Some kinda Love

Damian McCarney

“It’s basically madness,” Karina Charles exclaims in a last resort when explaining the debut show that the newly formed Crescendo Theatre company intend to present this weekend.
“It’s more of an experience. It’s not a play, it’s not a poetry reading, but I’m not sure what it is. Maybe the word hasn’t been invented yet!”
It’s seemingly as hard to describe as ‘Love’, which is also the title of the show. ‘Love…?’ sees Karina team up with Lavey actress Kathy Fitzpatrick to star in, direct and produce a dramatisation of love poems by some literary heavyweights. Accordingly they’ve picked verse by WB Yeats, Emily Dickinson, Lady Gregory and Shakespeare and used James Joyce’s quotes to bind them together into a bouquet of performance poetry. They assure us it will live up to their billing of “A feast for all the senses”.
“We use as many mediums as possible,” explains Karina during a break from rehearsals in Cavan’s cavernous Town Hall. “So we have spoken word, we have some mime, we have some shadow, we have some music (a live soundtrack is provided by keyboard player Brendan Munnelly) – and we’re using all of these things to bring these poems to life and weave in a story that looks at love through the eyes of these poets.”
Karina plays Emily Dickinson, Kathy takes on the role of Lady Gregory, while Johnny Binchy is Yeats and Begrudgers Ray Fitzsimons and Shane Carroll are Shakespeare and Joyce respectively.
Ray compares ‘Love…?’ to Kevin O’Connor’s thrilling outdoor production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream in the old Abbey a few years back. He notes how surprised people were at their ability to bring “Shakespeare to life” and expects to inject the same theatricality into these poems.
“There’s a great mix, because some of the poetry lends itself to really serious examinations of the theme and then others have a lot of humour – so it’s not a continuous narrative on the greatness of love – every aspect is covered. There’s lots of comedy in there drama, and interesting moments.”

Confidence
‘Love…?’ has hurtled Karina and Kathy out of their comfort zone as they are used to the guidance of scripts, stage directions and a director. Having work-shopped all of the poems they enlisted the help of Bryan Burroughs, a movement teacher from the Lir in Dublin, to help “tighten up” their ideas and are now confident that they are on the right tracks. “He said it’s a fantastic idea,” enthused Kathy.
“He gave us confidence, and showed us that what we were doing wasn’t bad,” adds Karina. “Because we are nervous about it, it is something different for us.”
The pair, who insist they are not “poetry buffs”, hope that the show will have a wide appeal and believe it could help English students to find a way into the often daunting world of poetry.
“Three of the poets are going to be on the leaving cert curriculum and the junior cert in the next two years as well,” says Kathy, who previously taught film making with Young Irish Filmmakers and acted in the Gonzo’s Devil’s Ceili. “It’s a lovely way for schools to come and see the poems, to actually see it in action.”
Catch the madness of ‘Love...?’ on Cavan Town Hall on May 18 and 19 and curtain raises at 8pm. Tickets €12 from Multisound or phone 087 7064 081. It will also run for three nights during the Life of Reilly Festival in August.

If Love...? isn't your thing - here's a list of other events taking place over the coming days...

Antique and vintage exhibition
When: Sunday, May 19
Where: St. Mary’s Hall, Tierworker
What: Tierworker ‘Young at Heart’ ARA are holding an antique and vintage exhibition.

Social dance
When: Saturday, May 18
Where: St. Brigid’s Community Centre, Loch Gowna
What: Dance in aid of Cycle Against Suicide. Music by Country Pride. Dancing from 9.30pm-12.30am. Supper included, admission €10.

‘Expressions’
When: Until May 25
Where: Cootehill Library
What: ‘Expressions’, an exhibition of paintings by local artists including Ray Savage, Pat Bannon, Tina Treanor, Ann Rudden, Celia Keys, Joan Hannon, Rita Clarke, Phil McKenna, Angela Fitzpatrick, Dorothy Browne McCann, Mary Smith, Una Brennan, Grainne Donohoe & Nuala Browne.

Do Run Run
When: Sunday, May 19, noon
Where: Bailieborough
What: Do Run Run Duathlon & 5k -2.9km run/17.4km cycle/2.9km run. Registration on www.runireland.com or on the day from 9am at Bailieborough Community School.

Vintage car show
When: Sunday, May 19
Where: Hotel Kilmore carpark
What: Lots of vintage cars, tractors, stationary engines, rally cars and a few sports cars, autojumble, also indoor stalls, a great day for young and old, contact John 087-6687755.

Dawn Chorus Bailieborough
When: Sunday, May 19
Where: Castle Lake Woods
What: A great opportunity to enjoy birdsong at its best and an early morning walk in Bailieborough. Meet at the Lakeshore car park, Lear entrance at 4.30am. Directions: take the Shercock Rd out of Bailieborough. Turning left at Lakeland Dairies, proceed for 2km approx and the forest entrance is on your left. There is no charge for this event and all are very welcome!

Dawn Chorus Arva
Where: Arva
When: Sunday, May 19
What: Meet at the car park of veterinary surgeons, Hoffman and Kaufmann, Tyusker, Arva at 5am. Contact Heather 087 6699681. Listening to birdsong at dawn is a very special experience at this time of year and it’s well worth the effort to rise in the early hours to experience what it’s all about!

Book Launch
When: Monday, May 20, 9pm
Where: Gallonray House
What: Launch of ‘Tributes And Treats’, a compilation of poems and reflections by Anne McCabe, Drumgoon. All welcome.

Customer Lunch
When: Wednesday, May 22
Where: Errigal House Hotel
What: Head of Small Business & Agri Banking at Bank of Ireland, Gerry Prizeman, will be the guest speaker discussing the business environment and in particular what local businesses are doing to generate business momentum.

Come Dancing
When: Wednesday, May 22
Where: Errigal Country House Hotel, Cootehill
What: J&S Sound make their second visit to the Errigal House. Dancing for 10pn to 12.30. Your support is welcomed for this fund raising dances.