Misterman proves the high point

THOSE involved in the arts will have much to be happy about as they look back over 2011, even though finances continue to be a worry for many groups.

The theatrical highlight of the year was undoubtedly the co-production by Galway Arts Festival of Misterman, Enda Walsh’s one-man show starring Cillian Murphy.

Murphy played Thomas Magill, a disturbed young man who regarded himself as a modern day Messiah, in league with God and who was determined to save the inhabitants of the midland town of Innishfree from their sins. The only problem was they didn’t want to be saved. They also didn’t realise quite how mad he was .. . .until it was too late.

Audiences loved it when it premiered at the Arts Festival and it enjoyed a totally sold-out run with standing ovations nightly.

Misterman has since gone on to success in New York where it played in St Anne’s Warehouse off Broadway.

Druid too continues to blaze a trail and continued to tour in Ireland, America and the UK this year, with almost 100,000 people seeing their productions of Penelope, The Cripple of Inishmaan, The Silver Tassie and Big Maggie.

The company’s announcement last month that it plans to stage three of Tom Murphy’s finest plays, Famine, Conversations on a Homecoming and A Whistle in the Dark, next year, gives audiences lots to look forward to in 2012.

The Galway Film Fleadh received good news in November when it was accepted as a qualifying festival in the Academy Awards Short Film category. It is one of only 68 film festivals out of 7,000 worldwide to be granted Oscar-qualifying accreditation. That increases the opportunity for Irish filmmakers to compete in the Academy Awards for live action and animated short films.

Meanwhile, John Michael McDonagh’s film The Guard, which was shot in Galway and released in the summer received fantastic reviews in America and was a resounding hit at home as well. Its leading man, Brendan Gleeson was nominated for a Golden Globe last week, a good omen for the Academy nominations.

The cast and crew TG4 drama Ros na Rún had a welcome visitor in March when actor Stephen Fry dropped in and performed acameo role in the programme. He was in Galway for a TV series which he was making for BBC on languages around the world.

For more of Judy’s review of the Arts year see this week’s Tribunes