www.communityvoice.ie - Your guide to the Arts in Dublin 15.

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Circus INcognitus: If your preconception of circus is a clown with baggy trousers and a red nose and slick trapeze artists in shiny leotards, then Jamie Adkins and his amazing Circus INcognitus will certainly drag you into the 21st century.

Goodbye Mr. Muffin: The portrayal of old age and impending death might not seem a particularly obvious theme for a children’s festival but when it is handled as sensitively as Teater Refleksion’s “Goodbye Mr. Muffin,” it is a valuable addition to childhood experiences.

The man who planted trees: “We are fully booked for 2008 with plenty of interesting options brewing for 2009 and beyond. Something in this show seems to have struck a chord with audiences. Perhaps it's the timeliness of the environmental message - or the fact that people just love the simplicity of a good story that's well told.”

Galumpha: One of the highlights of the Spréacha festival is sure to be the Dublin premiere of Galumpha, who promise a fast-paced series of physical sketches that will leave the viewer gasping for breath.

S(w)inging Bananas: “S(w)inging Bananas” performed by Joost Koning and Vincent Verbeeck of Theater Artemis will perform eight times outdoors at Draíocht during Spréacha week. Tickets are €5. The subject of the show, which is suitable for those aged four and up, is food. Yummy, scrummy, food.

Heart of glass: One of the refreshing aspects about the gallery in the OPW’s Phoenix Park Visitor Centre is that, unlike some of the major galleries in the capital, it does not regard crafts as being somehow inferior to the fine arts. Thus it will not hesitate to bring the public ceramics, felt or embroidery if the standard is high enough.

Michael D. rocking in the Library:It is perhaps not unusual for politics and literature to meet. After all, politicians from all sides of the divide, from Gerry Adams to Jeffrey Archer, have invoked the creative muse and produced works of fiction outside their political manifestos.

Exploring the role of play: In true Draíocht style, a festival as large as Spréacha cannot be allowed to take place without a series of complementary events such as family workshops and exhibitions.

A glass of vintage Hennessy:Fresh from her triumph at the prestigious Hennessy XO Literary Awards, Clonsilla short story writer Valerie Sirr will read from her award-winning story “Summer Rain” at Blanchardstown Library this month.

Loading up the Art Cart:The Art Cart is an out-of-school arts and crafts programme that runs on Sunday mornings at the Phoenix Park Visitor Centre and was set up a year ago to give children an introduction to the creative process in a safe, educational and fun-filled environment.

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