Magic in the mix for Town Hall Theatre’s Spring programme

 Magic, music, dance, comedy and of course drama are on offer as the city’s Town Hall Theatre prepares for a busy start to 2013.

The year kicks off with the ever-popular Renmore Panto with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in a version by Peter Kennedy, who also plays the panto Dame. That runs until january 12, with several matinee performances.

On the dramatic front, there’s a varied selection on offer at the Town Hall and its sister Black Box venue. These include a new production of Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure by Galway company, Theatrecorp. It will be staged at the Black Box from January 29 to February 2.

Before that, the Town Hall hosts Solpadeine is My Boyfriend from With an F Productions. This show, about a generation of Irish people who were promised a life of stability and security that hasn’t come to pass, was nominated for two Absolut Fringe awards in Dublin last year.

Ireland of a bygone era is explored in The Love Hungry Farmer, a one-man show, based on the book by John B Keane. This has been devised and is being performed by the popular Des Keogh.

Local company Decadent Theatre will present Martin McDonagh’s play, A Skull in Connemara from January 31 to February 9, also in the Town Hall. The cast includes John Olohan and Bríd Ní Neachtain.

That’s followed by Donal O’Kelly’s Joyced on February 12. This whistle-stop tour of Joycean Dublin, performed by Katie O’Kelly, was nominated for a Best Solo performance award in Edinburgh last August.

Humorous and moving stories from the Irish Deaf community are promised in Follow, presented by WillFRedd Theatre Arts and Disability Ireland, which will run on February 15 and 16.

There’s family fun when The Lambert puppet perform Hansel and Gretel on February 17. There will also be an appearance from the legendary Bosco.

A stage adaptation of Mitch Albom’s best-selling book, Tuesdays with Morrie will be performed at the venue from February 25-27.

For the full listing see this week's Tribune