“Stately, plump Buck Mulligan came from the stairhead, bearing a bowl of lather on which a mirror and a razor lay crossed…”
Even as restrictions regarding Covid-19 continue to relax, this year’s Bloomsday certainly won’t be like any that have gone before. This year might be the year you actually manage to read all of Ulysses… if you can stay awake for 29 hours.
Today, RTÉ announced that it would be providing a celebration of James Joyce’s masterwork by broadcasting a production of the famously long book. The broadcast will retell all 730 pages of the book over 29 hours and 45 minutes, and will begin at the same date and time as both Stephen Dedalus’ and Leopold Bloom’s journey through Dublin begins in the book: 8am on 16 June, on RTÉ Radio One Extra. It will also be available online.
The adaptation will be performed by the RTÉ Players, featuring Pegg Monahan, Patrick Dawson, Ronnie Walsh, Brendan Cauldwell, Colette Procter, Barbara McCaughey, Kate Minogue, Denis Staunton, Laurence Foster, Conor Farrington and Déirdre O’Meara.
Jim Jennings, Director of Content at RTÉ, said: “If you’ve never felt brave enough before, this is an ideal way to get into Joyce’s masterpiece.
“Guided by the exquisite performances of the RTÉ Players you will find yourself immersed in this stunning production within minutes. For those who have already read the book or enjoyed the original production in the 1980s, here is an opportunity to re-visit this unequalled moment in world broadcasting.”
Clip via RTÉ
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