THE
WORLD'S FIRST ANNUAL FESTIVAL CELEBRATING
SAMUEL BECKETT
HAPPY
DAYS ENNISKILLEN INTERNATIONAL
BECKETT FESTIVAL
The
world's first annual festival to celebrate the work and influence of Nobel
Prize writer Samuel Beckett is announced today. HAPPY DAYS will take place each
year in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland, where Beckett spent his formative years
attending Portora Royal School.
The
inaugural HAPPY DAYS, 23rd - 27th August 2012, is part of the London 2012
Festival (Cultural Olympiad) and coincides with the 400th anniversary of the
founding of Enniskillen.
HAPPY
DAYS is the first annual, international, multi-arts festival in Northern
Ireland since the launch of the
Belfast Festival in 1962. As with the Edinburgh Festival in 1947, HAPPY DAYS
will be a major cultural event
bringing diverse communities together, mixing local and international audiences
and artists.
The
Festival will present events of wide, popular appeal including:
- the work of
Beckett, with world and UK premieres of his major and lesser-known works;
- the influences
on Beckett, including music and comedy;
- those Beckett
has influenced, including Irish, UK and international writers, directors,
actors, visual artists, musicians, comedians, circus artists and
individuals prominent in their fields.
There will also be a range of events reflecting Beckett's favourite
sports.
The full
HAPPY DAYS artistic line-up will be announced in April 2012. Some highlights of
the 2012 Festival include:
- directing and
acting in Krapp's Last Tape, a UK & Irish premiere by a world
acclaimed international Director;
- singing
Schubert's Winterreise, Beckett's most favoured piece of music. Ian is one
of Europe's most in-demand tenors, especially in the genre of German
Lieder.
- will design a
stage element (to form part of a Beckett production in Australia in 2013)
which will be installed and publicly exhibited for the first time as part
of HAPPY DAYS. Antony is renowned for his large-scale public sculptures
such as the Angel of the North, Gateshead and Inside Australia,
- 's kinetic
artwork, Steenbeckett, an inspirational response to the role of film in
our understanding of Beckett. Atom is an acclaimed film and stage director
and winner of four major awards at the Cannes Film Festival. Steenbeckett
is presented in association with Artangel.
- World class
writers Edna O'Brien, Alice Oswald, Melvyn Bragg and John Banville
HAPPY
DAYS Founder & Artistic Director, Sean Doran said: "I am delighted to
return to where my professional festival career began (Derry 1992) and where I
had many rewarding artistic experiences as Artistic Director of the 1997 &
1998 Belfast Festivals". HAPPY DAYS is funded by Arts Council Northern
Ireland, Fermanagh District Council and
London 2012 Festival.
Arlene
Foster, Northern Ireland's Tourism Minister, said: "HAPPY DAYS is a
perfect complement to the wide range of events that already take place around
the Fermanagh Lakelands. Culture is a key ingredient that sets Northern Ireland
apart from competing destinations, and festivals such as this are crucial in
attracting visitors. Innovative events help to raise the profile of a
destination and I have no doubt this initiative has the capacity to grow to a
level where it can attract overseas tourists. It will benefit the local economy
by generating additional spend on accommodation, hospitality
and travel".
Chairman
of Fermanagh District Council, Councillor Thomas O'Reilly said: "We are
very excited about the inaugural HAPPY DAYS which includes a wide variety of
arts and sporting events. Fermanagh is proud of its association with Samuel
Beckett and it is fitting that this innovative Festival is taking place in
Enniskillen, the County Town".
Ruth
McKenzie, LOCOG Director of Culture (Cultural Olympiad), said: "HAPPY DAYS
will be the only brand new and on-going festival premiering in 2012 and
certainly the only festival in the world dedicated to one of the greatest world
writers, Sam Beckett. With world class writing, comedy, music, and amazing
scenery, Enniskillen is bidding to become one of the great world
festivals".
www.happy-days-enniskillen.com
Although I was apprehensive about the number of event sna the numbers required to make the festival a success, my doubts were unfounded and Sean Doran (Festival Director) really lived by the 1989 Film - Field of Dreams - adage "Build it and they will come". 
The festival was over a UK bank holiday which was busy anyway but it was great to see many new faces happy with hopefully their new annual pilgrimage. Portora has educated Wilde, Francis-Lyte, myself and many more but it was Beckett who was identified by the organisers of having the best possibility to fill venues in his name. 
There were many Visual Arts arts exhibitions including Steenbeckett at the Clinton Centre, The Godot Tree by Anthony Gormley at Castlecoole and the Joesph Karuth UK & Irish Premiere of 'Text (Waiting for -) for nothing' Samuel Beckett, in Play'
Robert Wilson's version of Krapp's last tape suffered mixed review from our guests but most seats were filled and people came away looking at Beckett in a different light.
