They love their cricket in Ireland- throw in some music and the old Irish flair and what you get is scintillating and stunning. Check it out with DC.
The tenth album from Neil Hannon, treading a dangerous tightrope between whimsical charm and farce.
Unstrapping his shin pads after last year's success with The Duckworth Lewis Method, Neil Hannon returns to his main day-job with Bang Goes The Knighthood, an album on which the cast of familiar Divine Comedy characters are targeted with his usual precision and urbanity.
Swallows and Amazons is a delight not despite its innocence and lack of side, but because of it.
29/03/2012, Swallows and Amazons, Theatre Review. Playhouse Theatre, Liverpool.
AHOY, me hearties, there be pirates afoot in the Playhouse, where the stage version of Arthur Ransome's well-loved children's story has more gumption than a one- legged buccaneer with a treasure map in his hand.
ARTHUR RANSOME'S gentle tale of a group of youngsters' Lakeland adventures may no longer be required childhood reading, but this musical retelling of the 1930 original shows his world still has the power to both entrance and entertain.
I went to the Liverpool Playhouse last night with my dad, we saw Swallows and Amazons. This play is brilliant, I have given it five stars but I would have given it ten, if I could. I have not read the books but that did not matter, I have asked for them for my birthday.
It's so refreshing to see a children's classic story being bought to live through theatre, and for children of this generation to be able to share in one of literatures all time favourites.
Swallows and Amazons is currently at the beginning of a UK tour after playing at the Bristol Old Vic and the West End. Directed by Tom Morris, the co-director of War Horse, with music and lyrics by Neil Hannon.
Information and lyrics of the songs Neil Hannon wrote for Father Ted.
The wonderful Celtic theme tune is the creation of The Divine Comedy, and their songwriting skills appear a few times in the series, notably in the form of two songs for the Eurovison Song contest.
A photo of Neil Hannon and his ex-wife, Orla, at the Dublin's Savoy Cinema, 2008.
According to this article, The Divine Comedy will play only one concert in France this year: Les Nuits de Fourvière in Lyon.
Les "Nuits de Fourvière" font par ailleurs la part belle à la pop britannique, avec notamment Neil Hannon qui donnera le 14 juin à Lyon son "concert unique en France", selon les organisateurs, interprétant au piano et à la guitare des titres de son groupe The Divine Comedy.
Les Nuits de Fourvière press release wrongly mentions The Divine Comedy as Neil Hannon's defunct band.
Les "Nuits de Fourvière" font par ailleurs la part belle à la pop britannique, avec notamment Neil Hannon qui donnera le 14 juin à Lyon son "concert unique en France", selon les organisateurs, reprenant au piano et à la guitare des titres de son défunt groupe The Divine Comedy.
IT's all aboard for a family treat with a stage version of Swallows and Amazons at Sheffield's Lyceum Theatre this Easter - and we are celebrating with a really cool prize.
23/03/2012, Dara O' Briain. Comedy legend returns to Liverpool Empire Theatre.
A comedian used 'The Lost Art of Conversation' as an intro music.
Swallows And Amazons, West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds, tonight at 7pm; tomorrow at 1.30pm and 7pm. Box office: 0113 213 7700.
It's a long time since children ate corned beef sandwiches for tea and thought lemonade a simply splendid treat.
While Neil Hannon writes songs about cricket, ex Divine Comedy dummer, Grant Gordon writes about golf.
is a book about golf but also about fathers and sons, and the ways in which they follow, or refuse to follow, in each other's footsteps.
AN ADMISSION: this reviewer knows absolutely nothing about Swallows and Amazons, which means he's probably the worst person to assess this musical....or possibly the best.
2 pages interview with Neil Hannon.
WHETHER by chance or design, coincidence or fate, two plays written by Helen Edmundson are running simultaneously at the West Yorkshire Playhouse.
Neil Hannon interview and photo, 1998.
Unreleased photo of the Neil Hannon / Björk interview for Les Inrockuptibles, 1995.
18/03/2012, BBC - Across the Line: Great Northern Songbook list in Full..
As reported on ATL earlier, the BBC is asking YOU to help choose the soundtrack to the Great Northern Songbook concert on May 22nd as part of the Ulster Hall's 150th anniversary celebrations.
Fanfare review from Hot Press, 1990.
At West Yorkshire Playhouse this spring, Francesca Done discovers a story of one woman and two very different plays.
BACK when Blur and Oasis regularly staged playground battles for Britpop dominance, The Divine Comedy were the quieter, more dignified geniuses at the back of the class.
As a new touring stage production of Arthur Ransome's Swallows and Amazons Tale sails into Norwich, IAN COLLINS looks at a saga of adventure where the author's own life was surely even stranger than his fiction. Plus: Neil Hannon Q&A.
Review and picture of the Felsted School gig.
14/03/2012, Gibson 335 12 string 1967 Sunburst vgc.Neil Hannon.The Divine Comedy..
After the flight case, this is the 12-strings guitar which is on sale now !
Another DC flight case which has been on sale.
Autographed Neil Hannon's Yamaha guitar currently on sale on eBay.
Neil Hannon's bass amp went on sale on eBay for £721.68!
A Neil Hannon flightcase that went on sale on eBay.
Neil Hannon's Digitech Whammy pedal went on sale on eBay.
Neil Hannon's Voice Synth went on sale.
2010 live tracks to be broadcast on BBC 6Music on March 15th.
BBC Radio 6 Music Celebrates 10 years with live music from 2010 including: Steve Mason, Broken Bells, Biffy Clyro, Dirty Projectors and session tracks from Ash, The Divine Comedy and Sleepy Sun.
2010 article where Neil tells us about one of his first October song: 'Nobody Wins'. Earlier in the year, Neil Hannon said during a Absolute Radio interview that he recently found back an old compilation tape of his early material that he considered as last. But, he has no plan for a release.
Review of the Neil Hannon solo show at the Meltdown festival, 2010.
Another review of The Duckworth Lewis Method live at Meltdown by The Gurdian.
Review of The Duckworth Lewis Method live at the Meltdown festival, 2010, by The Guardian.
Richard Thompson on The Duckworth Lewis Method for Meltdown festival, 2010.
Guardian review of Bang Goes The Knighthood.
The Duckworth Lewis Method on their Ivor Novello nomination.
A third review of The Duckworth Lewis Method album by The Guardian. Obviously, they liked it very much!
Another review of The Duckworth Lewis Method album by The Guardian.
Review of the Duckworth Lewis Method album on The Guardian.
Guardian review of the Somerset House 2006 gig. Please note the first sentence!
Guardian review of Victory For The Comic Muse.
Guardian review of the Live At Palladium DVD.
Review of the concert at the Palladium, 2004, by The Guardian.
Guardian review of Absent Friends.
2004 interview with Neil Hannon by The Guardian.
After Neil Hannon ditched his band, suits and crooning style, his career stalled. Now the lad is a dad, and is back with a thrilling new Divine Comedy album. So where did it all go right? By Kitty Empire.
2002 interview with Neil Hannon by the Guardian.
Neil Hannon on Dublin, The Guardian, 2001.
1999 interview with Neil Hannon by The Guardian.
Pitchfork review of Bang Goes The Knighthood.
Neil Hannon continues to quietly and effectively operate his own one-man niche, thanks to impeccable arrangements and tightrope-walking songwriting.
Pitchfork review of Victory For The Comic Muse.
On his ninth album, Neil Hannon retains his Wildean wit and apposite sense of style.
Pitchfork review of Absent Friends.
Singer/songwriter Neil Hannon resurrects his Britpop alias, three years after splitting up the band.
02/03/2012, Album: The Divine Comedy, Bang Goes The Knighthood (DCR) - Reviews, Music & Gigs - Belfasttelegraph.
Review of Bang Goes The Knighthood from The Belfast Telegraph. Please ignore the 'Download this' mention in the article, and buy the whole album instead.
Review of Bang Goes The Knighthood by The Telegraph.
PopMatters review of Bang Goes the Knighthood.
Ten albums in, and Neil Hannon proves himself to be as able as ever -- with fewer dirty jokes.
PopMatters review of Victory for the Comic Muse.
Neil Hannon has largely toned down his extravagant look-at-me persona, and decided instead to rely on the quality of his song-writing.
PopMatters review of Absent Friends.
Review of Bang Goes The Knighthood from the Record Collector.
BBC review of Bang Goes the Knighthood.
As ever, Neil Hannon's way with a tune is magnificent.
BBC review of Absent Friends.
After three long years in the musical wilderness, the UK's favourite fop idol is back.
We have ten family tickets to give away for a new production of children's classic Swallows and Amazons, directed by Tom Morris (War Horse) and featuring music by Neil Hannon (The Divine Comedy).
Other photos from the Cathy Davey gig last month.