Friday, July 14, 2017

#RiotDublin

Where to begin?

I've just arrived home from the finest night of entertainment on an Irish stage since I saw the glorious heyday of Passion Machine plays in the mid Eighties. I attended Riot in Vicar Steet this evening - the perfect venue for this raucous riveting display of Irish talent. Part spoken word, part dance, part aerial acrobatics, part searing commentary on the politics and social status of this little island, part song - a thousand belly laughs, a few tears. Just FN BRILLIANT! Reminiscent of the cabaret scene in Berlin in the 1930s I think.

This show should be mandatory for the senior cycle of every school in this country. It shows what we are capable of, it highlights Irish creativity, it shows the love we have for each other, it teaches respect for every individual drawing a breath at this very moment. I was probably one of the older members of the audience but by god I stamped and clapped and danced and sang with all dem young wans. I gave it welly!

The show was co-written by Emmet Kirwan and Panti Bliss - two flippin' geniuses, with additional text and voiceover by our own darling curmudgeon Michael Harding. So you know the writing was top class. Composer and Musical Director was Alma Kelliher and Up and Over It with the Lords of Strut and Ronan Brady took care of most of the dance, acrobatics and clowning. The singing was superb particularly Adam Matthews and Nicola Kavanagh and I have a feeling that Megan Riordan - a force of nature - was the glue that held the whole thing together.

The set, costumes, light and sound design were top notch. I genuinely could not find one fault with the event. I hope to Christ it comes back again or tours the country or hits the West End - it is certainly good enough to do so.


High Fives and Big Hugs to everyone involved. I love yiz!!