The fifth and final of our Lasta shorts is Tuna, a hand drawn animation by Cliona Noonan. A late-night supermarket cashier with a strange obsession is visited by a mysterious customer.
Cliona Noonan is an Irish animator and filmmaker. She graduated from The National Film School of Ireland in 2019 with a BA in Animation. Her graduation film ‘TUNA’ has screened at festivals internationally. She has since gone on to direct the short film ‘Wet & Soppy’ as part of the 2020 ‘Animation Studio Lab’ programme, supported by Animation Skillnet. She was selected for the 2020 OFFline Animation Residency and is currently completing her new short film.
Lasta is presented by NASC as part of Brightening Air | Coiscéim Coiligh, a nationwide, ten day season of arts experiences brought to you by the Arts Council. To see the full Brightening Air | Coiscéim Coiligh programme, visit www.brighteningair.com
Fisherman & Dog by Dylan Buter is a short animation aimed at children, but hopefully enjoyable at any age. If you are a fan of ‘Wallace and Gromit’ and ‘Adventure Time’ we think you’ll enjoy it.
Dylan Butter is from Donegal and studied animation for four years at the LYIT while also dabbling in film and motion graphics.
Lasta is presented by NASC as part of Brightening Air | Coiscéim Coiligh, a nationwide, ten day season of arts experiences brought to you by the Arts Council. To see the full Brightening Air | Coiscéim Coiligh programme, visit www.brighteningair.com
An Grianán Theatre have teamed up with our friends at the Regional Culture Centre to present ‘Alone Together’, a mini online music festival featuring five emerging regional acts. Tune in to see ‘Tramp’, ‘Happy Out’, ‘George Houston’ ‘Lunch Machine’ and ‘Laytha’ perform some of their new material and find out what they have been up to over the lockdown period. Launches at 9pm on Cruinniú na nÓg (Fri 12 June) and will be available to watch online throughout the rest of the Lasta Festival.
Tramp
Combining elements of indie rock and grunge, Tramp’s sound is defined by the ethereal vocals of Siânna Lafferty, the impeccable drum skills of Steamy, bassist Ellie McFadden and guitarist Fionnbarr Doran. Hailing from Derry/Donegal, Tramp are fresh faces on the local music scene but with their unique sound and grunge energy are definitely a force to be reckoned with.
Happy Out
Having cut their teeth playing bars, parks, festivals and anywhere in between, post-indie rock trio Happy Out have chiselled themselves a place as an established crowd favourite within the Donegal/Derry scene. They can be identified by their blown out amplifiers, screaming vocals and decimated drumkits.
George Houston
Alone Together is proud to introduce George Houston, a young solo musician from Donegal. Inspired by the likes of First aid kit and Lana Del Rey, George’s style can be described as synth/folk. He kicked off his music career last year with his debut single ‘Boo F*cking Hoo’ and then went on to release his very own EP ‘Class of 2020’. With his newest track ‘Motions’ already garnering interest on Spotify we are very excited to see the heights this alternative singer songwriter will reach.
Laytha
With a sound that is as beautiful and untamed as their home in the west of Ireland comes Laytha. An indie-folk duo from Enniskillen these Irish singer-songwriters specialise in weaving fiery tales and cold ballads. A fusion of contemporary indie melodies and harmonies with dark, traditional folkish rhythms, the roots of Laytha run deep speaks to a wide audience. On their debut EP Taobh Eile, the duo paint bright portraits and landscapes, lined with pain, wanderlust, and a sense of longing. The settings and characters that inhabit Laytha’s world are full of life and struggle, portrayed within rich imagery that incorporates folklore, nature, wilderness and a push back against modernity.
Lunch Machine
Donegal based ‘granny flat thrunge rock four-piece’ Lunch Machine are a deftly talented group led by vocalist Jude Barriscale, who’s laconic delivery is evocative of that of Courtney Barnett’s. Barriscale’s knack for injecting personal, universal truths with a detached sincerity elevates what could be slack meanderings to poignant social commentary while simultaneously transporting the listener to a peaceful, contemplative state of mind.
This event is part of Lasta, an exciting arts programme curated by young people in eight Nasc Network venues across Ireland. Lasta is based on an original project conceived and delivered by Backstage Theatre, Longford in 2020.
Part of Brightening Air | Coiscéim Coiligh, a nationwide, ten day season of arts experiences brought to you by the Arts Council. To see the full Brightening Air | Coiscéim Coiligh programme, visit www.brighteningair.com
The third of our Lasta animated shorts: World renowned sleuth Roman Picante investigates a mysterious art theft, the truth of which will shake him to his impeccably dressed core.
Matthew Donnelly is an illustrator and animator from Donegal whose limitless imagination combines a refined artistic quality with humorous storytelling.
Lasta is presented by NASC as part of Brightening Air | Coiscéim Coiligh, a nationwide, ten day season of arts experiences brought to you by the Arts Council. To see the full Brightening Air | Coiscéim Coiligh programme, visit www.brighteningair.com
For the first time since September 2020 An Grianán Theatre are preparing to welcome a live audience back into the building. Orson Sterritt’s The Adventures of the Exotic Dr. Proctor will bring the curtain up on the stage again this coming Friday 25th and Saturday June 26th June with two shows on each day.
‘It’s a big moment for us’ said Marketing Manager Daithí Ramsay. `We’ve been busy producing and sharing online content throughout but live is where we really shine, and our main purpose is to bring performers and audiences together. All the technology in the world still has nothing that can replicate that experience of a room full of people enjoying a show together’.
The current Covid Guidelines mean that up to 50 people can attend each show and Covid safety will be strictly adhered to.
‘We’ll be announcing some outdoor shows for the Summer soon’, said Daithí, ‘and those will have a capacity of 100. We very much see these as positive steps along the way to when we will be safely allowed to go back to packed houses and sold out shows and we hope that isn’t too far off’’.
The Adventures of the Exotic Dr. Proctor is a family show recommended for ages 5 and up. It’s the story of an intrepid explorer who travels through different worlds in his magic Horsebox. Follow the magical doctor as he tries to create his camp, so that he can continue his adventures while exploring the exotic land that he has arrived in. This is a fun family show with a twist of magic and a hint of circus and tickets are only €5 and you can book online now at angrianan.com.
Creator of the Exotic Dr Proctor, Orson Sterritt has been juggling from a young age. He learned his craft performing in parades and as a walk around act. He has been performing in theatre for many years in musicals and various other shows. This is the first show he has written and also his first solo performance. The show is presented by Giddy Up Theatre in association with An Grianán Theatre and Directed by Sinéad O’Donnell-Carey.
This production is a recipient of a bursary award from An Grianán’s Make Some Noise scheme.
The second of our Lasta Shorts, a showcase of animated shorts made by local creators. Episode 2 of The Electric Wizard was created by Eoin O’ Kane, a 2D animator from Letterkenny who studied animation at LYIT. Eoin animates using Flash and other 2D animation software, using traditional frame-by-frame animation techniques. He likes to make colourful cartoons that you might see on tv at 4 a.m.
Lasta is presented by NASC as part of Brightening Air | Coiscéim Coiligh, a nationwide, ten day season of arts experiences brought to you by the Arts Council. To see the full Brightening Air | Coiscéim Coiligh programme, visit www.brighteningair.com
NB: The Electric Wizard contains strong language. Not recommended for under 14s.
Here’s the first of five short animations we’re presenting as as part of Lasta Shorts, a showcase of animated shorts made by local creators. The Electric Wizard was created by Eoin O’ Kane, a 2D animator from Letterkenny who studied animation at LYIT. Eoin animates using Flash and other 2D animation software, using traditional frame-by-frame animation techniques. He likes to make colourful cartoons that you might see on tv at 4 a.m.
Lasta is presented by NASC as part of Brightening Air | Coiscéim Coiligh, a nationwide, ten day season of arts experiences brought to you by the Arts Council. To see the full Brightening Air | Coiscéim Coiligh programme, visit www.brighteningair.com
Mass in the time of Covid – Packie is unimpressed when his wife Kathleen starts to deliver mass at the breakfast table. Charlie Bonner and Cathleen Bradley star in the third of our Little Acorns commissions. Online Mass was written by Seamus McDermott and directed by Karen Quinn.
Commissioned by An Grianán Theatre
Cast
Charlie Bonner
Cathleen Bradley
Written by Seamus McDermott
Directed by Karen Quinn
Lighting and camera: Niall Cranney
Sound recordist and camera: Peter Rose
Set design/camera: Robert Attewell
Costumes: Anne-Marie Kilfeather
Editor: Emory Ramsay
Credits/Captioning: Nicola Burns
Little Acorns animation: Daniel McGarrigle at Rezolve Media
Producer: Patricia McBride
Filmed using equipment kindly funded by the Arts Council of Ireland / An Chomhairle Ealaíon Capacity Building Support Scheme
Recorded at An Grianán Theatre in April 2021. All rights reserved.
About the author
Seamus McDermott lives in Convoy. This is Seamus’ first play. At school Seamus struggled with writing, reading and spelling. This resulted in a lack of confidence in his creative ability. Two years ago at the age of fifty-two Seamus completed a part-time creative writing course facilitated by Avril Meehan in Lifford Court House. It was here he discovered a passion for writing. Seamus’ main interest is in poetry and he has been shortlisted in the Allingham Arts Poetry Competition 2020, published in Little Gems magazine’s Spring and Winter editions, Pendemic (online), Stories From The Waterside (online), and had a video-poem selected for screening at Reel Poetry / Houston Texas 2021 Film Festival.
About Little Acorns
At the end of January 2021 we put a call out for writers to submit short plays, 5 to 10 minutes long, that we could film and share on our social media platforms. We had over 50 plays submitted and chose 6 in all to turn into short films. We’ve been filming and editing them throughout April and May and will be sharing them over the next few weeks.
The Lasta festival kicks off this Thursday evening with a special launch concert from Soda Blonde.
Over the ten days of the festival we have a huge variety of events to enjoy online from Olivier award winning dramas to puppet workshops! You can download the programme here or check out our events page for all our Lasta shows and workshops.
An Grianán Theatre is delighted to be one of the participating venues presenting Lasta: a national arts programme for young people by young people. Lasta is presented by the NASC Network as part of Brightening Air | Coiscéim Coiligh, a nationwide, ten-day season of arts experiences brought to you by the Arts Council.
In a new innovative approach to programming, twenty-one young curators were engaged by the Nasc venues to programme a festival of work for children and young people from 11th to 20th June 2021, delivering for the first time, a national arts programme curated entirely by young people.
An Grianán’s young curators Fergal Lonergan and Ailis Cross Gorman have put together a great selection of events to appeal to all ages.
For more information on Brightening Air | Coiscéim Coiligh go to www.brighteningair.com. Brightening Air | Coiscéim Coiligh is brought to you by the Arts Council, funded by the Government of Ireland and produced by Schweppe Curtis Nunn.
Lasta is presented by NASC as part of Brightening Air | Coiscéim Coiligh, a nationwide, ten day season of arts experiences brought to you by the Arts Council. To see the full Brightening Air | Coiscéim Coiligh programme, visit www.brighteningair.com
The second of our Little Acorns short plays is The Author by Andrew Tinney. Louise Conaghan plays a character demanding better character development from author Laura Douglas.
The Author
Commissioned by An Grianán Theatre
Cast
Laura Douglas
Louise Conaghan
Written and directed by Andrew Tinney
Director of photography: Karen Quinn
Lighting and camera: Niall Cranney
Sound recordist and camera: Peter Rose
Set design/camera: Robert Attewell
Costume (An Grianán): Anne-Marie Kilfeather
Editor: Daithi Ramsay
Title/Credits/Captioning: Nicola Burns
Little Acorns animation: Daniel McGarrigle at Rezolve Media
Producer: Patricia McBride
Filmed using equipment kindly funded by the Arts Council of Ireland / An Chomhairle Ealaíon Capacity Building Support Scheme
Recorded at An Grianán Theatre in April 2021. All rights reserved.
About the author
Andrew Tinney is an actor and writer originally from Newtowncunningham who now lives in Strabane and is very well known on the Drama scene in the North West. He has penned numerous short plays, as well as the 3-act tragedy Silence, which premiered in 2018. He is also the creator and director of Bard Theatre. He holds an MA in Creative Writing and a BA Hons in Drama. His novels currently include Shadow Rises and Shadow Falls from the Thousand Paths Series, as well as A Ballad of Faith and Blood from the Immortal Bard Chronicles.
About Little Acorns
At the end of January 2021 we put a call out for writers to submit short plays, 5 to 10 minutes long, that we could film and share on our social media platforms. We had over 50 plays submitted and chose 6 in all to turn into short films. We’ve been filming and editing them throughout April and May and will be sharing them over the next few weeks.
This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
Strictly Necessary Cookies
Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.
If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.
