Drama hits in US are on the way to Ballina
'Ulysses of Scranton' is coming to Ballina later this month.
Two of the major hits of the Scranton Fringe Festival in the USA are coming to the Ballina Arts Centre at the end of this month.
The Scranton Fringe is known throughout the US as a platform for unique creative work and two of the funniest shows from this year’s festival - and - will come to Ballina in October as part of the Twin Towns project.
is a loose, loving, adaptation of James Joyce’s literary masterpiece. This production offers a creative, humorous, and contemporary interpretation of the classic novel, reimagined in the context of the 21st century. It takes Joyce’s narrative and infuses it with contemporary voices, humour, and experiences.
At its centre are a group of actors attempting to stage the “impossible” novel only to find that, as they dive deeper into the text, fiction and reality begin to blur. Characters morph, timelines collapse, and the stage becomes a space where Scranton meets Dublin in surprising and poignant ways.
With a fast-paced blend of wit, heart, and homage, explores identity, memory, and what it means to adapt -on the page, on the stage, and in life. This new work is both an accessible gateway to Joyce, and a celebration of regional storytelling, which proves the classics can still speak loudly and locally. The production opens on Friday, October 24 and runs for three nights.
On Saturday and Sunday there is a bonus production, also from the Scranton Fringe. is a comedy, written and performed by Maureen McGuigan, which covers the most taboo subject in our society - the fact that the only sure thing in life is death. In her one-woman show, Maureen uses humour to share her own struggles to face the fact that she has a skull beneath her skin. The show was a huge hit at the Scranton Festival in 2023 and has been invited to return this year due to popular demand.
Both shows promise an uplifting and humorous look at some serious subjects and, if the Scranton crowds are anything to go by, a great night’s entertainment. Tickets are priced €20 for Friday night, and €25 for Saturday and Sunday, when the show will start at the earlier time of 7pm, to accommodate both productions.
