Freetown is a city of sorts located beyond Salty Dog and Trenchtown, with all manner of life clinging to its sides, from German nihilism to Brazilian dwelling-houses, a Cajun bayou to a ne’er do wells’ shanty town, a cabaret hall to the hidden alleyways of a Mexican pueblo.
PROVEDENCIA
Flickering red lights lure you to Providencia, a retro-futuristic village on the edge of the world. Strange things happen here, in this haven for the peculiar; their infamous nightly Blok Party is a bizarre, energetic celebration of weirdness, absurdity and analogue esoterica, powering on til dawn. Picnickers venturing into Blok Party will find acts such as …
DONAL DINEEN’S BACKSTORY – DJ MEK (SCAREY EIRE)-DJ CRISPY JASON – SIANAGEDDON – JAKE REED – PRYMARY COLOURS – STOMPTOWN BRASS – CABLE STREET COLLECTIVE – MANDEN EXPRESS – JYELLOWL – OSCAR DUNBAR – K3LU – COOKS BUT WE’RE CHEFS – GLAM PIGS MONSIEUR POMPIER – AND A GREAT NUMBER OF UNEXPECTED APPEARANCES
Synths, storytellers and brass clash in front of abandoned billboards flowering with strange art; glamorous pigs dance alongside gazelles to hypnotic DJs in a crashed vehicle, as print blocks sing duets with art crafted from light, and deeper inside even stranger things are afoot… the old Iglesia is home to a new kind of spiritual encounter, where Tarot blends dreamtime with real-time – here you’ll find Tarot mixed with exuberant and spiritual music that will have you dancing well into the night.
On the outskirts of the village, a cerebral fortress indoctrinates over-prescribed patients, mismanaged by nefarious staff loosely connected to an apocalyptic beauty parlour. The village moon rises through the trees. If Drum ‘n Bass is your flavour prepare to be sated.
Our Lady Of The Consumption
a parish hall turned ceilidh house – hums with the bodhran, a giant seisún stretching long into the night, spilling revellers into the dilapidated alleyways and dirty crannies of Six Bars – a warren of small snugs holding six drinkers apiece – buried down the narrow neon cityscape. Imbibe in one of the bars or all six and we guarantee you, you never know who will pop up to serve you.
FOOTSBARN THEATRE
Renowned international touring theatre company along with Glen Hansard and Breanndán Ó Beaglaoich bring their magical production of ‘The Crock of Gold’ to the big top in Freetown.
Based on the 1912 comic novel by Irish author and friend of Joyce, James Stephens, this entrancing production features original music composed and performed live each afternoon by Glen Hansard and Brendan Begley. They will be joined by a full international cast of troubadours and players; shadow puppetry, spectacle, dance and song.
Immerse yourself in a folk tale of grand imagination and of high philosophy, an antidote to the mundanity of our world with dreams of alternative, inspirational realities abounding! A comic and intricate web of philosophers, leprechauns, pagan gods and policemen, a tale that leads us from darkness to light whilst asking some of life’s fundamental questions.
SHOW EACH AFTERNOON: 4pm in FOOTSBARN’S BIG TOP
followed by: