My reluctance to be bullied by popular culture into treating my mobile phone as an extra limb and my choice to stay clear of the morbid pestilence of the DCU campus given the opportunity - i.e. during holidays - is not a death certificate. I am alive and...well, I'm alive. And my obligation to my journalism course means that I am once again subject to prison-life inside this bubble, gazing wistfully out at the real world and all its possibilities. In otherwards, I'm around. Seeing as I didn't compulsively check my email throughout the day in the expectation that the meeting would be cancelled, I was unaware of the postponement until 6:30, when I arrived at an empty Clubs & Socs office and heard it over the phone. Lest it should go without being said, this is not acceptable. I do not live within 5 minutes of campus. Furthermore, my time is too valuable to be wasted. Yesterday, I finished lectures at 11am. I had to sort out my backlog of emails and tidy up some loose ends on campus, then collect a book at the Central Library in town but, these duties apart, was free to go home at 3:45, avoiding the worst of the traffic and reaching home in time for dinner. Because of the arranged drama meeting - and my desire to be present - I had to dine in the city, to my cost and inconvenience, then make my way through traffic back to Glasnevin, only to discover the meeting had been cancelled. I left forthwith, arriving home at 8pm. I have encountered such disregard in others before now and I refuse to put up with it. I hope this is an isolated incident that will not be repeated. The worst of it is, having gone to such lengths yesterday, it transpires that a tutorial in my new timetable forbids me from attending this evening. Let me know via email what was discussed. Regards the outstanding debt from the One Act Festival at St. Pat's: D.I.T. drama footed the bill for the posters and trophies and it is to them we owe money - the invoices are in the attachments below. These invoices were sent to Daniel on the 23rd of January, so I don't know if this has already been dealt with. If we're liable for a third of the cost (€501.42), that's €167.14. I enclose an email address and a contact number for Mark Lynam-Loane at D.I.T. Drama. On top of this sum, I gather that there were costs involved in catering. I have yet to ascertain exactly what the amount is, or whether we, dcu drama, have also to pay for this. I spoke to Martin French on the matter yesterday evening and he promised to send me an invoice and a contact. I don't know what, if anything, has been done already on this matter, and am reluctant to take any personal action until I know exactly what stage it's at. Mark Lynam-Loane: drama_pres@hotmail.com 0860889665 I understand there is some initiative from the Helix to forge links with the college drama societies. If Medb, or whoever it is has the details, could mail them to me, I'll arrange a meeting with the Helix representative this week. It was on this matter that Martin French's contact details were in demand; they are listed below. Regarding some of the other college societies, I have tried repeatedly to contact U.C.D. via their website but it it is not well-maintained and I have yet to meet with any success. However, I know people at U.C.D. whom I will contact this week, that I might obtain contact details for someone in the society. Martin French: martin.french@spd.dcu.ie 0857276320 I am delighted to see an initiative from Tara McCumisky. I'll try to talk to her personally this week to encourage her and flesh out a few ideas. By the by, I directed Chekhov, not Brecht, in the first term. Which brings me nicely to the subject of plays. 'Philadelphia Here I Come' is a major work in Irish theatre and the Gaiety is a splendid theatre, sinfully underused for drama. I'm all for it. I've been doing some hunting around for interesting works: The students of the Acting Programme are presenting their final year production of 'Tales from the Arabian Nights'. This is an incredibly prestigious course (guess who didn't get past the audition) in conjunction with the Abbey that regularly yields the cream of young Irish acting talent. It's showing this week, from Tuesday 10th until Saturday 14th of February at 8pm. Tickets are €10, with €4 concessions - I haven't been able to get through to the Beckett Theatre box office yet, to find out if the concessions apply only to Trinity students. However, I'd wager that it's a general student rate, which makes for cheap theatre, with the potential for something special. Tickets can be reserved in advance, but must be collected by 7:45 on the night of the performance. It's short notice, but so convenient and easy on the pocket that it could offer the opportunity for an informal dry-run to get the ball rolling tomorrow evening. 'The Cherry Orchard' by Checkhov (well, I do have a vested interest) is previewing at the Abbey from Thursday the 12th 'til Monday the 16th of February (excluding Sunday) and opens on Tuesday the 17th. It runs until Saturday, 13th of March. The Abbey offer a student price of €9.50 - good going, since their most expensive seats are €30. The problem is, students have to present a student card when buying the tickets, and it's not feasible to have everyone individually present if we want to buy the tickets in advance. In the first week (apart from opening night) it promises to be quiet enough that, if we are subsidising it, all those who come along could be given cash to pay at the door with their student I.D. once we get to the theatre - it's messy though. The other option is to get a list of all those interested, and then a letter from the University confirming that they're all students. (Who from, God only knows, but I don't think the box office will care as long as it's on headed notepaper and sounds official.) To book tickets for a large group like this, at discounted rate, we'd need to pay the money well in advance, and just for efficiency, would be well-advised to sort it all out and buy the tickets a fortnight in advance. Can someone please give me definite confirmation that 'Someone Who'll Watch Over Me' is going to I.S.D.A.? I'm already sacrificing other projects on the premise that it will be reprised in early March, but would like some assurance to put my mind at ease. What are we doing about the 'situation' with John O'Regan - has anyone checked out is it kosher, or are we going with 'what they don't know can't hurt them' principle? Ideally, I would like to spearhead a few productions of our own in this term but I'm just not sure if I have the time. I turned down a role in a play offered me at St. Pat's today, and shan't be auditioning for the musical, simply because, were I to get a part, I could not commit to it. I have work to do with my course; as it seems my modules for the second term will be graded entirely on continual assessment, and work to do trying desperately to get out of my course, auditioning for various acting courses. It's a fine balance. I am anxious to write or produce something all the same, and if circumstances allow, I'll involve dcu drama in the proceedings. By the way, if anyone knows the dates for this term, and what weeks, if any, we have off for Easter and the like, please let me know. Top marks on the calender idea, it ought to make everything much more efficient. Also, a mighty cheer for Lisa for netting an unspeakable sum from Keelings. I have hounded hundreds of companies for sponsorship in my time and know just how thankless a task it can be - may she bask in her own glory. Just a point on the promotion of THE MUSICAL. If you can clarify, please do, are we or are we not allowed to publicise the event off-campus. That is to say, can we or can we not submit details of it to listings websites and publications like the event guide? Oh, and what's the final call on the use of the Helix - yes or no? Thanks, Christopher Samuel Carroll "Love art in yourself, not yourself in art."
