Online Booking Available Here Soon Thank you for your patience

Midlands MOVEment WAVE Friday 3 May An Alternative Space to Dance For ages 16 –100 years, the Midlands MOVEment WAVE is an initiative, which Nick Bryson of Legitimate Bodies Dance Company is starting in 2013. It provides a general open space for dancing to allow for mindfulness in movement, a meeting point for anyone who enjoys moving, inspired by the moment and the eclectic soundtrack!
“ARRIVE, LIVE IN THE MOMENT, MOVE”.
8pm €10 by donation. For more information email legitimatebodies@gmail.com

A hint of LIME productions presents Are There More of You Saturday 4 May Written and performed by Alison Skilbeck
“Brilliantly observed, richly comic characters, all played to painful pefection – a wonderful evening” Alan Aychbourn “Go see how character comedy acting is done!” Miranda Hart “Four studies of losers who turn into winners. Skilful, hilarious and truthful - the most thrilling one-woman show I've seen since Ruth Draper”. Irving Wardle, former chief critic The Times
This is a subtly funny, ironic and clever play telling the story of four middle aged women on a journey of self discovery, all dealing with their own pain, and all unknowingly linked to one another. Set on a minimalist stage, and with only slight wardrobe changes, the four distinct monologues, astutely written and performed by former Archers star Alison Skilbeck, are delicately woven together. The actress skilfully transforms into each highly individually woman, delving into their psyches, and delivering a compelling performance that draws you into the inner world of each character, directly connecting with their separate emotional processes.
View Trailer HERE 8pm €16/14

Birr Film Club To Kill a Mocking Bird Tuesday 7 May Dir: Robert Mulligan USA 1962 129mins Cert: Club Starring: Gregory Peck, John Megna, Frank Overton
Academy Award winning adaptation of Haper Lee’s acclaimed novel. Starring Gregory Peck in his defining role as the wise and just small-town lawyer and father Atticus Finch, who in an atmosphere of hostility and racial prejudice takes on the case of a black man wrongly accused of raping a white woman. Set in 1930’s Alabama the tale is interwoven around his children Jem and Scout and their active imaginations, captured by tales of their reclusive neighbour, Boo Radley (Robert Duvall). This insightful and touching film provides an excellent overview of the social climate at this time.
Academy Award Winner 1963 – Best Actor in a leading role / Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Black-and-White / Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium
1963 is the theme of Offaly Bealtaine Festival this year.
€7 (Bealtaine Festival Special €3; Birr Film Club Members / Friends €3) 8pm

Liam Lawton Wednesday 8 May It is twenty years since Liam Lawton began composing and performing. Since then he has found a niche with his own brand of sacred and inspirational music, which has become repertoire for choirs and individuals throughout the world. He has recorded 14 collections to date with a number of them achieving Platinum status. A number of artists at home and abroad have recorded his material and his liturgical works have translated into many languages including Swedish, French, German and Irish. His music has been performed for many State occasions in Ireland the UK and the USA and has brought him to such stages as Carnegie Hall, Chicago Symphony Hall, The Paul VI Auditorium at the Vatican, The White House and many of the world’s sacred sites. Liam’s second book The Hope Prayer ~ a book of poetic reflections became a best seller in 2010/11 in Ireland. Recently he was one of the people invited to perform at the International Eucharistic Congress held in Dublin, singing his own compositions before a live audience of 75,000 people and a televised audience of 200 million.
€20 (€18 Bealtaine Festival special/Friends) 8pm

Birr Film Club Silver Lining Playbook Tuesday 14 May Dir: David O Russell USA 2012 121mins Cert: 15A Starring: Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert de Niro
Bradley Cooper, Robert De Niro, Julia Stiles and Jennifer Lawrence star in this acerbic comedy-drama from David O’Russell (Three Kings, The Fighter), about a former high-school teacher who returns to his family home after eight months in a mental institution and begins to slowly rebuild his life. - Toronto International Film Festival 2012
Academy Award winner 2013 – Best Actress
€7/5/3 8pm

A Musical Toast Saturday 18 May Jonathan Carter Baritone; Sinead Conway Soprano; Edel Shannon Soprano With a wonderfully varied and lively programme which encompasses all manner of musical experience from Opera to Musical Theatre, Oratorio to Traditional and Folk Music and much in between, the group has gone from strength to strength in the past three years. Their musical line-up spans the works of Schubert and Bizet, to those of American composer Stephen Foster and musicals of the 20th Century.
Sinead Conway who trained under Veronica Dunne, has recently completed a degree in music performance at the Conservatory of Music in Dublin’s DIT. She has performed at the opening of the Aviva Stadium and The Special Olymipcs among other events. In 2005, Sinead was part of vocal group “The Conway Sisters” who reached the final 6 in the X Factor.
Jonathan Carter hails from Co. Sligo. He trained in Dublin under Professor Paul Deegan and toured Europe with Riverdance. He brings to Musical Toast, a rich Baritone voice, as playful in “Die Forelle” as it is plaintive in “Bring Him Home”.
Edel Shannon is a wonderfully accomplished Soprano who, on completing a Masters in Opera, with distinction, at Royal Scottish Conservatoire, became a member of the internationally renowned Glyndebourne Chorus. Making her debut with Glyndebourne Opera singing Christina in Tangier Tattoo in 2005. Together, Musical Toast bring a wealth of experience, talent and not a little playful fun to opera and art song, lieder and popular music with classical twists on modern favourites.
€15 8pm

Birr Film Club Amour Tuesday 21 May Dir: Michael Haneke France, Germany, Austria 2012 127mins Cert:12A Starring: Jean-Louis Trintignant, Emanuelle Riva, Isabelle Huppert Language: French Winner of the Palme d’Or at Cannes this year Amour tells of octogenarians Georges and Anne, retired classical music teachers, long married and still enjoying each other's company and life's simple pleasures. Their daughter, also a musician, lives in London with her family. One day Anne has a mild stroke and Georges insists on looking after her but when a second one strikes, life as they knew it is over. In this poignant exploration of the power of love Haneke's direction and marvellous performances from two legendary French actors leave one breathless and deeply moved. - Dubai International Film Festival 2012
Academy Award winner 2013 – Foreign Language Film
€7 (Birr Film Club Members/Friends €3) 8pm

Oliver Reed – Wild Thing Saturday 25 May
“Captures not just the history of the man but more importantly, his very spirit. It's factual, fun and superbly entertaining - an insight into Oliver Reed”- Mark Reed (Oliver Reed’s son).

“Rob Crouch is so convincing you will feel like sharing a whisky with him afterwards in a bid to get even closer to the man who treated the pub as his theatre. ‘Awe and respect are two different things’, Reed once said. At this pub you’ll find both”………Evening News. “Everything a biopic should be...highly entertaining” **** Edinburgh Evening News

“Brilliantly realised, skilfully written and touchingly performed” ***** British Theatre Guide

“A tour de force” **** The Times

“One hell of a performance from Rob Crouch” The Guardian

“Rob Crouch’s Reed is uncanny. It’s all great fun” The Telegraph

In this blistering solo show, join legendary hellraiser Oliver Reed as he knocks back a few drinks and shares his incredible life story. From the boyhood excitement of learning he was a descendant of Peter the Great, through the success of “Oliver”, boozy adventures with Keith Moon and disastrous chat show appearances – this was a life well lived. But though Ollie may appear an unstoppable force of nature, this is Malta in 1999, set in a bar (where else!!) during a break from filming “The Gladiator” with Russell Crowe, and time is fast running out for the ‘Wild Thing’. Rob Crouch brings Reed back to vivid life in this swaggering, brilliant evening of entertainment.
€18/16 8pm

Instep Stage School Revolting Children Sunday 26 May The In-Step Stage School and the children of Birr present 'Revolting Children' a show not to be missed. Featuring Matlida, The Little Mermaid, Alice in Wonderland, and many more. Come along and enjoy this live performance.
7pm €12/10

Birr Film Club Life of Pi Tuesday 28 May Dir: Ang Lee USA 2012 Cert: PG Starring: Suraj Sharma, Irrfan Khan, Adil Hussain
Based on the best-selling novel by Yann Martel, is a magical adventure story centering on Pi Patel, the precocious son of a zoo keeper. Dwellers in Pondicherry, India, the family decides to move to Canada, hitching a ride on a huge freighter. After a shipwreck, Pi finds himself adrift in the Pacific Ocean on a 26-foot lifeboat with a zebra, a hyena, an orang-utan and a 450-pound Bengal tiger named Richard Parker, all fighting for survival.
Academy Award winner 2013 – Cinematography / Best Director / Music (Original Score) / Visual Effects
€7 (Birr Film Club Members/Friends €3) 8pm

Birr Film Club Les Miserables Tuesday 4 June Dir: Tom Hooper USA 2012 CERT:12A Starring: Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway
In 19th-century France, Jean Valjean, who for decades has been hunted by the ruthless policeman Javert after he breaks parole, agrees to care for factory worker Fantine's daughter, Cosette. The fateful decision changes their lives forever.
Academy Award winner 2013 – Best Actress in a Supporting Roll / Make-up & Hair / Sound Mixing
€7 (Birr Film Club Members/Friends €3) 8pm

See Change presents Box of Frogs: A Revue of the Mind Saturday 8 June with Mary McEvoy, John Moynes and Dil Wickremasinghe
Three people on stage, happy, successful, gorgeous!!! But there’s one thing they have in common. Each of these people has now or at some time in their lives experienced the torment of mental health problems. Actress Mary McEvoy, comedian John Moynes and broadcaster Dil Wickremasinghe have teamed up to share their stories of personal experience with a mental health problem in a mixture of stories, comedy sketches and songs to de-mystify, debunk and ultimately have a laugh with what really goes on inside our heads. Box of Frogs is directed by Caroline FitzGerald and written by Isobel Mahon in collaboration with cast members Mary McEvoy,John Moynes and Dil Wickremasinghe and presented by See Change, the national stigma reduction partnership.
€10 (Friends: priority) 8pm

Art Documentation 1 Day Workshop by Tim Durham Saturday 15 June Introductory course to photographing your own paintings, drawings, textiles and prints for use in portfolios, websites, emails and press releases. Step by step methodical process to obtaining the best possible results with your digital compact camera or digital SLR. It is about getting the very best quality results from the equipment you have. The course will cover, exposure, ISO, white balance, apertures, depth of field, jpg quality, resolution of images, tripod use and much more. www.timdurham.ie Places limited to 10 places so confirmed bookings essential.
€40 to be paid when booking.

Lights Up!!! A Youth Dance and Drama Project Monday 17 June – Friday 21 June Spend 5 days learning cool, dynamic dances and challenging new scenes from Cristina Goletti, Director of Offaly Youth Dance and Macdara Deery, one of the facilitators for Offaly Youth Theatre. In an unprecedented effort to bring together youngster interested in theatre and/or dance, the two youth groups join together for a week of fun and creativity. During the 5-day the group will devise together a short dance theatre piece to be performed during You(th) Share 2013. Beginners welcome! 10:30am-1:30pm
Fee: €40 (OYD and OYT members €30)

YOU(th) SHARE Sat 22nd June Legitimate Bodies Dance Company in association with Birr Theatre and Arts Centre are delighted to provide an incredible opportunity for Youth Dance and theatre Companies around the country to meet and present their work in Birr. Selected youth companies from other parts of the country, alongside the participants of Lights Up/ Youth Dance and Drama Project, You(th) Share promise to be a refreshing and exhilarating evening showcasing the talent of Irish young adults. A special performance from an emerging Irish-based dance maker will conclude the evening. A great show for families and everyone interested in witnessing the power of youth arts! 7pm
€10/€8; family (2 adults & 2 kids - €30)

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Tribute With Special Guests Sunday 30 June For the first time ever, much loved Disney characters from four popular TV shows appear together live on stage in an unforgettable celebration of the Magic that is Disney. The Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Tribute brings audiences into the colourful worlds of Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, Goofy, Iggle Piggle, Upsy Daisy, Dora the Explorer, Boots the Monkey and Peppa Pig. Mickey Mouse hosts the show and wants to sing but when everyone gets the hiccups’ they have to find ways of curing them. With participation from the audience and help from Mickey’s friends on stage, they all soon get there singing voices back and everyone joins in a sing song with all the gang. In a second adventure Mickey and the gang help Goofy get rid of his cold. With different adventures from every character, this interactive show will have parents and children laughing playing and singing. (Merchandise sold at the performance)
€12 2pm

STARCAMP Ireland's performing Children's Network Monday 8 - Friday 12 July STARCAMP, as seen on Dragons Den, is coming to The Birr Theatre, from the 8th July - 12th July. Our camps are aimed at children aged 4 to 13 and incorporates singing, dancing and acting. It is FUN and FULLY FOCUSED ON SELF ESTEEM. Starcamp was voted one of the TOP 5 camps run nationwide by school magazine Primary Times and thousands of parents in 2012 and is highly acclaimed by teachers and parents nationwide. The general consensus is that STARCAMP has had an incredible effect on Children’s confidence and personality – even in one week and our aim is to do this EVERY year.
1 Child €90 – 2 Siblings €150 – 3 Siblings €200.

To Book Contact: 021-4377900 or visit www.starcamp.com