West Kerry Live - Corca Dhuibhne Beo - News Sports Features and Entertainment on the Dingle Peninsula

Dick Mack’s pub, Dingle, 4th May 8pm
Back West have been playing their freewheeling mix of cajun-country-trad-blues for the last two years as Dick Mack’s resident band. And for two whole years their normal response when asked for a CD was “Yes we do have CDs for sale, but unfortunately none of ours”.
But now that’s all changed and they’ve finally done it! They are launching a collection of some of their most popular numbers during Feile na Bealtaine… Friday 4th May from 8pm (at Dick Mack’s of course). Special launch price €10 for one night only.

Tim O’Connor is a singer/songwriter and guitarist, and a very charismatic performer. He truly lives his songs which are “full of emotion, poetry, observation, and wit”. He has performed all over the world and has played with some very fine musicians and recently droped in to see Mazz at the Dingle Record Shop and played a few songs. He stems from Irish Roots but grew up musically in the melting pot of Manchester. He draws on many influences icluding The Beatles, Dylan and Neil Young but has truly found his own style. He has been very involved with acoustic /folk-Irish music and roots music in general.  The resulting session can be heard at www..sessionsfromtheshop.com and on the shops youtube channel.

A local crowd packed the house for the final night of the Beehive Theatre Company's “Briefs” -- an evening of seven short plays by first-time playwrights.  Working over the winter with playwright and musician Mike Venner, the new writers gave life to a melange of quirky characters in sticky situations. 
A particular crowd-pleaser was Orna Dunlevy's three-act take on post-boom Ireland, “Downsizers.”  A comedic skewering of pretension, aspiration and keeping up appearances, “Downsizers” charts two couples whose friendship has split on the boom-bust divide.  Aidan O'Shea gives a great performance as a man on the down and out trying to maintain his humor and humanity.
Another standout is Patsy Farr's “Waiting,” where three old women in a nursing home combat their unvarying days with orneriness, games and episodic dementia.   The playwright also takes the lead role, a weighty and forceful presence who refuses to be patronized, or forgive old wounds. 
Veronique Gerber's three shorts feature unexpected twists and fun with language, each delivering a punchy, surprise ending.  Malcolm George adds to his consistently good run of performances in two of these, and also in Billy O'Brien's “Best Friends,” which chronicles a mess of deception among four friends with a clever and challenging technique.  And Camilla Dinkel's “Cosi Fan Tutte” reveals layers of personality and character in a charming monologue. 
“Briefs” is an entertaining evening that introduces fresh talent to the local theatrical scene.  The crowd on the night was highly appreciative, even applauding a scene change (involving a ladder).  If the Beehive reprises any or all of these plays, make sure to get a ticket.