turkey CLUBS Prosumer & Lerosa / Neil Landstrumm / Chymera Nothing spells Christmas quite like a few hundred candy-floss-smeared rugrats strung out on e-numbers screeching he behine you! on cue every ten minutes during a festive panto. Kids are a tough audience and if performances and direction are not just right, woe betide stressed out parents a four-year-olds hissy fit is not appealing. It says something for the quality of Jack And The Beanstalk that there wasnt a single wail during the two-hour performance. The tale of a callow young man swapping a perfectly good cow for a bag of beans might be a familiar one but theres plenty of fun to be had in this zippy, colourful production at The Gaiety. Jack (George McMahon) lives happily with his mother Dame Spratt (Garry Mountaine) and friend Slow Sean (Richie Hayes). But when avaricious property owner Felix Fleshcreep (Michael Grennell) who makes Dublin landlords look positively charitable ups the rent, drastic action has to be taken to make the repayments. Parting with beloved dancing cow Daisy seems like the only solution. Theres no shortage of cracking song and dance numbers here though a reworking of Lily Allens No Fear will haunt you for days afterwards and there are plenty of silly laughs to be had along the way. McMahon is a perfectly likeable Jack and has a good rapport with side-kick Hayes, though both seemed like they were fighting off an attack of the titters during the scene in which they have to check under Daisys udder (dont ask). Grennell is a suitably boo-inducing baddie; Mountaine has terrific fun as the not-so-matronly Dame Spratt; and Louise Lenihan, as the Fairy, provides eye candy for the dads. Fee, Fie, Foe, Fum I smell a full house. Daragh Reddin Until Jan 31, Gaiety Theatre, King Street South D2, times vary, 25 to 35. Tel: (01) 677 1717. www.gaietytheatre.ie PANTO REVIEW Jack And The Beanstalk Friday, December 18, 2009 metrolife 15 FIVE QUESTIONS FOR... Actor Liam Clancy, reprising his role in Conor McPhersons The Seafarer at the Abbey Did you realise when you first read Conor McPhersons script that The Seafarer would become an instant classic? I knew it had been a huge hit already in London and New York but when Conor told me hed written it in his attic, I knew it was a classic. The New York Times described the play in 2007 as the thinking persons alternative to Its A Wonderful Life. Discuss. Is this an honours or a pass paper? Its so long now since I saw Its A Wonderful Life that I think you should ask the writer at The New York Times to discuss it. They say that alcohol is a great leveller is it really, for this motley crew? Well, were all pretty levelled by the end of the play. In the interests of method acting, did the cast primarily learn their lines in the pub? We didnt really learn the lines. After the first scene we pretty much make them up as we go along. Its hard to remember them when were drunk, you see. The Seafarer is set on Christmas Eve. If Sharkey et al are drinking with the devil, what will you be doing on the 24th this year? Reflecting on the shambolic state of our country which is adrift on a sea of despair without political or spiritual leadership, where our leader is without a backbone and still defers to the hypocrisy of the Catholic Church. Land of the saints and scholars, my arse! Lucy White The Seafarer runs until Jan 30. Metro has three pairs of tickets to give away for Dec 22s performance at 7.30pm. For a chance to win, e-mail your name and number to life@ metroireland.ie by noon today with Seafarer in the subject line. www. abbeytheatre.ie ageing, convention, sexuality, friendships and more. It has sex, drugs and funny blokes with beards in it. Hey its The Hangover with a brain. Anna Smith Dublin-based producer Lerosa, aka Leopoldo Rosa, rounds off a banner year with a support slot for his friend Prosumer. Leo released a series of acclaimed deep house records in 2009 for Real Soon, Uzuri and Apnea. Lerosa also released for German label Ostgut, with his Plesso track making an appearance on the latest mix for the affiliated Panorama Bar club. Prosumer, aka Achim Brandenburg, is one of the residents at the club. Inspired by the classic, emotive sound of Chicago house, Prosumer has released a string of new school classics on labels like Playhouse and Diamonds & Pearls, while last years Serenity album was one of house musics finest recent long players. Dont miss the dynamic duo in action tonight. Tonight, Hype, PoD, Harcourt Street D2, 11pm, 12. With a catalogue that stretches back to the early 1990s, Scottish producer Neil Landstrumm (pictured) has been at the forefront of sonic innovation for what is an eternity in electronic music. While his experiments are no longer based on synapse- shredding, feedback-drenched interpretations of ghetto techno, the same sense of adventure and freeform approach applies. Interestingly, his appearance is part of an after party for the Prodigy, who represent the very opposite end of the UK bass music spectrum. Tonight, Surge, The Good Bits, Store Street D1, 10pm, 12 to 15. Along with Donnacha Costello, Brendan Gregoriy, aka Chymera, was the first Irish techno producer to get known internationally. Brendans love of melody, grandiose break- downs and epic climaxes not only seduced audiences across Europe, it also resonated with US DJ Josh Wink, who signed the Umbrella track to Ovum in 2007. Since then, Brendan has released a total of 16 singles in two years for a whos who of modern house and techno labels and his prodigious output has paid off, as next year sees the release of a Chymera album on the biggest techno label in Europe. Check him out up close at Pogo this weekend the next time he appears in Ireland, he may be performing on a much bigger stage. Tomorrow, Pogo, The Twisted Pepper, Middle Abbey Street D1, 11pm, 8 to 10. Richard Brophy AND ANOTHER THING... Jason Byrne The terminally optimistic comedian (pictured) takes the mic, mixing banter with physical buffoonery Tonight, Vicar Street, 58-59 Thomas Street D8, 8.30pm, 28. Tel: 0818 719 300. www.jasonbyrne.net Fight Like Apes FLA round off a very successful year with a rabble-rousing set performed in a wrestling ring. Yes, really Tonight & tomorrow, The Academy, 57 Middle Abbey Street D1, 7.30pm, 19.50 (tonight returns only). Tel: 0818 719 300. www.fightlikeapesmusic.com Sbastien Lger Robust house and techno-filtered funk from this Parisian powerhouse DJ and producer Tonight, TriPod, Harcourt Street D2, 11pm, 15. Tel: 0818 719 300. www.myspace.com/sebastienleger GIG Paul McCartney As anyone who slow-clapped along to Yusuf dont call me Cat Stevens Islams controversial performance at The O2 a few weeks back will attest, rocknroll legends arent always happy with their rarefied status. So its always heartening to come upon an icon such as Paul McCartney who actually seems to enjoy being a generational touchstone. Now 67, the former Beatle has been enthusiastically reviving his back catalogue in a year-long tour which has seen him reprise his old bands decade-defining concert at Shea Stadium in New York (now redeveloped and named after a corporate sponsor). Hes been dusting down such signature Beatles moments such as Magical Mystery Tour, Ride My Car and The Long And Winding Road as well as nodding to the fanboys by playing overlooked gems like Blackbird. Not that hes trying to re- write the past 40 years of his career. The set includes plenty of sterling Wings moments, also, not least Live And Let Die, plus some none-too-shabby smatterings from his latter solo records. Tickets arent cheap excluding corporate packages the best seats in the house will set you back an eye-watering 156.25. For Beatles devotees, though, the opportunity to see McCartney romping through the bands golden moments is surely too good to pass up, regardless of the cost. Eamon de Paor Sun, The O2, East Link Bridge D1, 8pm, 86.25 to 156.25 (returns only). Tel: 0818 719 391 www. paulmccartney.com index.html2.html3.html4.html5.html6.html7.html8.html9.html10.html11.html12.html13.html14.html15.html16.html17.html18.html19.html20.html21.html22.html23.html