ART: MAINIE JELLETT & EVIE HONE
The Art of Friendship is dedicated to the pioneering Irish modernists Mainie Jellett and Evie Hone, and brings together 90 of their works of art. It explores their friendship and shared experiences while studying in Paris during the early 1920s, and traces their careers back to Ireland. Highlighting the early convergences and later divergences in their styles as they developed distinct artistic voices, the show features paintings, stained glass, and preparatory drawings, revealing how both women were trailblazers in Irish art although remaining connected to conventional themes such as religion and landscape (NGI, Dublin, until 10 August 2025)
EVENT: CORK PROMS
Cork Opera House hosts the return of The Cork Proms over five nights in April, featuring the Cork Opera House Concert Orchestra and a host of Leeside and Ireland's finest performers, for three concert events celebrating the music of the Kings, Queens and Princes of Pop, The Ultimate Classics and - kicking off the series on Saturday April 19th - Epic Icons of Musical Theatre, showcasing some of the most memorable and soaring anthems from musicals that have shaped the theatrical canon. Bringing to life some of the unforgettable characters who have defined the stage are vocalists Claire O'Leary, Shane O’Riordan, Ben Morris, Juliette Crosbie and Jacinta Whyte (Cork Opera House, April 19th-20th, 23rd, 26th-27th)
The Cork Proms - Icons of Musical Theatre. Some of the best songs from the best musicals ever! The Cork Opera House Concert Orchestra alongside Claire O'Leary, Shane O'Riordan, Jacinta Whyte, Ben Morris & Juliette Crosbie, conducted by John O'Brien. This Saturday & Sunday . . . pic.twitter.com/bep6iFx6Xz
— Cork Opera House (@CorkOperaHouse) April 16, 2025
FILM: VERDIGRIS
Marian (Geraline McAliden) and Jewel (Maya O'Shea) are two very different women who form an unlikely bond. Shabby, unfulfilled and recently retired, Marian stumbles upon a job as a census enumerator. She meets teenager Jewel who has been living as a prostitute since her mother abandoned her - and the two become reluctant friends... Writer and director Patricia Kelly's independently made Irish film offers a striking portrayal of women on the fringes of society who realise that their similarities far outweigh their differences (Selected cinemas nationwide)
BOOK: CATHERINE RYAN HOWARD
Burn After Reading is the latest thriller from the bestselling Cork author who made a massive splash with lockdown thriller 56 Days, soon to be adapted by a major streamer; it follows Emily, a ghostwriter locked in an interview room with a man who might be a murderer. With the man determined to prove his innocence, Emily soon learns that there are some stories that should never be told... (Out now, Penguin)
STREAMING: THE HANDMAID'S TALE
The dystopian drama returns for its final series with the mighty Elizabeth Moss doing her damnest to bring down the fundamentalist authorian regime of Gilead - what began as a parable became for many viewers a TV show in perfect tune with an increasingly extremist society. RTÉ Player have the exclusive on the new season round these parts - tune in for new episodes weekly.
Hear the Culture 5 every Friday on Aedín in the Afternoon on RTÉ lyric fm, from 1pm - listen back here.
