The third edition of the Institute of Irish Studies’ biennial Beckett Festival, celebrating the works of Samuel Beckett, took place in venues across Liverpool from 17-20 September.
Delivered in collaboration with actor Adrian Dunbar and musician Nick Roth, this year’s festival highlights included a double bill of Beckett’s Play and Come & Go directed by Adrian Dunbar at the Playhouse theatre, world-renowned artist Sean Scully’s steel Tree for Godot immersive installation at the new School of Architecture building, and a sold-out performance at the Tung Auditorium exploring Beckett’s interest in German Expressionism through music.
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- Welcome event at St. George’s Hall
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- Dr Eilís Smyth from festival funder and partner the Keough-Naughton Institute, University of Notre Dame
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- Keynote from Professor Mark Nixon, University of Reading
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- Welcome event at St. George’s Hall
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- LIPA performance
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- Performance of Quad at LIPA
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- Adrian Dunbar Q&A
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- Q&A with Come & Go cast member Orla Charlton
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- Play/Come & Go
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- Play/Come & Go
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- Six Paintings concert
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- Six Paintings concert
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- Steve Boyland performs Eight Songs of the Emergal at the School of Architecture
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- Gerry Diver visiting the Tree for Godot
Eight Songs of the Emergal, a work for solo voice created and performed by international artist/performer Steve Boyland and incorporating texts from Beckett’s Dream of Fair to Middling Women, premiered at the School of Architecture.
Edward Beckett, Samuel Beckett’s nephew attended on behalf of the Beckett Estate, and acclaimed German theatre director Walter Asmus also gave a talk.
Gerry Diver, Institute of Irish Studies said: “We’ve been absolutely delighted by the feedback and reaction to Beckett: Lieben. With sold out performances at the Tung auditorium and LIPA, the audiences seemed genuinely impressed and even moved by the events. Our continuing collaboration with the Everyman & Playhouse has helped us further embed the festival in the cultural landscape of Liverpool. It was an honour to host world-renowned artist Sean Scully’s steel Tree for Godot sculpture as part of an installation at the new School of Architecture building. I would like to acknowledge the curation of Adrian Dunbar and Nick Roth, who continue to surpass all expectations with the programme. Everyone at the Institute of Irish Studies is looking forward to the prospect of another great Beckett festival in 2028, with even more city partners involved.”
Alongside the Institute of Irish Studies, Beckett Festival is funded by Keough-Naughton Institute, Culture Ireland and Sean Scully who donated the cost of the tree installation.
Photo credit: Cordula Treml/Unreal Cities