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DUBLIN ... Colman Higgins describes the scope and history of Dublin Gay Theatre Festival ... and reviews two of its shows ... Down Dangerous Passes Road ... Confessions of A Mormon Boy /// LONDON ... film on now ... La Question Humaine / Heartbeat Detector /// BRIGHTON ... It's on till 26 May and here's at least 20 Things you might want to know about Brighton Fringe /// PEOPLE ... Who was there at Fringe Report's First Monday 5 May - photographs & article /// CULTURE ... One Culture ... film screening 30 May booking now ... details
The MiserVerdict: Moliere in Dublin
This production of Moliere's classic farce The Miser has been transported from 17th Century France to 18th Century Dublin, with elaborate costumes and wigs - to match the Georgian interior of a room in the James Joyce Centre, where it is performed.
While the original French names are kept, Dublin place-names are used and the social history of the time is clear in the working-class accents of the servants and the Anglo-Irish tones of their masters. A nice touch is the way in which the audience feels that they had entered the Georgian world even before the show starts, with the servants from the show standing behind the bar in the waiting area, and even making the safety announcement in character.
Connolly Heron and Paul Nolan create excellent comic characters in the two main servants, Shadaan Felfeli plays a subtle and convincing Valere, and Martin Philips has boundless energy in the demanding title role as Harapagon the Miser. However, to single out these four does not diminish the strong performances of the rest of the cast.
Cast Credits: (alpha order): Alberto Albertino - Lord Anselme / La Merluche. Shadaan Felfeli - Valere. David Ferguson - An Officer / Brindovine. Connolly Heron - La Fleche. Declan McGauran - Cleante. Eithne McGuinness - Frosine. Paul Nolan - Maitre Jacques / The Broker Simon. Bernie O'Reilly - Marianne. Martin Philips - Harapagon the Miser. Sarah-Jayne Quigley - Elise. Helen Smith - Miss Claude / Singer. Piano Players - Archie Chen, Evan Ferrar, Vincent Lynch.
Company Credits: Writer / Translator / Director - Alice Coughlan. Musical Director / Arranger - Desmond Earley. Assistant Director - Charlotte Harrison. Costume Design - Aisling Nic Eoin. Associate Costume Designer - Gillian Hollingsworth. Lighting Designer - Helina Patience. Wig Design / Making - Patricia McDevitt. Stage Manager / Dramaturg - Camilla Wilcock. Assistant Stage Manager - Jean Igoe. Original Photography / Poster Design - Shane White. Producer - Sean Ramsay. Company - Wonderland Theatre.
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(c) Colman Higgins 2007
reviewed Friday 21 September 07 / Dublin
Fringe Report (c) Fringe Report 2002-2008