When I got back from Wales last week I had to rush from the airport to my first audition here in Dublin and I am happy to say that I have been cast in an all female production of Hamlet! I do not know which part yet, but it should be exciting. It has been a fairly quiet week and the days have been lovely warm. Friday was Good Friday and as Ireland is very Catholic the city was shut down. Including the pubs. In fact you are not allowed to purchase alcohol. So a friend and I went to the park and fed the ducks. Riveting, I know. Saturday was a gorgeous day and I went to a rooftop barbecue with some friends and we had quite the feast. We also had a few beers (we're not counting) to make up for our sobriety the day before (naturally). The festivities stretched long into the night and we got home as the sun was coming up and the true devout where on there way to Mass. Happy Easter. Speaking of Easter, this past one marked the 95th anniversary of the 1916 Easter Rising, one of Ireland's most significant rebellions against England, which took place during Easter, hence the name. While unsuccessful it did bring Republicanism back to the forefront of Irish politics. It is cool to be in a country with such a tumultuous history that really is quite recent. I caught the end of the film The Wind that Shakes the Barley, which portrays the tragic drama of the Irish War of Independence and the Irish Civil War that occurred in the early 20th century. I highly recommend it, especially because it stars Cillian Murphy who is a stud. I also, in the spirit of Easter, caught the end of The Passion of the Christ, and even though I had heard the controversy over the film my curiosity got the better of me. Oh boy was it graphic...and that's all I think I can say right now. Easter Monday is not a public holiday in the States (that I am aware of) but it was here, and schools have the week off. It is interesting to be in a country were one religion is so dominant, and yet, in some ways it does not seem to have as extreme an effect on politics as it does in the U.S. Also, Ireland has much better Easter chocolates and they have been stocked in the shops for the past month so I have been gorging myself on Cadbury caramel eggs. Oh dear.
I have been learning to play the violin for a film that I will be doing in the U.S. next week. It is a difficult instrument and I actually hurt my neck from practicing so long. But as I do love Irish music maybe I will learn to be more patient with the violin and take up playing trad music. Maybe.
On another note-back to politics. I saw on the news today that President Obama released his birth certificate. Really? Is this really what "democracy" has come to? I am sorry that this is the state of affairs in my country. It would be too hopeful to think that the "birther's" will lay off, in fact, I am sure there will come up with something more absurd. I can only hope that this will open the eyes of the rest of Americans and they will realize it is time to stand up to the hypocrisy of the Republican party and the "tea party". Please. People here ask me who I voted for and I proudly tell them Obama and I usually get a high five or something like that. American politics affect the entire world and it is time that we start showing the world that we are a country that cares about actual global issues and not a petty birth certificate.
Oh and the Royal Wedding craze just has to stop.
Well that's my weekly report!
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