CHILDREN: STORY OF A DAY/SCÉAL LAE
Written by renowned children's author Mary Murphy, the new show from children's theatre company Branar combines storytelling, animation and live music (performed by the ConTempo Quartet) to celebrate the magic in the everyday, following a young boy (performed by Eoin Ó Dubhghaill) from morning to bedtime as he navigates small wonders, big thoughts and the simple magic of daily life. The show tours nationwide from 6th February to 16th April 2026 - find a venue near you here.
CINEMAS: SEND HELP
40 years ago, director Sam Raimi terrified audiences with The Evil Dead, 20 years later he invented the modern superhero movie with his Spider-Man trilogy; now he's back (and in peak form) with a movie best described as Misery meets Castaway. Two office colleagues, a meek strategist and her obnoxious boss (Rachel McAdams and Dylan O'Brien) become stranded on a deserted island, the only survivors of a plane crash. On the island, they must overcome past grievances and work together to survive, but ultimately, it's a battle of wills and wits to make it out alive... (Cinemas nationwide)
THEATRE: THE CRUCIBLE
It's 1692, and the puritan town of Salem, Massachusetts is gripped by mass hysteria. A lie from a young girl, heightened by an adulterous affair, leads the community to accusations of witchcraft and a spiral of condemnation... Arthur Miller’s classic theatrical parable remains a powerful and timely look at what can happen to a society when fear and paranoia take over. The outstanding ensemble includes Denis Conway, Niamh McCormack, Charlene McKenna, Bríd Ní Neachtain and a bona fide movie star - 80s icon Andrew McCarthy. Actor Rory Nolan and director Andrew Flynn talk to RTÉ Arena below (Gaiety Theatre, Dublin, 9th Feb - 21st Mar)
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EVENT: IRELAND READS 2026
Ireland Reads, the national campaign encouraging people of all ages to get lost in a good book, returns this month, highlighting the joy and wellbeing benefits of reading, with public libraries, schools, community groups and ambassadors nationwide encouraging people to take time to read and visit their local library. This culminates in a nationwide celebration of reading, Ireland Reads Day on February 28th - find out more here (and go pick up a book while you're at it!)
MUSIC: ALAN MENKEN
Winner of eight Academy Awards, with four for Best Score and four for Best Song, Alan Menken holds the distinction of having won more Oscars than any other living individual. The multi-talented composer behind the much-loved Disney soundtracks for The Little Mermaid, Beauty and The Beast, Aladdin, Tangled, Enchanted and many more brings his one-man show A Whole New World Of Alan Menken to the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre for one night only, revisiting many of his classic tunes - he talks to Aedín Gormley below (Bord Gáis Energy Theatre, Dublin, Sat 07th Feb)
Hear The Culture 5 every Friday on Aedín in the Afternoon on RTÉ lyric fm, from 1 pm - listen back here
