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Irish Times
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
T5 and Sea Wall double bill review: Two very different responses to trauma pack an emotional punch
T5 and Sea Wall Galway Arts Centre, Nun's Island ★★★★☆ This is a double-bill of plays by the British playwright (with Irish background) Simon Stephens , both short one-act monologues, small intense nuggets. Winner of Tony and Olivier best-play awards for his hit stage adaptation of Mark Haddon's novel The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, Stephens is a prolific and pin-sharp playwright, often chronicling emotional truth and asking difficult questions. Stephens himself has acknowledged that Sea Wall (2008) is a favourite of his, a play also made into a film short starring Andrew Scott. T5 (from 2010) refers to Heathrow airport's Terminal 5. The two short (each about a half-hour long) monologues were previously paired together in 2012, presented as London. They are strong, forthright and beautiful pieces, emotionally powerful choices for Galway's Decadent Theatre Company's festival show. In T5 Sarah Morris's performance is electric. She's wired and on the edge, frozen in position, eyes wide and blazing and maniacal, barely time to breathe. Amid the bustle of the city and the relentless and familiar tyranny of stuff and tasks and things to remember in modern life, 'I must…., I must…, I must…,' she has broken off, stopped, just walked away. READ MORE The audience is within her mind during her journey, a mind crowded and frantic and troubled, occasionally bursting into the comfort of the line of a song. As things evolve, we see this is more than panic at the enormity of managing a life, but a response to trauma – or actually two traumatic situations. Sea Wall starts more softly. Ian Lloyd Anderson is Alex, a young man with a blessed life. With tenderness, humour and emotional openness, he describes his absolute love for his wife Helen, how their eight-year-old daughter is 'my sweetheart and Helen's sidekick' and visiting his mathsy, characterful father-in-law, who lives on the south coast of France. [ Playwright Simon Stephens: 'Our sense of self is defined by the stories we tell ourselves. My family told themselves we were Irish' ] But Alex has a hole inside; not of emptiness, but from pain. He unfolds his story, which becomes one of those moments where everything falls away, the rug pulled out. The beautifully written script is matched by Lloyd Anderson's self-reflective, natural, charming, raw performance. Ciaran Bagnall's set and lighting is low key, evoking a window beyond to the world. Director Andrew Flynn's nuanced direction hits the tone of both, the mania and the gentle pain; the cracking scripts are gifts for him and for both actors. Though written separately, the plays work well together and bounce off each other as very different responses to trauma, singly and together having strength, delicacy and an emotional punch. T5 and Sea Wall run at the Galway Arts Centre until July 26th
Cision Canada
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Cision Canada
Redbreast Irish Whiskey Joins TIFF as the Official Whiskey of the Festival!
As the Official Whiskey of TIFF, Redbreast will be featured across a series of exclusive events and experiences – including 'Unhidden Gems,' a co-curated collection of films worth seeing, to help unearth cinematic masterpieces and shine a global spotlight on them, as well as the Redbreast Red Carpet Suite, which will feature tastings, cocktails and film-inspired storytelling, amongst other exciting activations throughout the festival. Each of these moments will offer guests a taste of its award-winning portfolio and provide an elegant setting for creators and industry leaders to connect, celebrate, and toast the art of storytelling in all its forms. With a legacy spanning over a century, Redbreast has stayed true to the Irish Pot Still whiskey making tradition. Today, it's regarded as the definitive expression of the quintessential style of Irish whiskey making. This partnership with TIFF, now in its milestone year of curating some of the most compelling voices in film, unites two icons in their respective worlds where patience, precision, and passion give rise to unforgettable experiences, whether on screen or in a glass. "There is something deeply human about both film and whiskey that gives each the power to linger long after the moment ends," said George Skarpathiotakis, Senior Brand Director at Corby Spirit and Wine. "Just as our whiskey spends years developing its signature character, many of the films featured at TIFF are the result of years of vision, persistence, and creative risk-taking. We are raising a glass and celebrating the mastery where attention to detail and reverence for tradition leads to unforgettable outcomes." At the heart of Redbreast's cultural platform is a desire to celebrate moments of discovery - those rare finds that feel both timeless and unexpected. Through its global campaign 'Quite the Find', Redbreast honours the craftsmanship and character found in both exceptional whiskey and meaningful storytelling. Building on its successful collaboration at SXSW Film & TV Festival, alongside BAFTA winner, Golden Globes and SAG nominee-- Brand Ambassador Andrew Scott, the partnership with TIFF continues that journey of connecting emotionally resonant stories that are crafted with care and meant to be discovered. The 50 th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival will run from Thursday, September 4 th to Sunday, September 14 th with more details on Redbreast activations to be announced in the coming weeks. About Corby Spirit and Wine Corby Spirit and Wine Limited is a leading Canadian manufacturer, marketer and distributor of spirits, wines and ready-to-drink (RTD). Corby's portfolio of owned-brands includes some of the most renowned brands in Canada, including J.P. Wiser's ®, Lot 40 ®, and Pike Creek ® Canadian whiskies, Lamb's ® rum, Polar Ice ® vodka, McGuinness ® liqueurs, Ungava ® gin, Cabot Trail ® liqueur, Chic Choc ® Spiced rum, The Foreign Affair® wines, and Ace Beverage Group's Cottage Springs ®, Cabana Coast ®, Liberty Village®, and Good Vines ®. Through its affiliation with Pernod Ricard S.A., a global leader in the spirits and wine industry, Corby also represents leading international brands such as Absolut ® vodka, Chivas Regal ®, The Glenlivet ® and Ballantine's ® Scotch whiskies, Skrewball ® whiskey, Jameson ® Irish whiskey, Código 1530 ® and Olmeca Altos ® tequilas, Beefeater ® gin, Malibu ® rum, Kahlúa ® liqueur, Mumm ® champagne; and Jacob's Creek ®, Wyndham Estate ®, Stoneleigh ®, Campo Viejo ®, and Kenwood ® wines. Corby is a publicly traded company based in Toronto, Ontario, and listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the trading symbols CSW.A and CSW.B. For further information, please visit our website or follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, or Twitter. About Redbreast For more than a century, Redbreast has stayed true to the single pot still whiskey making tradition and today is considered to be the definitive expression of this quintessential style of Irish whiskey. Crafted by Master Blender, David McCabe, and the team at Midleton Distillery in County Cork, Redbreast offers a rich, full-bodied flavour profile with a signature sherry influence, and is growing in popularity in key Irish whiskey markets around the world including the US, UK and Ireland. The most-awarded single pot still Irish whiskey range in the world * demonstrates a clear commitment to age, quality and innovation in Irish whiskey, and features; Redbreast 12 Year Old, 12 Year Old Cask Strength, 15 Year Old, 18 Year Old, 21 Year Old and 27 Year Old; Redbreast 10 Year Old Distillery Edition; and The Redbreast Iberian Series. * Based on the tasting results of the nine most influential blind tasting competitions in 2024, including; The Irish Whiskey Masters, International Wine & Spirit Competition, International Spirits Competition, Beverage Testing Institute, San Francisco World Spirits Competition, New York World Wine and Spirits Competitions, Singapore World Spirits Competition, The Luxury Masters and the World Whiskies Awards.
Daily Mail
13-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Paul Mescal and Andrew Scott bring the fun to Wimbledon's Royal Box on final day as best pals leave actress Keira Knightley in hysterics
Paul Mescal and Andrew Scott brought the fun and laughter to the Royal Box on Sunday at the Wimbledon Championships. The best pals were snapped as they watched the action of the final day of action from this year's competition at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. Paul, 29, and Andrew, 48, were seated ready at Centre Court for the women's doubles final match beside Hollywood actress Keira Knightley. The two Irish hunks appeared to be dropping jokes on their row as they basked in the heat. Their humour had Keira, 40, visibly laughing while she oozed glamour in her all white attire for the tournament. She opted for a befittingly all-white ensemble to watch the championship, looking chic in a button-up shirt and tailored trousers. The Black Doves star added a string of elegant pearls and a bejewelled belt as she arrived with her husband James Righton, who complemented his wife in a matching white double-breasted suit and a satin tie. The pair, who have been married since 2013 and share daughters Edie, ten, and six-year-old Delilah, shielded their eyes under oversized shades at they headed to the Royal Box It's unclear what was so funny but the trio appeared to be getting on like a house on fire. Seated to Keira's righthand side was Vogue magazine editor-in-chief Anna Wintour. Meanwhile, other A-list star pictured on the final day of Wimbledon include Sienna Miller, Nicole Kidman and Henry Cavill. Also putting on a loved-up display at the tournament were Niall Horan and his girlfriend, Amelia Woolley. The One Direction singer was typically handsome in a dark blue suit, while Amelia nailed summer chic in a simple white milkmaid style dress. Yesterday, the Princess of Wales was overwhelmed by a huge chorus of cheers and clapping as she took her seat in the Royal Box for the Wimbledon final. Seated to Keira's righthand side was Vogue magazine editor-in-chief Anna Wintour who also appeared to be in good spirits Kate, who is patron of the All England Lawn Tennis Club, waved to the crowd as she received a standing ovation on her arrival to Centre Court on Saturday. Dressed in a stunning cream outfit, including a high collared belted top and flowing skirt, she greeted famous faces in the Royal Box on her way to her seat. The Princess, who is making a steady return to public duties following her cancer diagnosis, also shook the hand of six-time Wimbledon champion Billie Jean King. At the end of the match, Kate presented the winner's trophy to Iga Swiatek who took just 57 minutes to wipe American Amanda Anisimova off the court 6-0 6-0.
Irish Examiner
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
Lena Dunham on her new Netflix series Too Much, and her favourite Irish actor
Lena Dunham was just 26 when her drama series Girls became a global sensation, heralding her as one of the most exciting new onscreen voices. Its frank and funny account of sex and sexuality in New York City was an audience and critical hit. Now Dunham is swapping the Big Apple for London in her new series Too Much, a tale partly inspired by finding love in her own life. After meeting and marrying British musician Luis Felber, Dunham has spent much of her time in Britain - and love, sex and culture clashes form the backbone of the Netflix series, which she co-created with her husband. Aiding and abetting her in the new series is Irish actor Andrew Scott, who has a starring role Too Much and put lead actress Megan Stalter on the radar of Dunham. Scott, who had become a fan of Stalter's social-media postings, showed them to his pal and told her: she is your soul twin. 'I love Andrew,' says Dunham. 'He's a really close friend. He's a brilliant collaborator - we'd worked together on Catherine Called Birdy. He's actually the person who showed me Meg's videos originally, and made me want to work with her.' Along with high-profile guest stars including Naomi Watts, Richard E Grant, Rhea Perlman and Stephen Fry, the Irish actor appears as a successful but cranky writer-director whose ego needs stoking. Andrew Scott in a scene from Too Much. 'I wrote this role for Andrew, and just it felt as though he would do an amazing job playing this guy who's self important and sort of tragic,' says Dunham. 'He does an amazing job of being melancholy and hilarious and a total sexist, but also being kind of tender and delicate, and I love him in the show, he just kills me.' Too Much centres on Jessica (Stalter), a twentysomething reeling following a painful break up with her boyfriend, who's now dating a stunning influencer (Emily Ratajkowski). Working in TV production, she decides to swap the Big Apple for a job in London, where she meets Felix (Will Sharpe) a musician who may or may not be her Mr Darcy. While the series is a work of fiction, there are many nods to Dunham's own experiences - she now spends much of her time in the UK after meeting Felber, who is her co-creator on the series. 'Honestly, when we started working on it, we hadn't been dating for very long,' says Dunham. 'I just thought he was so funny. I said: 'I'm gonna write this show. Will you create the characters with me? Will you be my British eyes that let me know if I'm hitting the notes right?' 'I loved working on it with him. I loved having his voice in it. Most of the characters are not based on people in our lives. But the grain of it, the nucleus of it, did come from our experience of meeting and trying to navigate each other's unique programming.' Meg Stalter in Too Much. Dunham, who had long had an interest in British comedy and culture - she's a huge fan of Bridget Jones and rom-coms like Four Weddings and a Funeral - felt the culture clash could form the basis of a comedy. 'I was just thinking about the idea of a kind of noisy, intense American woman. I actually think an American woman would probably feel much more at home in Ireland,' she observes, on hearing this writer's Irish accent. 'There's an openness and a willingness to play in Irish culture. You're not shocking anyone in Ireland - that's already a part of the sense of humour and the banter. I do have the experience of Irish people as being very playful, very warm, very energetic. 'English people are too when you get there, but it can take a little while to crack the facade. There are a lot of unspoken rules in certain areas of British culture that I just did not have access to. I would do something that I thought was completely normal, like I once said: 'I have to go pee'. Someone I worked with was like: 'You know, you don't have to say what you're going to do. You can just say you're going to the ladies room'. I was like, if the image of a woman peeing is this alarming, you don't want to know what's going through my head all day,' she laughs. 'Of course, I've met some really hilarious, bawdy, ballsy British people. A lot of the British people I thought kind of stiff turned out to be hilarious, bawdy and ballsy. It just again took a second, and I felt like there was a lot of code I had to crack. When the idea of it happening via a romantic relationship came in, that's when I really thought: 'Ok, we've got something here'.' The many hilarious episodes that follow indicate that Dunham has another major hit on her hands. There is heart, too - with Too Much, the writer and director leans into the rom-com, a genre she says she loves because its about hope. 'I loved Bridget Jones so much. It was so influential for me. As a teenager, my favourite book was Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging, which was like a teenage Bridget Jones. 'Bridget Jones came out at a moment where I was just looking for examples of what adulthood was going to look like - Sex and the City was that for me, and Bridget Jones was that for me. Obviously Sex and the City is very aspirational, although there is so much realism in the female friendship and in the complexity of dating. Lena Dunham on set during the making of Too Much. 'What I loved about Bridget Jones as a teenager was that she felt like a real woman. I didn't know what stones were, so I didn't understand that she was actually quite thin, quite young, and not eating too many calories. What I think it captures so well is that's not a defect. What it captures so well is when you're a woman in your early 30s, and you don't realise how beautiful you are. You don't realise how special you are. All you see is the candy bar you ate, or the skirt that was too tight, or the person who looked at you strangely at work. 'Nora Ephron has this quote where she says: 'If I'd known what I looked like in a bikini when I was younger, I would not have taken it off until I turned 36'. I feel the exact same way. I'm 39 and I should have been in a bikini full time till three years ago.' Ephron's observation leans into, Dunham says, the core element she loves most about rom-coms. 'For me, romantic comedies are not about the idea that you need to be in a couple to be a fully formed person. They're really about the idea of self-acceptance and finding someone who accepts you and mirrors you in a way that makes you feel appreciated and lovely. 'It's really important to me that people know Too Much is not about couplehood being an ideal that somehow turns you into a self-actualised and complete person. It's about the idea of self acceptance, wherever you find it, and having people who allow you to be yourself in your life. The best rom-coms, whether it's When Harry Met Sally, or Four Weddings and a Funeral, that's really what they're offering, a sense that there is a place in the world for you, and that's really what we wanted to do.' Too Much is on Netflix now
Irish Times
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
Too Much review: This is the Netflix viral hit that everyone will be talking about
Lena Dunham's new comedy, Too Much, is a backhanded love letter to London in which the American writer and actor portrays the British capital as adorably dingy – a sort of Dickensian version of Richard Curtis's Love Actually vision of the city. It is very funny. Plus, for Irish viewers, there is the extra enjoyment of seeing the UK condescended to and stereotyped by Americans, much as generations of British television and cinema has done to Ireland. It is also loaded with superstar cameos. Dublin's Andrew Scott is particularly hilarious as a pretentious Irish film-maker who spends all day arguing with his haters on the video review website Letterboxd. The story is loosely based on Dunham's own romantic life. Megan Stalter (fresh from her breakout role in HBO comedy series Hacks) plays a stand-in for Dunham, who flees a disastrous break-up in New York to reinvent herself in London, working Emily in Paris -style, for an advertising agency. [ Megan Stalter: 'I'm a loud woman from a loud family: 20 cousins, mostly women, a few males thrown in' Opens in new window ] Jessica thinks she is going to a land of dashing Mr Darcys and adorable country villages. She is thus understandably shocked when the 'estate' where she is renting is revealed to be a grotty block of flats with mould and an iffy smell. She understood that she was waltzing into Downton Abbey. Instead, she finds herself in the middle of a Mike Leigh film. READ MORE Her Mr Darcy, meanwhile, is scruffy indie musician Felix. He is played by Will Sharpe, a shapeshifting actor who brilliantly embodies an emotionally reserved introvert – a male archetype very much a thing in the real world but rarely depicted on screen. The script cracks along, as do the cameos. Rita Wilson – Tom Hank's significant other – is Jessica's hippy-dippy mother. Emily Ratajkowski is the new love of Jessica's ex. And Naomi Watts is merciless sending up a chattering class Londoner. Dunham is best known as the star and creator of Girls – a show that was overpraised as a millennial Sex and The City when it first arrived and which then suffered a backlash which carried through to popular perceptions of Dunham. But she has her revenge with a whipsmart comedy that is endlessly amusing in its idea of London as a kind of steam-punk version of New York – cool as anything but, in its soul, stygian, dank and miserable. It clips along, and there are all those famous faces. Stalter, for her part, does well playing a self-obsessed, over-sharing American without raising the viewer's hackles as self-obsessed, over-sharing Americans tend to do. You can forget about finally finishing Baby Reindeer: this is the Netflix viral hit in waiting that, come the weekend, everyone will be talking about. Too Much is on Netflix from today
