April Fools’ Day? Just perfect for the foolhardy amongst us! The Foolhardy Festival is coming to town.
Waterford City and County Council’s Art Office is bringing a brand new subversive and scandalous festival of fun to Waterford on the April Fools’ Day Weekend, from Friday April 1st to Sunday April 3rd.
Working with Comedy Festival Curator, MJ Stokes and Waterford’s own legend, Sean Murphy – the Foolhardy Festival of Comedy and Commedia will have you giggling, laughing, learning, diversing, creating, dreaming, making, frivoling and participating in a weekend of mirthful mayhem with many of the events taking place in the Canvas Comedy Central (marquee) on O’Connell Street in Waterford City.
Highlights include: Julie Jay, Sean Marshal, Aliminium - Tim’s Laughter Refinery, ‘Suicide Bees’, ‘Hysteria’ and ‘Token Straight’.
There is also an examination of some of the historical contexts to current frivolity with talks on Commedia, family workshops exploring Punch and Judy, Badge making, Mask painting, a workshop strictly for adults on Commedia dell'arte Mask making, and even a session for kids with the grand title of ‘Picasso, Cubism and a Pig!’
For comedians, there are professional talks: An introduction to social media and an introduction to comedy safety. There is even a Green room for them, as well as the technicians, producers and volunteers.
And, if you thought that Foolhardy Festival of Comedy and Commedia was ignoring the allure of the City’s own peculiar brand of humour – you would be wrong.
Amongst others we will have Steven Stubs hosting one of his infamous live quizzes (which also be live-streamed), there will be Open Mic sessions and also one of the country’s most cynical and divisive populists is threatening to cast his beady eye over the events in Waterford’s Cultural Quarter over the weekend, Cosmic and Comedy Vinyl on Friday and Saturday as well as music, food and beer.
The Foolhardy Festival of Comedy and Commedia takes place on the evening of April 1st in the Waterford Cultural Quarter and runs through to Sunday Lunchtime.
Festival curator MJ Stokes, describing the reasoning behind the new festival said the past two years has breathed a new emphasis and focus to stand-up and comedy, as well as renewing a vista on society:
“It’s time to lose the nickel in the mirror and lookout at the world for all it is. We have been through a miserable spell but now it’s time to get out and laugh!”
The Foolhardy Festival of Comedy and Commedia in Waterford is aided by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media through its LLPPS3 programme.
For more about the festival go to www.waterfordarts.com
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