Mark O’Rowe’s “Reunion” is currently being showcased at the Black Box Theatre until July 27th, with ticket prices ranging from €25 to €39.50. This production, a collaboration between Landmark Productions and Galway International Arts Festival, offers a compelling perspective on extended family gathering, boasting an acclaimed cast featuring Cathy Belton, Simone Collins, Stephen Brennan and Robert Sheehan.
At the Festival Theatre from July 19th to 24th, “Duck Pond” is set to enthrall audiences with its intriguing reinterpretation of Swan Lake. This Australian production, a Circa and Yaron Lifschitz project, is a spectacle of acrobatics and aerial dance, adorned with sequinned ducks, flippers and a cascade of feathers. Tickets are available between €25 and €37.50.
Lebanese artist Tania el Khoury explores topics of migration, borders, and citizenship in an impactful installation, “Cultural Exchange Rate”, hosted at Aula Maxima from July 16th to 28th. Based on authentic recordings and familial revelations, entry to this exhibit is set at €20.
In a poignant commemoration of a departed companion, “As We Face the Sun” brings together a troupe of classmates for their annual celebration. Hosted at Nun’s Island Theatre until June 28th, this theatrical experience caters to audiences aged 12 and above, with tickets priced between €16 and €19.
“Map of Argentina”, a fresh piece by Marina Carr, is being staged by Decadent Theatre Company and Galway Arts Centre at An Taibhdhearc until July 27th. Under the direction of Andrew Flynn, the play delves into the convoluted dynamics of familial relations and explores themes of love, denial, and pursuit. Tickets are available from €23 to €28.
Legendary Irish punk-rap group, Kneecap, is set to perform at the Big Top on July 18th, for a ticket fee of €39.50. This trio from West Belfast, comprised of Móglaí Bap, Mo Chara, and DJ Provaí, effortlessly blends Irish and English language in their music. They are gearing up for the simultaneous release of their debut album and a feature film starring themselves alongside Michael Fassbender.
The renowned Australian artist, Patricia Piccinini, will be showcasing her distinctive sculptures, installments, and digital environments at the Festive Gallery on William Street until July 28th, and the event is free. Piccinini’s creations blur the line between humans and animals, depicting futuristic species in a slightly unsettling manner.
Held at the Town Hall Theatre, Endgame is an enthralling tragicomic story of a man living with his parents and his servant in an unspecified location and era. This masterpiece by Beckett will be presented by Aaron Monaghan, Marie Mullen, Rory Nolan, and Bosco Hogan till July 28th with ticket prices ranging from €28-€33.
On July 17th at the Big Top, Stewart Copeland, The Police’s co-founder and drummer, presents ‘Police Deranged for Orchestra’. The show celebrates The Police’s music with Copeland on vocals, Galway conductor Eimear Noone leading a 28-piece orchestra, promising a night filled with engaging stories and The Police’s popular hits. The admission fee is €49.50.
Unspeakable Conversations, a play taking place at the Mick Lally Theatre until July 27th, is a provocative drama from disabled actors Liz Carr and Mat Fraser, being sold at €25-€30. It explores the sensitive proposition of supporting euthanasia for disabled infants, featuring a meeting between philosopher Peter Singer and disability rights advocate Harriet McBryde Johnson.
Lastly, Enda Walsh’s ‘Rooms’ is being shown at Galway Harbour’s The Shed till July 28th, with admission priced at €10.
The festival this year will showcase a duo of immersive theatre installations. Penned by Enda Walsh, the ‘Room’ series unfolds the private lives of distinctive characters with each set-up. With Walsh at the helm and Paul Fahy, the Giaf director, as the designer, the series offers two fascinating narratives. The piece titled ‘Dining Room’ traces the disrupted life of a single staff B&B owner, while ‘Changing Room’ is centered around a swimmer and his neatly arranged attire.
Another exciting event, West Wind, will take place at Eyre Square on July 19th and 20th at 4pm and on July 21st at 2pm, at no charge. This circus and aerial display by French troupe Les P’Tits Bras transports the audience to a dreamlike American landscape with touches of rodeo antics and a New Orleans-inspired soundscape.
Pegasus, a street parade marching from Eyre Square to Spanish Arch, is scheduled for July 19th and 20th, also at no cost. This spectacular street fest is the brainchild of the creative minds behind the 2023 Dragon extravaganza, Planète Vapeur.
On July 18th, St Nicholas Church welcomes the Tibetan singer Yungchen Lhamo who revives spiritual melodies, promising a healing experience, after two decades of absence from Galway. The ticket price is €30.
Festival Printworks Gallery will host Yvonne McGuinness’s film ‘What’s Left Us Then,’ a contemplative exploration of the oft-overlooked material concrete. It blends bucolic and brutalist elements, running until July 28th, without an admission fee.
The Galway City Museum is putting on a captivating photographic exhibit, ‘Women of the Thar Desert’ by award-winning photographer Karen Cox, until July 28th, free of charge. Cox provides a captivating portrayal of women’s lives in India’s Thar Desert, with a one-off artist’s talk scheduled for July 20th.
Finally, a range of intriguing talks, labelled ‘First Thought Talks,’ are lined up on assorted dates and venues across the University of Galway Campus at a cost of €10 each.
The festival talks series, as always, brings forth a thought-provoking roster to deliberate on significant and urgent matters of life. The esteemed actor and campaigner, Liz Carr, who is also part of Unspeakable Conversations at the current festival, will be tackling the subject of assisted suicide with Christian O’Reilly, a playwright, in a segment titled Better Off Dead? set for July 18th. Meanwhile, on July 20th, Elaine Burke and Adrian Weckler will be delving into the topic of AI in a discussion named The Rise of the Machines. And, psychiatrist Brendan Kelly will be engaging in conversation about resilience with Catriona Crowe on July 21st. The First Thought Talks will be hosted in various locations at the University of Galway Campus, and each ticket is priced at €10.