And may the best of you – for it will only be the best of you, and even then only in the rarest and briefest moments – succeed in framing that most basic of questions, “how do we live?”

— John Malkovich, excerpt from his 2012 World Theatre Day speech

http://vimeo.com/39193767 John Malkovich’s message for World Theatre Day as read by members & associates of The Internationalists

http://www.tcg.org/fifty/video.cfm I AM THEATRE video project from Theatre Communications Group – check it out!

Related articles

• World Theatre Day 2012 (actorsgreenroom.net)
• Malkovich directs Dangerous Liaisons on stage (guardian.co.uk)

Act The Maggot attended this very interesting & thought provoking conference yesterday at Farmleigh in the Phoenix Park. See Twitter feed for more detailed info & quotes from speakers plus photos. Website for Changenation.

The conference was organised by Ashoka Ireland and 50 Social Entrepeneurs from all over the world, including Ireland (our youngest being just 19 years old!) told their stories and held workshops.

We are heading to Inn Jokes tonight at 7pm. Click and come along if you fancy a laugh. Warning: will be crowded as it is FREE. Join www.meetup.com/Act-The-Maggot

Next Tuesday 27th March we are going to see TINY PLAYS in the Project. We cannot urge you strongly enough to sign up for this event. Act The Maggot happened to be at the Project last night for Classic Stage Ireland’s production of Agamemnon (really good) and it was the first night of TINY PLAYS. What a buzz!! So much new writing. Really, really worthwhile if you want to see the scope of new writing talent from across the country. It could be any of us!! Take a look at the blurb about it anyway and think about coming along. P>S> In case you haven’t noticed Tuesday is the new Friday..great buzz in town. To go just click and join.

Ak da magga needs you! Please spread the joy and ask your pals to Like us here on Facebook and don’t forget to Like us yourself. We need our fans!

Last but not least, our next six-week course is coming up on April 19 – so hurry to book your place. This may possibly be the last Act The Maggot course before September. www.actthemaggot.com – go to Deposits section and use SECURE paypal with credit card to pay €40 deposit. If you have a problem using paypal call 087 3744926 and we can sort it.

See Act The Maggot TV interview on Tuesday March 15th, 2012 with DCTV’s Theatron Show hosted by Aoifa Kenny and filmed in their Temple Bar studios in Dublin. For those in a hurry, the Act The Maggot segment starts 3:38mins in….otherwise we recommend listening to what The New Theatre’s Anthony Fox has to say first. Considering sharing this link with your mates and any potential maggots out there!! Thank you.

Our March FREE introductory taster drama workshop called Chrysalis Craic!  will take place from 3pm to 5pm (with a tea break in the middle) on Tuesday March 13th, 2012  at Cultúrlann na hÉireann, 32 Belgrave Square, Monkstown, Co. Dublin (across from Seapoint DART station). Call Amy at 087 3744926 to get a spot. Phone reservations only. Limited places.

Getting to the Cultúrlann in Monkstown from City Centre. Just minutes away from the DART station and the No.7 Dubln Bus Route

DART: you need to get off at Seapoint Station, turn immediately left at the exit and cross at the pedestrian lights, then turn right up Belgrave Road and take the first turn left that you meet. This takes you into Belgrave Square. 
BUS: The No. 7 Bus goes from O’Connell Street in the City Centre out to the Cultúrlann also, just three stops past Blackrock Village. You need to get off on Monkstown Road at the stop before Seafield Avenue. When you exit the bus go left and then turn immediately right down into Belgrave Square.

Minister Kathleen Lynch at Gateway/My Mind launch yesterday. ESB Electric Aid provided funding for Gateway members to access one-on-one counselling at MyMind, their Ranelagh neighbour. Gateway is a member led mental health project and its members this week voted to invite Act The Maggot in for a Chrysalis Craic! workshop. Look forward to that!

Hi Folks – we got such a great response for our novel Valentine’s Day free taster Chrysalis Craic class. Yay!  Sorry applications are now closed. We maggots plan to have a hoot and a howl! Don’t worry if you missed the boat. We are organising another free taster March 13 in Monkstown. Keep an eye on the Chrysalis Craic page for detiails – or better still – LIKE us on facebook and stay in da magga loop!

Act The Maggot was blessed enough to spend 3 hours today listening to gems of wisdom from Fionnuala Flanagan & MC’d by Leila Doolan in the Grafton Suite, Westbury Hotel. What insight. National treasures both. Now have got to see The Guard – Fionnuala’s latest foray with Brendan Gleeson  (yeah cannot believe missed that one) and Leila’s documentary on Bernadette Devlin is a apparently also a must see. The event was organised by screentrainingireland – check em out.

The Jameson International Dublin Film Festival launched this day last week at midnight. One of the most sought after bookings was Wilde Salome by Al Pacino who says a chance visit to a theatre in London first inspired him with the story of Oscar Wilde which he has made into the award-winning drama documentary. Al Pacino did not even know Oscar Wilde had written a play called Salome when he went to see his friend – the actor, writer and director Steven Berkoff – at a London theatre!

So many a poor soul including yours truly stayed up till the wee hours last week to book the first tickets to the gala screening of Wilde Salome – where none other than Al Pacino himself will be in attendance. Sadly they were all sold out. Ouch. Not to worry it’ll be one to rent. Anyhow, there are loads of really interesting movies to choose from, and some great new Irish ones.  It is great to see such an appetite for independent, arthouse and uncommerical film.

Don’t miss out. Jameson International Dublin Film Festival tickets now on sale. Screenings 16th through 26th February. http://www.jdiff.com/

Ah Febuary/Febbury/Febry – the most misspelled month of the year. A time when the children of the country are sent scurrying out into the dark marshes to get rushes. On the down side Febrewery is the second most ‘Lenty’ month after March but on the upside it is also the pancakiest. Treading carefully but hilariously through the marsh of people’s mixed February emotions, picking out the best rushes and making them into a really funny and …er..sturdy cross are three fine comedians (plus a special guest!) coming to Kilmainham on Wednesday F******y 15th .  A solicitor-turned-comedian, Keith Farnan is fast becoming one of Ireland’s biggest comedy exports. Appearances on Michael McIntyre’s roadshow, a string of critically acclaimed Edinburgh Festival appearances and gigs all over the world have honed Keith’s comedy skills to a state of very honey indeed. Joining Barry are George Fox and Trevor Brown. More details at www.innjokes.com. 

All content copyright Colm O’Regan 2011. www.colmoregan.com