GILGAMESH, THE story of the ancient hero-king from the Middle East, and brilliantly reimagined by Macnas, will be screened as a short film in the Town Hall Theatre next week.
The Epic Of Gilgamesh dates back c4,000 years. It is older than The Iliad and The Odyssey, and may have influenced both. It parallels stories in The Bible, and is the oldest surviving piece of literature in the world.
It was written in Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq and Kuwait ), and is the story of the King or Uruk, Gilgamesh; his rivalry, then friendship, with the wild man, Enkidu; and their epic adventure, encountering gods, kings, and monsters, across southern Iraq, the Lebanon, and southern Turkey.
.
Sean McGinley in Gilgamesh. Photo:- Julia Dunin
Gilgamesh - a short film, will be screened in front of a live, socially distanced, in-person audience at the Town Hall Theatre on Sunday September 12. It will be followed by a live ‘In Conversation’ with director Noeline Kavanagh and playwright Marina Carr.
Gilgamesh was filmed on location around Ireland earlier this year. It brings the magical large-scale images and stunning artistry associated with Macnas, to the big screen, exploring themes of leadership, love, power, death, and environmental crisis.
.
Úna Kavanagh as Ishtar in Gilgamesh. Photo:- Julia Dunin
The creative team for the film were playwright Marina Carr, cinematographer Colm Hogan, co- designers Julian Crouch and Orla Clogher, costume designer Cherie White, with music and sound design by Nick Powell. It was directed by Noeline Kavanagh. The cast is Curtis-Lee Ashqar (Gilgamesh ), Aaron Edo (Enkidu ), Maeve Fitzgerald (Ninsun ), Ella-Lily Hyland (Shamhat ), Úna Kavanagh (Ishtar ), San Shella (Enlil ), and Sean McGinley (Uta ). Gilgamesh was commissioned by Galway 2020 European Capital of Culture. The executive producer is Artichoke.
There will be three screenings throughout the day, with a limited in-person audience per government guidelines. Tickets are free and will be available to book online via https://tht.ie/ from 10am on Thursday September 2.
Gilgamesh will also be available to view on demand for 48 hours on September 18 and 19 via Eventive. For more information see gilgamesh.macnas.com
