If it's August, the Irish arts festival rubric goes, it must be Kilkenny. As the festival begins its 33rd residency in the streets and venues of the Marble City, it may well be time for the organisers to reflect on just how well the festival continues to grow, develop and adapt.
Yet, there's little chance of grabbing any time for such reflection once this particular arts bandwagon rolls into town a week from today. Until the circus packs up and leaves town on August 20th, talk of arts may even supersede speculation about Henry Sheflin's hurling prowess in some quarters.
Kilkenny's continued standing as one of the country's big festival draws has much to do with how it has steadily expanded its horizons. Once known primarily for its classical music offerings, this year's programme is a textbook example of how a festival can make natural, smart moves into other areas.
Be it a reading by Irish crime writer Alex Barclay, jazz inspired by Samuel Beckett, new-school comic sketches from The Ornate Johnsons, or The Big River street parade washing down High Street towards the castle, there's ample evidence on show of Kilkenny's new lines in art, culture and entertainment.
But classical music still has an important role to play. This year, ovations should be forthcoming for shows from New York's McGonnell's Argento Chamber Ensemble; performances of Karl Orff's Carmina Burana from the Ex Cathedra Choir; and revisits to the work of Handel, Vivaldi and Rameau by the European Baroque Orchestra, with conductor Lars Ulrik Mortensen, at St Canice's Cathedral.
In recent years, world, jazz and trad events have become reliable crowd-pullers. This year, in addition to the passionate Afrobeat showdown with Fela Kuti and Positive Force on the opening night, there are several notables in the line-up programmed by Improvised Music Company's Gerry Godley.
Sligo blades Téada's new album, Inné Amárach, is hugely impressive; along with Beoga and the now Kilkenny-based Iarla Ó Lionáird, Téada will represent the trad camps at the fest. Some further globe-spinning will bring to the party English folkie Eliza Carthy, Istanbul's Aynur Dogan and Indian percussive soundclashes from Kuljit Bhamra with Taala and DJ Ritu.
The jazzers in the audience should be kept happy by Irish guitarist Christy Doran with bassist Ronan Guilfoyle's Beckett-inspired fare, Finnish jazz-dancers The Five Corners Quintet, and solo piano recitals from Misha Alperin, John Taylor and Stefano Bollani.
The festival has always had a strong visual arts strand, and curator Mike Fitzpatrick has gathered various artists riffing on the theme of failure inherent in creativity. Those whose work will be on show in various locations include Vito Acconci, Caroline McCarthy, Deirdre Power (an intriguing series of post-9/11 photos from Vermont), Bas Jan Ader, Joe Duggan and Roman Signer.
Crime and thriller writing dominates the literary side of the festival, with readings from Tobias Hill, David Peace, Gordon Burn and Adrian McKinty. This line-up has been put together by Eoin McNamee, who will also be on in the action, with excerpts from his forthcoming 12:23 tome on the death of Diana Spencer sure to feature.
On the theatre front, the marquee names are the highly rated TV and radio sketch writers The Ornate Johnsons. Having written for the likes of Matt Lucas and Jerry Sadowitz, they do appear to know their way around the comedy houses. Also on the boards will be French physical theatre group Fiat Lux with Strike, as well as an Irish stage premiere of Robert Pinget's The Old Tune (as translated by Samuel Beckett), directed by Corcadorca's Pat Kiernan.
It's just as busy for the younger arts aficionados. While best-selling authors McNamee, Darren Shan and Deirdre Madden will attract rapt audiences, it's another kind of rapping which is on offer from The Mayhem Poets, who will mix hip-hop and poetry on the Kilkenny streets. Productions from the Storybox and Lyngo theatre companies should keep the under-threes amused.
On the streets, it's much ado about everything. Besides the big parade on Saturday the 12th, Teatro Pachuco's Just Passing Through will provide clowning from the European tradition, complete with giants sporting brass instrument heads.
Further information and booking details for all events at www.kilkennyarts.ie or 056-7752175
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