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Olivia O’Leary, Rupert Everett and Simon Callow: This week’s unmissable online events

Plus Lady Antonia Fraser, Lisa Hannigan, Angela Scanlon, Craig David and more

Actor Rupert Everett. File photograph: Ernesto Ruscio/Getty

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Kevin Courtney
Thu May 6 2021 - 06:00

Older & Bolder: The Women's Podcast 500th Episode
Thursday, May 6th, 7pm, free to stream on facebook.com
The Irish Times' Women's Podcast has reached its 500th episode. To celebrate, presenters Róisín Ingle and Kathy Sheridan have invited special guests of all ages to reflect on the theme of growing older. Among those telling their stories live on the show's Facebook page will be comedian Allie O'Rourke, writer and Irish Times columnist Hilary Fannin, presenter Angela Scanlon, broadcaster Olivia O'Leary and writer Rosaleen McDonagh – as well as Women's Podcast Book Club member (and Róisín's mum) Ann Ingle.

Presenter Angela Scanlon. File photograph: Julien Behal Photography

A Night in with Lady Antonia Fraser
Thursday, May 6th, 6.30pm, £12, fane.co.uk
The historian and author Antonia Fraser has an interesting, intriguing history of her own. Daughter of the seventh earl of Longford, widow of the playwright Harold Pinter, and author of the Jemima Shore series of detective novels, Fraser is best known for her detailed and often controversial books on the lives of such figures as Mary Queen of Scots, Henry VIII, Marie Antoinette and Oliver Cromwell. In tonight's event, the 88-year-old has another interesting tale to tell, as detailed in her latest book, The Case of the Married Woman, the story of the 19th-century writer, poet, socialite and celebrated beauty Caroline Norton, whose many admirers included Lord Melbourne. Her husband, driven mad with jealousy, took Melbourne to court for adultery, and not only won custody of the couple's three children but also claimed all income from her writing, as a married woman's copyrights were owned by her husband. Norton fought tooth and nail to change the law so women had the right of access to their children, and had ownership of their intellectual property.

Historian and author Lady Antonia Fraser. File photograph: Ron Frehm/AP

Lisa Hannigan: Behind the Curtain
Friday, May 7th, €25 (single viewer), €30 (multiple viewer), everymancork.com
On Good Friday the Everyman and Islander staged the Corner House Session, the first of their Behind the Curtain virtual events. The second in the series features Lisa Hannigan, performing live from the Everyman stage. The Dublin singer-songwriter will be drawing from her three acclaimed albums, Sea Sew, Passenger and At Swim, and perhaps even teasing music from her fourth album, which she has been writing during lockdown. Even if you think you're unfamiliar with Hannigan's music, it may have still seeped into your life, as her songs feature on the soundtracks of such television series as Fargo and on the Oscar-nominated Irish animated film Song of the Sea. An hour in Hannigan's company, and you won't be able to imagine life without her delicately textured musical sounds and beguiling voice.

Singer-songwriter Lisa Hannigan. File photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill

Craig David: Born to Do It
Saturday, May 8th, 7.45pm, €19.50-€25.50, ticketmasterpartners.com
More than 20 years ago, buoyed by the success of the hit single Re Rewind (The Crowd Say Bo Selecta), on which he performed vocals, the British R&B singer Craig David released his debut album, Born to Do It, and was catapulted to global fame and mixed fortune. The album was the fastest-selling debut by a British solo artist in UK chart history, and brought garage/R&B to the forefront, going on to sell eight million copies worldwide. David later found himself mercilessly parodied in the Leigh Francis comedy series Bo' Selecta! but he has enjoyed a career revival over the past five years, returning to the top of the charts and last year awarded an MBE in recognition of his services to music. To celebrate the album that started it all, David will perform his debut live in this online concert, backed by a full band. DJ Spoony will be warming up with a classic UK garage set.

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British singer-songwriter Craig David. File photograph: Shirlaine Forrest/Getty

Rupert Everett and Simon Callow: Be yourself; everyone else is already taken
Wednesday, May 12th, 6pm, €8, crowdcast.io
Borris House Festival of Writing & Ideas is still in limbo because of the pandemic – but the culturally curious don't have to live in purgatory. To keep the synapses sparking until we can reconvene for in-person intellectual stimulation, the festival's organisers, Hugo and Roz Jellett, are launching a Spring Series of seven online conversations featuring another raft of big-brain interlocutors, as the follow-up to their very successful Winter Series. Among the erudite pairings are David Baddiel and Alan Yentob; Laurie Anderson and Brian Eno; Emma Dabiri and Lemn Sissay; Margaret Atwood and Max Porter; and David Byrne and Laurie Anderson. You can buy tickets for each event for €8, or a season pass for €45. First up is a delicious double act from Rupert Everett and Simon Callow. The veteran actors will look back on their careers, discuss the inspirations for their writing, and talk about their shared fascination with Orson Welles and Oscar Wilde.