that has others guessing before he does, in an environment where queerness is just not an option. Junkie Ma is no help so Chiron turns to local drug kingpin Juan, who offers leadership and emotional support. Journeying across periods, we witness key moments in the formation of Chiron’s masculinity and how these moments come to define his sexuality.

Short film The Confessional will be screened prior to Moonlight as part of the First Monday series.

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An evening with voices of bray community choir

THURSDAY 8 − SATURDAY 10 June | 8pm €15/12 Voices of Bray Community Choir returns to Mermaid for another exciting season of concerts.Their 2017 concert programme features hit songs from the likes of Elton John, Neil Diamond, ABBA, Simon & Garfunkel,Toto, Ennio Morricone, Bon Jovi and many more.

As always, it promises to be a fun and uplifting evening. Concert proceeds will be donated to Bray Women’s Refuge.

encorps stage school SUNDAY 11 June | 2pm & 5.30pm €12

Encorps Stage School are delighted to present their 13th Annual Show! Encorps Stage School was founded in 2003 by sisters Niamh & Cliona O’Brien and we currently offer classes in a variety of dance styles across south Dublin.This year’s show features students from our Blackrock, Dundrum and Stepaside classes and will include performances from The Jungle Book, Annie,The Trolls and La La Land. At Encorps we pride ourselves in offering a fun learning environment where every student gets an opportunity to shine.

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MAY FRIDAY 28 April - BRAY JAZZ Monday 1 May FESTIVAL

Lionel Loueke Trio, pg Beats & Pieces Big Band, 14/15 & Malin Wättring 4

MONDAY 1

FILM

Fences

pg 16

TUESDAY 2

LOCAL ARTS

BIFE Annual Celebration of Musical Talent

pg 16

THURSDAY 4 & FRIDAY 5

LOCAL ARTS

Lakers Lightning

pg 17

SATURDAY 6

THEATRE

What Good is Looking Well When You’re Rotten on the Inside?

pg 18

MONDAY 8

FILM

Neruda

pg 17

TUESDAY 9

MUSIC

Darol Anger and Republic of Strings

pg 19

THURSDAY 11

THEATRE

Tim Crouch - I, Malvolio

pg 19

FRIDAY 12

THEATRE

Brokentalkers Have I No Mouth

pg 20

SATURDAY 13

FILM

I, Claude Monet

pg 20

SUNDAY 14

LOCAL ARTS

Junior Musicals

pg 21

MONDAY 15

FILM

Between Land and Sea

pg 21

WEDNESDAY 17 LOCAL ARTS - SUNDAY 21

Action Arts

pg 22

MONDAY 22

FILM

Loving

pg 22

TUESDAY 23

LOCAL ARTS

StageDoor Ireland

pg 23

WEDNESDAY 24 DANCE

Ballet Ireland - Giselle

pg 23

FRIDAY 26 & SATURDAY 27

LOCAL ARTS

Performers Theatre

pg 24

SATURDAY 27

FILM

District 9

pg 24

SUNDAY 28

LOCAL ARTS

Barbara Donnelly School of Dance

pg 25

MONDAY 29

FILM

Aquarius

pg 25

The Far Field

pg 26

WEDNESDAY 31 CHILDREN’S THEATRE

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JUNE THURSDAY 1

LOCAL ARTS

Serendipity

pg 26

SATURDAY 3

THEATRE

Charlie’s a Clepto

pg 27

MONDAY 5 & TUESDAY 6

FILM

Moonlight

pg 27

THURSDAY 8 -

LOCAL ARTS

An Evening with Voices of Bray Community Choir

pg 28

SUNDAY 11

LOCAL ARTS

Encorps Stage School

pg 28

FRIDAY 9

OFFSITE MUSIC

Francesco Turrisi Alone Together

pg 33

MONDAY 12

FILM

Tanna

pg 33

FRIDAY 16

MUSIC

Luka Bloom

pg 34

SATURDAY 17

LOCAL ARTS

East Coast Academy of Performing Arts A Musical Medley

pg 34

SUNDAY 18

LOCAL ARTS

Creative Performers Academy

pg 35

MONDAY 19

FILM

Lion

pg 35

THURSDAY 22

FILM

Vermeer - The Man His Time His World

pg 36

FRIDAY 23

COMEDY

Danny O’Brien - Who Break’s up with Stella?

pg 36

SATURDAY 24

MUSICAL THEATRE

Leonard Cohen’s Between Your Love and Mine

pg 37

SUNDAY 25

LOCAL ARTS

Welcome to the Chocolate Factory! Dramtech

pg 38

SUNDAY 25

OFFSITE THEATRE

Peter Pan Chapter House

pg 38

MONDAY 26

FILM

Frantz

pg 39

FRIDAY 30

THEATRE

The Successful TD

pg 39

SATURDAY 10

30

july SATURDAY 1

MUSIC

Ross Scanlon

pg 40

SUNDAY 2

LOCAL ARTS

Urban Xpressions 2.0

pg 40

MONDAY 3

FILM

Moscow Never Sleeps

pg 41

THURSDAY 6

THEATRE/TALK

The 10 Dark Secrets of the Irish Revolution

pg 41

FRIDAY 7

THEATRE

The Visibility Exercise

by Shaun Dunne

pg 42

SATURDAY 8

MUSIC

Stockton’s Wing

pg 43

MONDAY 10

FILM

The Secret Scripture

pg 42

FRIDAY 14

THEATRE

Somethings

pg 44

SATURDAY 15 & SUNDAY 16 + SATURDAY 29 & SUNDAY 30

WORKSHOP

Creative Writing Workshop

pg 45

SATURDAY 15

TALK

The Writing Life: Carlo Gebler

pg 45

SUNDAY 16

CHILDREN’S FILM

Sing

pg 46

SUNDAY 16

FILM

Sully

pg 46

MONDAY 17

FILM

It’s Only The End of The World

pg 47

MONDAY 24

FILM

Silence

pg 47

WEDNESDAY 26 LOCAL ARTS - SATURDAY 29

Legally Blonde... the Musical

pg 48

SUNDAY 30

CHILDREN’S FILM

Beauty and the Beast

pg 48

SUNDAY 30

FILM

A Monster Calls

pg 49

MONDAY 31

FILM

The Salesman (12A)

pg 49

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august

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FRIDAY 4

MUSIC

Jack L - Magic Days

pg 50

MONDAY 7

FILM

Graduation

pg 51

MONDAY 14

FILM

Heal The Living

pg 51

FRIDAY 18 & SATURDAY 19

CHILDREN’S THEATRE

BigKidLittleKid

pg 52

SATURDAY 19

FILM

Miller’s Crossing

pg 52

MONDAY 21

FILM

Endless Poetry

pg 53

SATURDAY 26

MUSIC

Bagatelle – Summer in Dublin

pg 54

MONDAY 28 & TUESDAY 29

FILM

Jackie

pg 53

FRIDAY 1 September

MUSIC

Donal Lunny and Andy Irvine

pg 55

SATURDAY 2 September

MUSIC

Route 66 Big Band Live pg 55

Francesco Turrisi –

Alone Together

FRIDAY 9 June | 8pm €16/14 | Venue: The Town Hall (Upstairs)

“Alone Together” is a concert series curated by Italian multiinstrumentalist Francesco Turrisi. For each concert Francesco and his two invited guests will perform a short solo set each, followed by a trio set with original music and improvisations.The second concert of the series will feature Andrea Piccioni, virtuoso of all Mediterranean frame drums, and Francesco Loccisano, a specialist of the Chitarra Battente, a unique metal strung guitar from southern Italy. Join us for an intimate night of beautiful mediterranean melodies and wild tarantella grooves.

tanna

(CERT: CLUB)

MONDAY 12 June | 8pm €8.50/7 | Duration: 100mins | Language: Nauvhal (English subtitles) Filmed on the remote island of Tanna, this film tells the story of Wawa, a young woman who has fallen in love with her chief ’s grandson, Dain. When an inter-tribal war breaks out with a neighbouring community, her hand is unwittingly promised as part of the peace negotiations. With the threat of separation looming, Wawa and Dain abandon their homes in an attempt to be together.

Based on the true story, this is a stunning tale of star-crossed lovers fighting the laws of ancient tradition and tribal custom.

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LUKA BLOOM FRIDAY 16 June | 8pm €18/16

Luka Bloom will take to the Mermaid stage again this June in celebration of Bloomsday. Luka is regarded as one of Ireland’s bestrespected contemporary folk artists who continues to push the boundaries of what his music can do. Having produced 20 albums since the 1970s Luka Bloom is still as important and vibrant as ever.

He comes to Mermaid showcasing songs from his latest album ‘Frugalisto’ as well as songs from his 40 year career.

EAST COAST Academy of performing arts – a musical medley SATURDAY 17 June | 5pm €12 Adults | €8 Children East Coast Academy of Performing Arts are proud to present “A Musical Medley”. Join us for an evening of drama, song and dance featuring excerpts from all of your favourite movies and musicals.

Charlie and The Chocolate Factory, Hairspray, High School Musical, A Chorus Line and Cinderella are just a few of the musical treats for you to enjoy on the night. Featuring students aged 4 -12 from ECAPA’s Greystones branch

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Creative Performers Academy

SUNDAY 18 June | Greystones Group 2pm | Perrystown Group 5pm €18 Adults | €15 Children (Under 16) Travel down the rabbit hole and join Alice, one of literature’s most beloved heroines, in her madcap adventures.The ever-curious Alice’s journey begins innocently enough as she chases the White Rabbit.

Her adventures become increasingly stranger as she meets all the characters of Wonderland! We invite you to step into Wonderland with us and help Alice find her way back home. We’ll keep you entertained with top tapping music as we sing and dance our way through the Mad Hatters Tea Party, the Ocean of Tears and of course the Queen’s Rose Garden!

LION

(CERT: PG)

MONDAY 19 June | 8pm €8/6.50 | Duration: 120mins | Language: English, Bengali, Hindi Saroo was an adventurous five-year-old, living with his mother and siblings in an impoverished rural township in India. One night, when out with his older brother, he falls asleep in a stationary train carriage becoming trapped on board. Days later, he arrives in Kolkata, hundreds of miles from home. Ending up in an orphanage, he is adopted by an Australian couple. 25 years later, the adult Saroo (Dev Patel) is haunted by memories of his past and begins an obsessive search for his original family.

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Vermeer Beyond Time

(Cert: CLUB)

THURSDAY 22 June | 8pm €8.50/7 | Duration: 80mins | Language: English

Johannes Vermeer is one of the most loved, treasured and wellknown artists in the world today. Images from his paintings have become part of our collective imagination and are instantly recognisable. How did this painter from the small city of Delft, who died in penury and obscurity before being rediscovered some 200 years later, come to claim our hearts and our admiration? In this new documentary focuses on the work itself but also explores Vermeer’s family circumstances, his artistic contemporaries and the wider world of the short lived Dutch Republic.

danny o'brien – Who Break's up with Stella?

FRIDAY 23 June | 8pm €16/14 Following in the footsteps of Simon Pegg, Dylan Moran and Dara Ó Briain – Wicklow native Danny was hand picked last year to perform as part of the iconic “Best of The Edinburgh Fest” Show touring Perth World Fringe, Adelaide Fringe Festival and The Melbourne International Comedy Festival. His brand new solo show looks at O’ Brien’s unique take on performing down under, being forced to do a show in Gaelic, the worst Tinder date in history, living life, losing love and the question everyone needs an answer to… “Who breaks up with Stella?”

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Leonard Cohen's Between Your Love and Mine

SATURDAY 24 June | 8pm ₏20/18 Last summer, writer John MacKenna began work on a requiem for theatre, in memory of young friends and in honour of those who mourn them.The requiem was inspired, in particular, by Leonard Cohen’s hope-filled lines: Behold the gates of mercy, in arbitrary space, and none of us deserving the cruelty or the grace, o solitude of longing where love has been confined, come healing of the body, come healing of the mind.

In late October 2016, just two weeks before his death, Leonard approved the final draft of Between Your Love and Mine.

Musical director for the requiem is Aisling Carter and it features the voices of Eric Butler, Katie Jacques and Shane Sullivan.

The band features Aisling Carter on keyboard, Lucy Deegan on cello, Annie-Rose Deegan on violin and David Day on drums.

Spoken word is by Angela Keogh and John Mackenna, who also directs the requiem.

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Dramtech – Welcome to the Chocolate Factory

SUNDAY 25 June | 3pm €15 adults | €12 children Show stopping numbers, delicious treats, and crazy antics, that’s what Dramtech Performing Arts promises in this adapted version of Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. So come and get your ticket to this one time only production.This performance is suitable for all ages, and is the fourth annual production from the students of Dramtech, so please come and show your support for the very talented students in their production of Welcome to the Chocolate Factory!

Peter Pan at powerscourt

SUNDAY 25 June | 2.30pm (Gates Open 1.30pm) €19 Adults | €16 Children | €56 Family Ticket (2 Adults & 2 Children) Chapterhouse Theatre Company are delighted to present an all new production of Peter Pan. Join Wendy, Michael and John Darling on their adventures with Peter, far away on the magical island of Neverland.There they encounter the enchanting mermaids, magical fairies and the cruellest pirate of them all, Captain Hook. J. M. Barrie’s timeless classic is brought to life in a brand new adaptation with beautifully designed costumes, music and songs. Join Peter and his friends for what promises to be the most magical afternoon of the summer. Please bring your own rugs or low-backed seating.

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Frantz

(CERT: Club)

MONDAY 26 June | 8pm €8.50/7 | Duration: 113mins | Language: French, German (English subtitles) Ozon’s enthralling romantic drama, set in post WW1 Germany centres on a grieving woman, Anna, who finds a young Frenchman, Adrien, laying flowers at the grave of her fiancé. Revealing himself to be an old friend of Frantz, Adrien reignites a long departed joy in Anna. But was there more to his relationship with Frantz than is being revealed? “François Ozon surprises again with sumptuous period war drama’’ – Nigel M Smith, The Guardian

The Successful TD FRIDAY 30 June | 8pm €20/18

THE SUCCESSFUL TD follows the trials, tribulations, misadventures and hilarious antics of TULL McADOO as he seeks re-election to the Dail in the “October Elections”. Written by John B Keane in 1967 he displays his edge for humour and satire that are uncomfortably close to the politics of today ... Peppered with Keane’s gallery of madcap characters this show will have you laughing at politics (in a good way) from the start.

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The John McCormack Songbook – Ross Scanlon & David O'Shea SATURDAY 1 July | 8pm €18/16

Acclaimed Tenor Ross Scanlon and Pianist David O’Shea bring to Mermaid their sell out tribute show ‘The John McCormack Songbook’, honouring the great Irish singer and performer featuring classics such as ‘I Hear you Calling Me’, ‘Macushla’, ‘Angels Guard Thee’ and many more audience favourites. “...Ross Scanlon is the most promising Irish tenor I’ve heard in years...”

– The Irish Times

Urban Xpressions 2.0

SUNDAY 2 July | 7pm €15 Adults | €8 Children

UrbanX Hip hop are delighted to be back at Mermaid Arts Centre for our second annual End of Year Showcase. With our dance company continuously growing and the talent getting stronger, Urban Xpressions 2.0 promises to be a spectacular event full of vibrant, entertaining dance routines, performed by our wonderful cast of 4-15 year olds.This show is an excellent opportunity to witness the great work, dedication and fun our students have throughout the year.

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Moscow Never Sleeps

(CERT: 15A)

MONDAY 3 July | 8pm €8/6.50 | Duration: 100mins | Language: Russian (English subtitles) A contemporary multi-narrative feature film that dives headlong into the volatile intersections of Russia’s capital and the intimate lives of five people: An entrepreneur whose business empire comes under siege by powerful bureaucrats; a teenage girl mired in the misery of a broken home; a young man forced to abandon his grandmother; a beautiful singer torn apart by the pursuit of two men; and an ailing film star who gets embroiled in a bizarre kidnapping. Over the course of one day, their lives will change forever.

Short film The Debt and A Blind Man Walks Into A Bar will be screened prior to Moscow Never Sleeps as part of the First Monday series.

THE 10 Dark Secrets of the Irish Revolution THURSDAY 6 July | 8pm €15/13

Paddy Cullivan of Callan’s Kicks,The Late Late Show, Leviathan and Kilkenomics brings you an audiovisual spectacular a century after the Easter Rising. Using Satire, Imagery, Historical Insight and Song - Paddy reveals the 10 strangest things (and Darkest Secrets) that happened during our Rising, Revolution and Counter-Revolution (Civil War). He also draws parallels with those events’ effects on modern Ireland in a story that unfolds like an addictive whodunnit…

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The Visibility Exercise

by Shaun Dunne FRIDAY 7 July | 4pm Free

Please come along to our rehearsed reading of this new work by Shaun Dunne, co-commissioned by Rough Magic Theatre Company and Mermaid. The Visibility Exercise is about a young woman working as a nurse in an abortion clinic, who returns to her native Ireland to engage in a televised campaign towards abortion rights at home. Shaun is interested in exploring the complexities of activism and the difficulties of representing critical issues in a public forum.

Come meet the artist and Director Lynne Parker and watch the actors play.

The Secret Scripture

(CERT: 12a)

MONDAY 10 July | 8pm €8/6.50 | Duration: 108mins | Language: English

Based on Sebastian Barry’s acclaimed novel, Jim Sheridan’s film explores the life and history of Roseanne McNulty (Vanessa Redgrave), a woman confined to the Roscommon Mental Hospital for 50 years. As the institution is about to close, Dr. Grene (Eric Bana) is sent to see whether she’s fit to be released. He’s intrigued

by Roseanne’s fierce attachment to her Bible. As he delves into her past, Dr. Grene gets to know the younger Roseanne (Rooney Mara) and eventually learns the terrible truth about her confinement.

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Stockton's Wing Celebrate 40 Years SATURDAY 8 July | 8pm €25/23

Stockton’s Wing celebrate 40 years of music from 1977 to 2017. Stockton’s Wing was the sound of progressive Irish music during the 80’s and early 90’s.Their eclectic mix of traditional, contemporary and original music along with their powerful energetic and creative live shows guaranteed national and international success.Their hit song “ Beautiful Affair” was voted into the all time top 75 songs on RTE radio and reached no 7 in a similar poll on Today FM. They recorded Eight studio albums, One live album and several compilations, singles, and collaborations with artist such as The Dubliners and Finbar Furey.They played supporting role to Michael Jackson and Prince at Pairc Ui Chaoimh, performed with Sammy Davis Junior at Lansdowne Road and Richard Harris,Tom Berenger and Sean Bean danced to their music on the set of The Field.

The current line up has Mike Hanrahan – vocals & guitar, Steve Cooney - didgeridoo, bass guitar,Tommy Hayes - percussion, Paul Roche – flute, whistles,Tara Breen - fiddle and Karol Lynch on banjo and mandolin.

In the words of the band’s producer, PJ Curtis after a recent reunion gig “what an extraordinary, amazing, mind-blowing concert the Wing delivered last night. I’m still spinning from it. It was TRIUMPHANT!...no other word for it....such an incredible turn-out....and the music and the vibe made it a NIGHT TO REMEMBER!!! It rates as one of the top gigs of the decade for me...”

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somethings

THURSDAY 13 July | 12pm & FRIDAY 14 July | 8pm €10/8 | €8 Matinee Imagine you are in the future, reading the last newspaper ever written, all other news has been destroyed and all you have to learn of the world today is by what is written here. A handful of people and what they have to say on this very day will shape what we believe was the world of the past.They have decided what you should know, what is important and what somethings should be carried into the future.

Devised by a company of performers with intellectual disability, Shadowbox and Gemma Gallagher are back in Mermaid working with a cracking creative team. Come with us on a journey of the imagination entering a world where merging sounds, movements and images tells a story frustration, loss and hope for the future.

Begging us to look again, look with different eyes.

Come with us on a journey of the imagination entering a world where merging sounds, movements and images tell a story of frustration, loss and hope for the future. Begging us to look again, look with different eyes.

It is important to Mermaid that the work we present reflects the rich array of creative people in our community. What working with shadowbox represents is artistic excellence and ambition. The artists on stage are nothing short of remarkable. Engagement in Arts and Culture helps us to collaborate, empathise and problem solve but what these artists will do is share with us and they will teach us. More than what they themselves have learned – we will see democracy, inclusivity and equality – it’s a must see! – Niamh O’Donnell, Mermaid Arts Centre 44

A Summer Introduction to Creative Writing: Fear no more the blank page!

SATURDAY 15 & SUNDAY 16 + SATURDAY 29 & SUNDAY 30 July 11am − 2pm €120 Always wanted to try out writing? Come along to Mermaid this summer for a course that will whet your appetite. With writing exercises to get you going we’ll try out poetry, prose, creative nonfiction and life writing in a supportive and enjoyable atmosphere.

Through word play, scaffolded exercises and selected reading you’ll explore ways to write (and read). Inspiration is closer than you think and we’ll draw on what is around us to find our characters, story ideas and descriptions. Course given by award winning poet and non-fiction writer (and beginner short story writer!) Nell Regan Four day course spread over two weekends, see dates above.

Photo credit Dave Barker.

The Writing Life: Carlo Gebler SATURDAY 15 July | 8pm €12/10

This is the first of our new exciting series of interviews with writers and we begin with Wicklow native Carlo Gebler who spent his early years in a house overlooking Lough Dan. In conversation with local writer Philip St John, Gebler will explore the impact of place on his vision, the advantages and disadvantages of having two renowned writers for parents, and how he has produced over the last thirty five years one of the most impressive, maverick and wide-ranging bodies of work in Irish literature.

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SING

(CERT: G)

SUNDAY 16 July | 2pm €5 | Duration: 110mins | Language: English Buster Moon (Matthew McConaughey) is a dapper koala who presides over a once-grand theatre that has fallen on hard times.

Buster is an eternal optimist who loves his theatre above all and will do anything to preserve it. Now faced with the crumbling of his life’s ambition, he has one final chance to restore his fading jewel to its former glory by producing the world’s greatest singing competition.

Starring Reese Witherspoon, Seth MacFarlane, Scarlett Johansson, John C. Reilly,Taron Egerton and Tori Kelly.

Sully

(cert: 12a)

SUNDAY 16 July | 5pm €5 | Duration: 96mins | Language: English In January 2009, just moments after takeoff, US Airways Flight 1549 made a forced water landing in New York City’s icy cold Hudson River. The poise and skill of Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger (Tom Hanks) ensured the safety of all 155 passengers and crew.

Shortly after, investigators used computer simulations to charge Sullenberger and his co-pilot with having put the passengers and the plane needlessly at risk. Clint Eastwood tells the story of Sullenberger’s multiple ordeals with economy and precision echoing the protagonist’s grace under pressure.

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It's Only The End of The World (CERT: 15A) MONDAY 17 July | 8pm €8/6.50 | Duration: 97mins | Language: French (English subtitles) After a several-year absence writer Louis returns home to announce to his family that he is soon going to die. But his welcome into the fold is somewhat different than he anticipated. His mother, younger sister and older brother are too caught up in their private worlds and their trivial frustration to notice anyone except themselves.

Everyone finds a reason to blame Louis for something he did in the past, and time slips by in a spate of quarrels, despite the visitor’s attempts at conciliation.

SILENCE

(CERT: 12a)

MONDAY 24 July | 8pm €8/6.50 | Duration: 159mins | Language: English, Japanese Directed by Martin Scorsese, filmed in Taiwan and set in 17thcentury Japan, Silence is the story of two young Portuguese priests who dare to enter the island empire during the time when the Tokugawa shogunate was attempting to eradicate the Christian religion. As the two priests search for their former teacher, an older missionary (Liam Neeson) rumored to have committed apostasy rather than suffer the tortures of the shogun’s chief inquisitor, their beliefs are subjected to fiendish tests both physical and psychological.

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Legally Blonde…The Musical WEDNESDAY 26 − SATURDAY 29 July | 8pm €20

Performed by Sheevawn Musical Youth Theatre (Seniors) Following their sell out performances of Les Mis in July 2016 this very talented stage school is back in the PINK with Legally Blonde.

Based on the MGM motion picture, this high-octane, light-hearted musical tells the story of Elle who after being jilted by her boyfriend follows him to law school. She not only finds true love but a successful career despite all the obstacles.

Beauty and the Beast

(Cert: pG)

SUNDAY 30 July | 2pm €5 | Duration: 129mins | Language: English

Disney’s Beauty and the Beast is a live-action re-telling of the animated classic which refashions the classic characters for a contemporary audience. Beauty and the Beast is the fantastic journey of Belle (Emma Watson), a bright, beautiful and independent young woman who is taken prisoner by a beast (Dan Stevens) in his castle. Despite her fears, she befriends the castle’s enchanted staff and learns to look beyond the Beast’s hideous exterior and realize the kind heart and soul of the true Prince within.

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A Monster Calls

(Cert: 12a)

SUNDAY 30 July | 5pm €5 | Duration: 112mins | Language: English

12-year-old Conor is bullied by his classmates because he sees the world differently. His mother (Felicity Jones), is suffering from a terminal illness while his distant, divorced dad (Toby Kebbell) has started a new life in the US and his bossy grandmother (Sigourney Weaver) has become increasingly controlling. Suddenly, a wizened and mysterious yew tree materialises (Liam Neeson in performance-capture mode) to provide Conor with some muchneeded guidance. An intimate, heart-warming fable about a boy coming to terms with the messiness of real life.

The Salesman

(Cert: 12a)

MONDAY 31 July | 8pm €8/6.50 | Duration: 125mins | Language: Persian, English As husband and wife Emad and Rana prepare for their amateur production of Arthur Miller’s ‘Death of a Salesman’, their Tehran apartment block is on the brink of collapse and the couple is obliged to move into a shabby nearby flat. A case of mistaken identity sees a violent incident throw their lives into turmoil and unexpected cracks begin to form in the foundations of a seemingly happy marriage.

Winner of the Best Screenplay and Best Actor awards at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival 49

Jack L – Magic Days FRIDAY 11 August | 8pm €22/20

Our National Treasure, the great Jack L, is thankfully coming back to Wicklow with another knock-out show Magic Days.

Jack shared the stage in London at The Royal Albert Hall, when he was Very Special Guest on the Jools Holland Show, on 26th of November last year and this summer he promises to deliver a spectacular event with some great new characters to introduce you to from his vivid imagination! none more vivid then the man himself!

Recently at The Hollywood Fringe Festival, in California, jack picked up the 2 top awards! The Judges Pick Best Act award and the Press award for Best Performance of the Festival.

With this brand new self penned album in the shops and selling like hot cakes, and the single The King of Soho receiving massive countrywide airplay, Jack’s profile is sky high.The album has been RTE’s Album Of The Week and is still top of the play list there!

Do join us for what will be a magic night FOR ALL Jack Fans!

“Jack is one of the greatest interpreters of song lyrics I have heard in recent years” – Christopher Riddle (Leader of The Nelson Riddle Orchestra) “As with all great shows, it’s over too soon” – Edinburgh Evening News “A gorgeous, versatile Baritone” – The Washington Post “Jack L’s voice is an irresistible force of nature” – The Irish Times What a voice… what a performer! – Los Angeles Times 5 stars….His best ever, Album (Magic Days) – Hot Press 2017 50

Graduation

(Cert: 15a)

MONDAY 7 August | 8pm €8/6.50 | Duration: 128mins | Language: Romanian (English subtitles) Romeo Aldea, a respected doctor living with his family in a small town in Transylvania, is doing everything he can to ensure that his daughter gets to attend university in Britain. But when she is attacked on the eve of her exams, Romeo proves he is ready to act to win her the grades she needs, violating his principles and making the compromises he deplores in others. Winner of Best Director at Cannes Film Festival 2016.

Short film Blackrock Sequence will be screened prior to Graduation as part of the First Monday series.

Heal The Living (Cert: cLUB)

MONDAY 14 August | 8pm €8.50/7 | Duration: 103mins | Language: French (English subtitles) It all starts at daybreak with three young surfers on the raging seas.

A few hours later, on the way home, an accident occurs. Now entirely hooked up to life-support in a hospital in Le Havre, Simon’s existence is little more than an illusion. Meanwhile, in Paris, a woman awaits the organ transplant that will give her a new lease on life.

Katell Quillévéré’s remarkable ensemble drama is adapted from an acclaimed novel by Maylis de Kerangal.

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BigKidLittleKid

FRIDAY 18 August | 2pm & SATURDAY 19 August | 11am Free Are you a big kid or a little kid? Or both? This August, we’re taking our first steps towards this brand new show for ages 2-5 years.

BigKidLittleKid is being created right here at the Mermaid by Braybased internationally acclaimed Director Anna Newell. And at the end of just four days of playing around, we’d like you to come along for a sneaky peek at our ideas! FREE but limited audience capacity so book early! Co-commissioned by Pavilion Theatre, Dun Laoghaire and Mermaid Arts Centre, Bray.

Miller's Crossing

(Cert: 18)

SATURDAY 19 August | 8pm €8/6.50 | Duration: 115 mins | Language: English

Made 27 years ago the Coen Brothers were not yet the Oscarwinning, cinephile-worshipped filmmaking legends they are today.

It’s time to see this intricate gangster drama on the big screen and with an introduction from Wicklow Film maker and Lecturer Noel MacAoidh. Come join us and learn some interesting tit-bits (the brothers turned down batman to make this film and Gabrielle Byrne had to convince them to let him keep his Irish accent!) and witness together the point at which the Coen Brothers proved themselves the true cinematic chameleons we know them as today.

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Endless Poetry

(Cert: 18)

MONDAY 21 August | 8pm €8/6.50 | Duration: 128mins | Language: Spanish (English subtitles) In 1940s Santiago de Chile, 20-year-old “Alejandrito” Jodorowsky vows to become a poet against the will of his disciplinarian father.

Leaving home, he is introduced to the inner circle of the artistic and intellectual avant-garde of the time, meeting promising young writers who will become the masters of Latin America’s modern literature.

Immersed in a world of poetic experimentation, they live together as few have dared to live before: sensually, authentically, freely, madly.

A euphoric and unadulterated portrayal of artistic exuberance told through dreamlike visual language.

Jackie

(Cert: 15a)

MONDAY 28 | 8pm & TUESDAY 29 August | 2.30pm €8/6.50 | €5 Matinee | Duration: 99mins | Language: English Depicting the trauma of JFK’s assassination in November 1963 as experienced by his wife Jackie (Natalie Portman), the film focuses on the immediate aftermath of the shooting, with flashbacks to the days before the event. Anchored by an extraordinary performance from Natalie Portman and graced by Mica Levi’s innovative score, Jackie is a fractured mosaic of grief, shock and confusion for a wife who has to somehow find a way to define what her husband’s legacy would be.

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Bagatelle – summer in dublin SATURDAY 26 August | 8pm €28/26

Bagatelle, the Irish super group were all set to call it a day back in 2016, but have decided to perform a handful of shows in selected venues across Ireland this summer that had an impact on their career spanning some 39 years.There is no better place to take a trip down memory lane than in Mermaid Arts Centre, Bray as Bagatelle play Ken Doyle’s home town as part of this intimate tour.

Those who attended the last show will remember it as an emotional trip for the rock group from Bray, who first formed in 1978.The audience again can expect a ‘hugely entertaining and memorable night’.

Bagatelle have shared stages with artists such as Bob Marley, Don McLean, Jose Feliciano and many, many more.They have had albums produced by Phil Coulter and the late Gus Dudgeon, who produced for David Bowie and Elton John.They also appeared on the “Self Aid” concert in the mid-1980s with U2 and Van Morrison.

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Andy Irvine & Donal Lunny FRIDAY 1 September | 8pm €22/20

Two giants of the Irish trad scene, Andy Irvine and Donal Lunny are uniting for an evening of great music, a mixture of traditional songs, and originals composed by Andy. Between them, Irvine and Lunny have been at the helm of legendary bands like Sweeney’s Men, Planxty,The Bothy Band, Mozaik, LAPD and recently Usher’s Island.Their unique style of accompaniment is an ongoing influence in the wider world of Irish music. Lunny and Irvine will present a programme of Irish music and Andy’s songs with a bit of Eastern European music.

Route 66 Big Band Live SATURDAY 2 September | 8pm €20/18

Route 66 Big Band are delighted to make a return visit to Mermaid Arts Centre following their very successful show last year.Their programme takes the audience on a magical musical trip from the 40’s right up to the present day including hits made famous by Glenn Miller, Frank Sinatra, Adele, Amy Winehouse,Tom Jones, Joe Dolan,Tina Turner,Van Morrison and many more.These numbers, played with a fabulous big brass sound, are guaranteed to keep you entertained right throughout the evening and looking for more at the end of the show.

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BECOME A MERMAID friend Mermaid Friends are people who support the centre and help us to create opportunities for artists. As a registered charity, each contribution to Mermaid makes a big difference, no matter how big or small.

Mermaid Friend Level 1: €60 Mermaid Friend Level 2: €120 Mermaid Friend Level 3: €350 Mermaid Friend Level 4: €1000 Benefits include free tickets to selected shows.

This season our friends may attend The Writing Life: Carlo Gebler, as well as any one of the following shows: - What Good is Looking Well When You’re Rotten on the Inside?

- Tim Crouch - I, Malvolio - Have I No Mouth – Brokentalkers -

thanks for being our friends!

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MERMAID friendS John McCormick Philip & Noella O’Reilly Derek Pullen Ken Duff, Duff’s Lounge & Bar Beatrice Lasserre Don Bagley Martin & Patricia Davidson Yvonne & Jim Kidd Mary Doyle Pat Ralph Finola Murphy Bernie Chambers Alan & Marie Downes Marie Ryan Brian & Sheila Healy Jane Kierans Peggy Masterson Ian and Jean MacGreevy - Craft Picture Framing Gallery Annick Smith Sean Leahy Neville Keery John Kelly Nanette O’Connell Daphne Millar Ann & Syl Holland Joan Davis Tanya Kiang Jean Duffy George & Joan Jones Rick Caldicott Patricia Cronnelly Carolyn MacDonnell Ian Scott Patricia O’Beirne

OUR funderS

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How to find us You will find Mermaid Arts Centre in the civic offices complex on Bray Main Street, between Bank of Ireland and Premier Arts & Crafts.

Parking

Mermaid has FREE underground parking for all evening and weekend shows.There is pay & display overground parking available.

Club Films Some of the films we screen here at Mermaid have not been certified by the Irish Censorship Office. In order to screen these films we need to operate as a film club.This nominal fee has been integrated into the ticket price for all CLUB films. Everyone over 18 years is welcome to attend club films.

Brochure Design by Rachel Sweeney

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Mermaid Arts Centre Main St., Bray, Co. Wicklow Tel: 01-2724030 www.mermaidartscentre.ie