The Half-Pissed Harpist At Adelaide Irish Club – Adelaide Fringe Review

Adelaide Irish Club, Sun Mar 1 Admittedly I thought I was off to see and hear a ‘half-pissed harpist’ play and tell stories of Irish times passed, so it was a little surprising to find out that neither harpist Christine Morphett or storyteller Kathy Haese were half pissed. The unrequited love and odes to whiskey were stories from the life of the actual half-pissed harpist Turlough O’Carolan, a man born of a blacksmith in 1670 but raised by gentry in Ireland, and his travel til his death in 1738 where, by all accounts, he had a whiskey to toast himself with. Christine played well and although I was also expecting an Irish accent, which Kathy does not have, she spoke clearly and precisely so that we didn’t miss any of the adventures of Turlough. He is still one of Ireland’s most beloved harp composers, blinded by small pox at the age of 18 but still a prolific composer and famous for his melodic compositions. It was an enjoyable ninety minutes spent on a sunny Sunday afternoon, listening to the stories of Turlough and his various patrons and loves, of times gone by, accompanied by his very own compositions. Charissa McCluskey-Garcia The Half-Pissed Harpist continues at Adelaide Irish Club until Sun Mar 15. Book at FringeTIX on 1300 621 255 or adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix. Click HERE to purchase your tickets.