Australian Children's Laureates Visit City Of Culture

Two award winning authors from Down Under are thrilled to be visiting Derry-Londonderry

Tuesday April 2 will see the two inaugural Australian Children's Laureates pay a visit to Derry's Verbal Arts Centre. Boori Monty Pryor and Alison Lester will be reading their work and partaking in a question and answer session hosted by Joe Mahon, Lesser Spotted Culture, beginning at 10:30am.

The occasion is part of the Verbal Arts Centre's programme of events for City of Culture 2013, entitled Disobey Gravity.

The VAC's Learning & Skills Development Officer, Catherine McGrotty, says, "Disobey Gravity aims to saturate the city in great books, brilliant stories, exciting literary events, and, most importantly, promote reading for pleasure in 2013 and beyond. This particular event focuses on the important role reading has in the lives of children."

The award winning Australian authors were invited to Ireland by Arts Council NI Chief Executive Roisin McDonough to encourage creative interactions between the countries, hopefully leading to future collaborations in children's creativity. She believes there is much to be learned from the Laureates about how they use literature to connect with young people.

"What is certain is that Boori and Alison, here to share Australia's experience of the value of instilling a love of books in children, will give fresh impetus to all of us who are committed to the development of our young people through literature and the arts."

Both Laureates express their delight at visiting Ireland.

Pryor writes, "Ireland. I know you get a wee bit colder in the winter and not much warmer in the summertime. But summertime is always ready to shine from inside the hearts of your people."

Lester says, "I can’t wait to come to Ireland. I’ve been wanting to visit for as long as I’ve been able to read, I guess, because so many of the books I love are set in Ireland."

There will be two free children’s workshops held in the Verbal Arts Centre, Derry-Londonderry, in the afternoon. Boori Monty Pryor will be holding a participation based, storytelling workshop for children aged 6-10 years old and Alison Lester will be hosting a book making workshop for children aged 11-14 years old. Both will take place between 1:30 – 2:30pm. 

Email communications@verbalartscentre.co.uk to book a place or for more information.

Death Of An Institution (s)

Throughout our rather short life span (we haven't even approached our first birthday yet!) Si's Sights And Sounds has sought to bring you the best from the City Of Culture 2013. But for every rise, there's a fall...

As a cultural rebirth takes place in other parts of town, a death takes place in another. For every new coffee house, sports store, exhibition or train line that opens, or re-opens, there's a HMV that closes.

Few may bat an eyelid, let alone shed a tear, at this news, especially in the days of modern online shopping. Sad as it is that the friendly and accommodating HMV staff are losing their place of work, the advent of Kindles, iTunes and Amazon have contributed to an unassailable decline, even a near-death, in regular, traditional retail marketing. Why travel to buy expensive records when you can do it more cheaply from the comfort of your own home?

Yet there is undeniable sympathy for the HMVs of this world, especially from the generation that grew up with them - and the Virgins. These were the major record stores that gave us our first and arguably best insight to the music and film universe - without them, we may never have developed such large and varied vinyl, tape, CD, VHS, DVD and Blu-Ray collections. I can still remember being overawed by my first visit to the Virgin Megastore in Birmingham, UK, in 1993 - everything I needed or wanted to know about entertainment was under one roof. The excitement and memories the Virgin Megastores and HMVs gave us - it didn't matter whether you were buying a product or standing there listening to your favourite song - will never be forgotten. These institutions were more than just a job for those who worked in them - they created all sorts of friendly and audio-visual memories that online retail cannot touch. When you hear Gotye's "Giving Me A Chance" play over the speakers in the rapidly emptying Derry HMV, it makes you wish that the powers-that-be would give the staff another chance...

But we must also admit that the writing has been on the wall for high street music retailers for years. The prices they charged - nearly twenty years ago, a CD cost me around £15 - sound extortionate now, especially in this very tough economic climate. With hindsight, Richard Branson's decision to leave his Virgin Megastores in the hands of their management several years ago - remember how suddenly all the stores were renamed Zavvi? - seems an extremely wise one. The way things are going, who's to say that Waterstones - the likes of which we will probably never see in Derry - won't suffer the same fate as Our Price, Virgin and now HMV?

It is now left for Cool Discs to become both the Championship Vinyl - you have seen High Fidelity, right? - and the major record retailer of Derry-Londonderry by themselves. And while I am certain they will do a great job of it, you do wonder and worry about what HMV's demise will eventually mean for Lee Mason's popular store.

As I leave HMV and stroll out into the frozen Derry streets again, I look across the road and notice that another "institution" is on the verge of closure, a place I bought some really good shirts from.

And I think to myself: For fcuk's sake, it never ends...

MUSIC REVIEW: David Holmes and Primal Scream

Along with a famous local DJ, Bobby Gillespie and his crew send warm musical shockwaves around Derry-Londonderry on an ice cold night

The stage of Ebrington's Vital Venue is bathed in red as a weary looking guy with the hangdog expression of Ian McCulloch gets his records ready. It's renowned Belfast DJ and film composer David Holmes, best known for his adaptability and all round jive. The gaps in the Venue crowd, most likely the result of a traditional St. Patrick's Day hangover, do not seem to deter Holmes or the various onlookers. Can both he and Primal Scream fill those gaps and set the Venue alight?

What follows is extremely deafening, beginning with a mixture of drawn out, dry and funky musical notes scattered all over the place alongside a symphonic light show. As so many of the equally scattered crowd stand there, transfixed on the stage, it feels like Close Encounters Of The Third Kind come to life in the 21st century, a moment very much in keeping with the John Williams spectacular of the night before. From that moment on, one ponders: what exactly is Holmes trying to do here? Sometimes, it sounds like he is using jungle music to tell the tale of wild animals traipsing through a rainforest, and at other times, he’s flat out channelling early '80s Irish punk. The bludgeon and bluster in between challenges Hofesh Shechter’s Political Mother as the sort of thing you really need earplugs for.

Unfortunately for Holmes, our encounter with his music never feels close. As a composer and DJ, he has earned his praise; but in this sort of venue everything seems a bit detached. His deliberate attempt to "tie in" with the tone of the night comes across as a little suffocating and not entirely suitable for the arena. It's a warm up exercise for the band, a little like being shaken into action, but not really stirred. "Admirable" and "interesting" are probably the best compliments one could offer Holmes here.

Now take those adjectives, change "admirable" to "intimate", add "energetic" & "welcoming" and you'll have an almost perfect summation of Primal Scream on the night. Although in actuality, for all the efforts of guitarists Andrew Innes & Barrie Cadogan, keyboard player Martin Duffy, drummer Darrin Mooney and radiant bassist Simone Butler – and they are commendable – this is really lead singer Bobby Gillespie's show. Like an even lankier Brett Anderson, a less reserved Simon Fowler or a more extroverted Tim Burgess, Gillespie slinks around the stage throughout each number, slowly but surely coercing the ever-growing audience into a blissfully hypnotic state. He's almost like Captain Jack Sparrow minus the excessive camp and costuming, an everyman one minute, a God-like presence the next, effortlessly firing out singable refrains while the rest of the band professionally cooperate. Even more remarkably, he never loses respect for his audience, clearly relishing the opportunity of his only Northern Irish gig in 2013.

And "2013" fittingly starts and ends this memorable set. The extremely versatile mix of musical genres on show, from Rolling Stones-inspired rock to country & western to even rap, pass themselves on to a now fully attentive audience beguiled by the highly effective use of lighting and spot effects. Most memorable, perhaps, are the sight of extremely bizarre silhouettes on stage during "Burning Wheel", dancing and clapping away to the cleverly encore-reserved favourites "Loaded" and "Rocks", and probably, above all, the joyous and unifying effect of the famous "Come together as one..." refrain on the Derry crowd.

In that moment alone, the atmosphere in the Venue is worthy of any concert venue in the world, marking out the evening as a more than welcome dose of "Culturecide" – yes, that song does feature in the set list – for the City Of Culture during the seemingly endless wintry weather.

Caffé Nero Comes To The City of Culture

Watch out Starbucks, Costa, Cafe Soul, Cafe Del Mondo and even the most Legenderry of Warehouses... you have company. After many years of waiting, Caffé Nero is in Derry... and we went to check it out

A unit in the Richmond Centre that once sold all kinds of computer games, and was even, at one point in my lifetime, a Manchester United "superstore", has been converted into Derry-Londonderry's first ever Caffé Nero. It's arguably the least known of the Big Three of coffee houses – not as ubiquitous as Costa, not as big a brand as Starbucks – but to this observers' eyes, this is one reason why Nero ranks as the best of the three.

In my humble opinion, Caffé Nero's lower-key status allows it to retain a sense of mystery, in addition to a spacious, homely, indie vibe that always makes you feel welcome when you step through its doors. And its arrival in Derry, perfectly timed to coincide with the City Of Culture year, is a collateral boon for both the general public and its new staff, all of whom are taking to their jobs like clockwork.

This particular Nero branch actually opened much sooner and easier than everyone had expected, with some not even realising it was open until they checked the Richmond Centre Facebook page. But to Romanian-born manager, Lorena Grigore, this was no hindrance; rather, she is "thrilled" at the prospect of taking charge here.

"I used to work for Caffé Nero in Ballymena", smiles Grigore, her Italian-sounding accent giving a hint to the continental flavour of the café itself. "When the opportunity arrived to become manager here, I just jumped at it.

"With the shops and the theatres, particularly the Millennium Forum and Playhouse, so close by, it's more than a nice place, it's also very well placed. We want to bring a taste of Italy and a relaxing atmosphere to Derry, and the response to our efforts has been very pleasing so far."

Indeed, there's pretty much something for everyone here. A detailed and attractive menu which offers all sorts of coffees, teas, deserts, sandwiches, snacks, smoothies and so on, waiting to be enjoyed on a couch, at a table, indoors or outdoors, whether you're stopping to chat, to eat, or to work on your laptop. All while accompanied by pleasant lighting, interesting artwork and an obscure but rarely twee soundtrack. In short, a quintessential low-key coffee house.

One hopes that Caffé Nero can take advantage of the close-knit nature of Derry's city centre and become a crucial coffee corner in the City Of Culture. Maybe even much more than that.

PERFORMANCE REVIEW: Political Mother, Derry-Londonderry Uncut

Famed contemporary artist Hofesh Shechter raises the bar for City Of Culture 2013 with a spectacular fusion of sight, sound and movement

Original, innovative, multi-layered, consistently kinetic and, above all, exciting, Hofesh Shechter's Political Mother, Derry-Londonderry Uncut (hereafter Political Mother) draws upon a series of cultures, instruments, voices, movements and beats to create a music and dance spectacle worthy of the city it's being staged in. While the sound of the drums and the moves of the dancers will probably linger longest in the minds of the thousands present at Ebrington’s Vital Venue, Political Mother amounts to much more. It's an audio-visual treat, a series of stunning sights and talented artists that are impossible to look away from. It's a show where numerous cultures intersperse with one another to create a sometimes haphazard but overall unforgettable kaleidoscope. In other words, it's the perfect fit for our turbulent times, and has set the benchmark for everything that will follow it in this cultural celebration in North West Ireland.

Even more remarkably, at first glance Political Mother doesn't seem to make much sense. One moment, you see a dancer dressed as a samurai, feigning his own death. Then, a series of dancers march out onto the stage in harmony. At other times, you see a singer with a monster mask, and then another singer who thinks he's Freddie Mercury. Early on, you see and hear a series of drummers suited up like British soldiers playing Arabic music... all while string instrumentalists, a wall of guitarists and even more drummers are at work in literally every other corner of a multi-levelled (can I say three-dimensional?) stage. Sometimes simultaneously. It is an absolutely overwhelming experience, maybe too much so at times, but it's always intriguing.

To Shechter and his troupe, contrasting cultures always appears to be the name of the game, from British to the Middle East to the Far East; at one point, the drumming reminds this observer of the legendary Tao drummers at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival of 2009. And not for one moment do the moves of the dancers feel mechanical – no matter what dancer you watch, or which way they are looking, there is always something interesting to see.

Some may dismiss Political Mother as a pretentious series of bright flashes and loud bangs. But I personally see it as a hyper-stylised, colourful, energetic "silent" (in that speech is irrelevant) movie that does not lend itself to any one genre, and is all the better for it. Maybe, then, Political Mother should be best remembered for its sights, rather than its sounds? More as a feast for the eyes than for the ears? Not necessarily. Not when you consider the finale, played out to Joni Mitchell’s "Both Sides Now", a stirring classic previously made famous by undoubtedly the finest scene in Richard Curtis's uneven but endearing Love Actually. In fact, a minor comparison with Love Actually is somehow apt. Like Curtis's film, you watch Shechter's composition and think that logically, it shouldn't work. But it does. And it certainly seems like the kind of thing you can enjoy again and again. Furthermore, the best moments truly are indelible.

Political Mother is the sort of work that may leave some of its viewers slightly baffled. Yes, it really is what it advertises itself to be: a massive slice of heavy rock riffs, drum beats, dance, energy and so on. But what is it all about? The dancing, the music or just flashes and bangs dressed up as something more highbrow? Does it really have that much to say?

Ultimately, the best way to sum up Political Mother is probably not to sum it up at all. It's something that transcends easy answers. As Roald Dahl put it in Matilda, fine writing, or art – which Political Mother undoubtedly is – will always make you feel like you are an active participant, rather than a passive spectator. And when watching it, one need not worry about the movements that he or she does not understand – the best thing to do is stand back, and allow the choreography to wash around you, like some of the greatest harmonies and melodies ever written.

(Photos courtesy of Lorcan Doherty Photography.)

New Musical Is A "Faust" Of Fun For Sarah

Already a music tutor, pianist, musical director and member of a jazz quartet, Ballymena born Sarah Loughridge has gone one step further and written her own musical production. We went to find out more about the musical and its hugely talented composer

Sarah Loughridge doesn't believe that the thought of being a musician ever crossed her mind when she was a child. "I was one of those children who, from week to week, kept on changing their minds about what they wanted to be when they grew up. I went through phases, imagining myself as a vet, architect, teacher and so on. Never a musician."

Yet looking back, it seemed virtually inevitable that she would find herself at the keys. The piano keys, that is. We are, after all, talking to a young woman who has been playing piano, singing and performing since age five, and is currently working towards her Licentiate Diploma. More than that, she comes from a musical family; her father is a singer and her sisters are both accomplished pianists in addition to being a music teacher and a music therapist.

Her love and knowledge of different musical genres grew into what it is today through a rich and varied involvement with the choirs, orchestra, jazz bands and various music groups at her school. "My teachers often commented that if a subject wasn’t music related, it was of complete inconvenience to me!", laughs Loughridge.

"I owe a lot to Heather Montgomery", she says. "Throughout my seven years at Dalriada, she helped and encouraged me with all my musical endeavours, whether inside or outside of school. It was also her who put me and three other pupils together to form the Riada Dixie Jazz Quartet, and we performed every weekend in hotels and restaurants across the country. It was at this point, at the age of seventeen, that I felt that I could and should become a professional musician."

Everything escalated from there. Not long afterwards, in 2008, Loughridge moved to Derry-Londonderry to study music, and soon found herself filling in as accompanist and repetiteur for the university choir, accompanying many different singers over the next three years.

"One singer, Sophie Shiels, got me in touch with Derry-born actor, director, producer and all-round decent bloke Kieran Griffiths. Towards the end of my final year at Magee, he called me to ask if I'd like to be the musical director for a show I’d never heard of, with actors I'd never heard of – apparently, Peter Corry's a big deal? – and work with a director I'd never heard of. Naturally, I said yes!"

And so began a four-month period of hard work, many laughs and, on a personal level for Loughridge, a massive learning curve, all from performing the Northern Irish Premiere of Jason Robert Brown’s "The Last Five Years" in Derry’s Playhouse Theatre in September 2011. (Click here for our review.)

"I'd been involved in plenty of shows both on stage and off", Loughridge says, "but had never MD'd before, so to be able to pull off a show like that and get the reviews we did was a big achievement. However, like any industry, unless you're at the top of your game you can't just rely on one job to get you by. And in my case, I couldn't rely on performing alone. So I branched out into other areas like teaching, composing and more recently, piano tuning! Performing still plays a large part in my life though: I've just finished a two-year residency in the Everglades Hotel, and play drums and whistle in a ceilidh band made up of myself, my two sisters and my brother-in-law."

To Loughridge, musical theatre has been a passion of hers since she was involved in a school production of Les Miserables at fourteen. But back then, did she "dream a dream" of composing her own musical? Not quite yet.

"I always enjoyed composing, but it wasn't until after I graduated in 2011 that I started taking it more seriously. Since then, I have composed and arranged music for full orchestras, string quartets, jazz bands and choral groups."

It did take a little longer for the penny to drop with regards to composing her own musical, though. "I didn't have lot of work lined up towards the end of 2012, but was itching to do another show. So, liking a challenge, I decided to come up with my own, and I came across the story of Faust while researching different story lines. I was instantly intrigued by the character."

According to the author, Faust is the story of one man's struggle to achieve complete omniscience and how his actions affect the lives of those around him. While studying, Faust is confronted by the Devil who makes a pact with him with a range of consequences but ultimately all leading to Faust's demise. Because of Faust's selfish actions, we see the main female character Margaret imprisoned for drowning her baby, and Richard, Faust's closest friend and confidante, accused of several mysterious and brutal murders in the Whitechapel district of London.

"I've set Faust in 1880s London, which lends itself very easily to the same musical genres as the likes of Les Miserables, Phantom Of The Opera and Jekyll & Hyde... potential auditionees, take note, as that's exactly the type of audition song I'm looking for!" says Loughridge, smiling. "But back to the composition itself. And when it came to that, I knew exactly what I wanted, the aforementioned genres with some modern twists. Frank Wildhorn, who composed Jekyll & Hyde, was definitely a big influence but there's a lot of my own stamp in there too."

Loughridge adds that if anyone is expecting a comedy out of Faust, they'll be bitterly disappointed... but "assures" us that there will be comic relief in an otherwise "dark and tragic" tale. She is hoping that the show will have an impact on the audience, whether it is through the music, the love story between Faust and Margaret, or the fact that they may be "still trying to get their heads around the different consequences of the pact between Faust and the Devil days after!"

If Faust comes off, it will undoubtedly be a highlight of this gifted young lady's musical journey, to go with performing with tribute bands Flash Harry and Rumours Of Fleetwood Mac in the Odyssey to a crowd of 10,000 people.

She clearly thrives on the unexpected: "I think that some of my most enjoyable, satisfying moments are those where I've been taken completely out of my comfort zone and have performed in the most random of places, be it a ceilidh on a tiny island off the Mull of Kintyre, or a weekend of live classical music to a packed Bennigans! These are the kind of gigs that really test your nerve, and I believe that they have made me an even better performer."

And, judging by the creation of Faust, a better all round musician too.

Auditions for Faust are scheduled to take place this June in the Braid Arts Centre, Ballymena. For more information on Faust, check out the official website or find Faust - The Musical on Facebook. Also check out the Facebook page for Sarah Loughridge's production company, Final Bow Productions.

PERFORMANCE REVIEW: Little Red Riding Hood, Quercus Ensemble

Derry born Kim Vaughan and her talented musical collective enchant children and adults with a charming take on Roald Dahl's twisted version of the famous tale

As a lifelong Roald Dahl fan, I am extremely curious when joining the audience of various ages in Derry's Playhouse Theatre. How will Kim Vaughan and her Quercus Ensemble – playing as a full collective of more than ten musicians, for the first time – tackle his cult classic of a Revolting Rhyme, Little Red Riding Hood And The Wolf? More than that, will they do justice to the poem? Even the best of Dahl's audio and/or visual adaptations, filmic or otherwise, have failed to capture the true magic of the written word. But the endeavour in what we are about to see is more than commendable – it is memorable.


Everyone who knows Dahl's poem (read it here) will be aware of its tone: tongue planted firmly in cheek with dashes of horror and humour. Not to mention its rather unorthodox ending. Imagine to yourself, what if Little Red Riding Hood had both the nous and weaponry to fight back? And did? And, more than that, shamelessly paraded the fruit of her triumph over her would-be captor (in this case, a wolfskin jacket)? Well, Paul Patterson's musical adaptation has all these elements; and more, including an inebriate of a local grandma for extra laughs. You may argue that said laughs seem cheap, but their inclusion is essential in the midst of such a playful atmosphere.

Through strong orchestral compositions, skilled instrumentals and expressive acting – in short, impressive sight, sound and movement – the Ensemble bring the poem to life in front of a small group of excited children and contented adults. Played expertly by the Ensemble, Patterson's music – alternately boisterous, light-hearted, mysterious and gently horrifying when called for – accompanies actress Sara Dylan as she narrates and acts her way throughout the poem and beyond. The musicians, including Vaughan herself on cello, Ruth McGinley on piano and Sarah Murphy on flute, provide a strong background for an equally strong showcase of emoting and enunciation from Dylan. If the orchestra create the mood, Dylan truly brings the room alive. And how.

The Quentin Blake illustration projected on the wall behind the orchestra seems irrelevant as Dylan steals the show with her mouth, movement and mimicry. Playing every single one of the characters, she acts as if the whole thing is a good natured horror movie; that is to say, funny, lively and creepy without being too scary. After all, it is a show for kids. And Dylan's presence – effortlessly quirky without going over the top – reassuringly guides this show to the finish line in a consistently intriguing manner worthy of its inspiration. Dahl would be proud.

This version of Little Red Riding Hood was performed at the inaugural Humdinger! Children's Book Festival in Derry-Londonderry, and runs until Monday March 11. For more on the Quercus Ensemble, check out their official site.

(Photography by Gerry Temple.)

Annies, Annies, Everywhere...

Derry-Londonderry comes, sings and conquers as a musical world record is smashed in Ebrington Square

"We didn't break the record... we smashed it."

When adjudicator Martin Mullan spoke those words, a packed out Ebrington Square broke into raptures.

Because for a matter of minutes, it no longer seemed like a hard knock life for the men, women and children who had crowded into the cultural centre of the capital of the North West. Forget Tomorrow... the sun had come out for them that day, at least metaphorically.

Derry-Londonderry had needed 4,501 individuals to break the Guinness World Record for the Largest Choreographed Song And Dance Routine in the world. They got 5,482. Yes, nearly 5,500 people performed the above routine, conceived by Sandra Biddle and originally performed by her Foyle School Of Speech And Drama. And they did it in such a spirited manner that you couldn't help but be swept up in the goodwill of it all.

Better still, all proceeds from the event, which was sponsored by Roma Downey and supported by the likes of Derry actor Andrew Simpson, went to the Foyle Hospice.

Watch the routine, as performed by the Ebrington Square crowd, below. The soloist is Meabdh Parr.

For more photos from the event, check out our Facebook page.