Two world premieres at inaugural Solstice Festival

The summer solstice is coming up at the end of the month and provides a perfect opportunity for its namesake arts centre in Navan to present its inaugural Solstice Festival. The festival, beginning on 17th June, is jam-packed with exciting events to suit all tastes and interests. Belinda Quirke, director of Navan's Solstice Arts Centre, says: "The Solstice Festival is a seed of an idea that we are quite excited about. We hope the festival will eventually grow throughout Navan and involve a diverse range of communities and venues to produce a key cultural event that will create a vibrancy of spirit throughout the town and county." Opening the celebrations of the festival on Thursday 17th June is Fidget Feet and its aerial dance show, 'Madam Silk'. This event is a feast for the senses as three female aerial dancers evolve in a universe of veils and drapes to create a sensual atmosphere that gives birth to beautiful choreography while performed to eclectic music and film projections. One of two free events in the festival is a lunchtime concert in the café on Friday 18th June with a performance from talented young guitarist Stefan Galt. Stefan uses influences from blues, jazz, country, bluegrass and rock and has fused elements of all these styles into his own music. On Friday 18th, writer Joseph O'Connor chats with Philip King on stage in a charming evening of readings, insights, reflections and song. A sell out event and highlight of the 2009 Cúirt International Literature Festival, O'Connor considers the influence of Irish-American ballads in his recent fiction. Already almost sold out and presented in association with Tall Tales Theatre Co and Meath County Council Arts Office is the acting workshop with Alan Stanford. Premiering at the festival on Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th June, is Meath playwright Deirdre Kinahan's new play 'Bogboy'. Set in the countryside surrounding Navan, Bogboy is moving, intriguing and funny; a tale of deep friendship, violent murder and unforgivable deceit. The premiere of Bogboy follows in close succession the Solstice premiere of Kinahan's topical play 'Moment'. Moment received much critical acclaim and is to tour to the UK in the autumn. Younger audiences can join in on the fun on Monday 21st in an 'Art Party' with qualified art teachers from Artzone. The highlight event of the festival on Monday 21st presented and supported by Meath County Council Arts Office, the 'Solstice Concert' features the premiere performance of 'Solstice' a new piece of music specially commissioned for the Arts Centre. Composed by LA based composer and Dunboyne native Ciaran Hope, 'Solstice' is intended to be the 'signature' music for the Arts Centre. Funded by Meath County Council, this piece was commissioned under the Per Cent for Art Scheme attaching to the Solstice Arts Centre ACCESS Capital programme. Performed by some of Meath's most talented musicians, this evening's concert will also include Elaine Agnew compositions with narration from Tall Tales Theatre Company's production 'Maisy Daly's Rainbow'. Audiences are set to flock to the performance of 'Morecambe' on Wednesday 23rd June. Winner of a prestigious Olivier Award 2010 and currently being staged in the West End, Morecambe is an extraordinary portrayal commemorating the 25th anniversary of Eric Morecambe's untimely final curtain. Audiences are invited to come laugh and cry, and rejoice "the tall one with glasses" who had that twinkle in his eye. To accompany and compliment the current exhibition at Solstice, 'Noughties but Nice: 21st Century Irish Art', featured artist Aideen Barry and co-curator Susan Holland discuss the diverse practice of visual arts in Ireland in the first decade of the 21st century. Admission is free but booking essential with Solstice Box Office. Closing the festival are The National Chamber Choir who perform a delectable programme entitled 'Love, Birds and War' on Friday 25th June in an evening of music by French composers Debussy, Poulenc and Janequin, conducted by the venerated Paul Hillier. To ensure audiences the best of value Solstice are offering three tickets to any event or three tickets to a choice of three events for only €40. Tickets for all events are available from Solstice Arts Centre Box Office on 046 909 2330 or online at www.solsticeartscentre.ie.