We are "a happiness of warriors" walking along the Liffey to the City Arts Centre. We have come to hear Australian Felix Nobis, who has travelled across "the whale road" to recount the story of Beowulf to us. Before the night is out, we'll hear how the great Geat hero, Beowulf, single-handedly tackled the monster Grendel and then took on its mother at the bottom of a lake before, finally, going after a gold-hoarding dragon. They don't make 'em like that any more.
Scott Davis, a visitor from Boston, is here to listen to the epic poem, which has been translated from Old English by the actor himself. Nobis has come a long way - he formerly played cool dude Brook Lee in Neighbours (the one who threw the life of Jen Hadley into chaos whenever he turned up). Carrick-on-Suir woman Rachel Milotte, who is education manager at the centre, is pleased that the production is going to tour, so students of English will be able to attend.
The actor Niall Buggy, just in from performing for over two months in The Importance Of Being Oscar in New York, is also in attendance. Ena May, actor and writer, is here too, taking a break from her writing. She is pleased with her last publication, the collection of short stories called A Close Shave with the Devil.
Thomas Conway, director of Beowulf, is here to welcome fellow Corkonians Karina Buckley and Susan Burns to the opening night in Dublin - as well as Tara Sparling from Co Clare. Beowulf is on at the Old Museum Arts Centre in Belfast on Tuesday and Wednesday, April 3rd and 4th. It then moves on to Cork's Granary Theatre on Tuesday, April 10th; to Wexford Arts Centre on Wednesday and Thursday, April 11th and 12th; and finally to Dingle on May 2nd and 3rd.