Latest news with #TheTell-TaleHeart
Irish Examiner
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
Wish List: Eight ideas for home and outdoor living this summer
Cushion covers In company, I do love to proclaim loudly how much I love the sea. What I fail to acknowledge is how much distance there needs to be between me and the sea to admire it from afar (cue: plenty). As a defiant toddler, I refused to learn how to swim but I like to think in another life I'm a sea swimmer, with ruddy cheeks and sea salted hair and a dry robe I wear even to the shops. Alas, why should I dream of being anyone but myself? A creature of comfort surrounded by the jauntiest cushions of waves and surfers. These unbleached linen cushions from BTS Concept Store, €68.95, are now my entire personality. Starlight Remember the glow-in-the-dark, stick-on stars you begged your mum for as a teenager? Brace your inner child: I may have found the grown-up equivalent. The Paulina sculptural lamp, approximately €453.59, is the brainchild of celebrated Belgian designer Anita Le Grelle. A constellation of tiny, indiscernible holes in the lamp shade produces a shimmering starlight effect that twinkles throughout your room. Shop this and more unique vintage and modern finds at LNV Home in Belfast or online at A clock of ages Literature fans, listen up. Close your eyes and recall the first time you read about Miss Havisham; the clocks frozen in time at Satis House, and all around her, decay. Or the 'low, dull, quick sound' of the ticking timepiece in Edgar Allan Poe's The Tell-Tale Heart. Now replace the clocks with a mobile phone and see if the impact is the same. Analogue clocks aren't just anachronistic windows to our past, they have the potential to become family heirlooms. The Otto floor clock by Formae, €747.95, is the perfect antidote to digital disconnectivity. A decorative winding key and pendulum hark to old-world charm while inbuilt shelving offers a unique update. As an investment item or a character in your memoirs, this freestanding clock can be purchased from Mirror, mirror Originating in the 17th century, bobbin furniture is having its very own renaissance (a bobbinaissance?). With a subtle nod to nostalgia, the forest green Ruan mirror, €149, from Foy & Company packs a punch without overpowering. An aesthetically pleasing mirror won't perfect the art of applying winged eyeliner, but hey, at least it looks good in your selfies. With two brick-and-mortar locations in Letterkenny and Ballybofey, Foy & Company is a family-run business with a wide choice of stellar homeware brands. Shop this mirror online at or pick it up in one of the stores. Chunky flower pot Home of the mirror that launched a thousand replicas, and now, the bed for throuples, Gustaf Westman is the designer every interiors enthusiast worth her salt is obsessed with. From the cult curvy mirror to the puzzle shelves and spiralling book stands, Westman's fresh, playful approach to furniture-making defies norms and sets a new standard for innovation in design. Is he the enfant terrible of the furniture world? If redefining intimacy as an interactive bed for three and creating complementary pieces like the 'One Night Stand' shocks you, then yes. Don't judge, though — he's not all form, no function. Take the chunky cup and saucer, for example. Designed to minimise spillage for those of us who love to have tea in bed (me!), it's a stroke of genius. From just €210, the glazed ceramic 'Chunky' flower pot is the ideal starter piece for Westman fans, available at selected retailers like SSense and on Pot of gold While the ginger jar was originally utilitarian, its craftsmanship soon cemented its status as a highly coveted decorative object. A testament to China's strong track record of artistry, especially when it comes to porcelain making, the high shoulders and domed lid make it ideal for showcasing fresh or dried floral arrangements or storing tea, spices, or bath salts. Interior designer Cormac Rowell handpicked this striking yellow piece — find it in his store in Dublin and check out his website at for more design inspiration. Garden chic Outdoor dining has come a long way since banana sandwiches on mattresses in the back garden and a light sprinkling under the hose (just me?). Want to elevate your backyard cookouts so entertaining guests gets a chef's kiss every time? Dutch outdoor furniture brand Weltevree makes design-forward stoves, chairs, hot tubs and the niftiest outdoor waterworks with a sink, storage space and worktop to boot. Unlike a traditional indoor set-up, there are no wrong answers — imbibe a signature summer mocktail, showcase your plants or simply pose and pretend to do the above for a selfie. The Waterworks, €395, available at comes with a powder green-hued outdoor sink and water station with worktop, perforated wall and a place to hang your garden tools. Top of the table You know you take your tablescaping seriously when you anthropomorphise the accoutrements. Nobody wants to see their table scantily clad in a skimpy leg-skimming tablecloth, right? Dressing the table intentionally is a delight, and one of my favourite artists working with linen is Jennifer Slattery. Laying the table for your garden party with the forest green, ivory or earthy stripes sets the scene for the night ahead — it's giving luxury, abundance and homegrown. Order yours from €210 at Read More Wish List: Seven super home buys that are hot on the scent of summer
Los Angeles Times
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy serves up laughs, cocktails and chills at Fairhaven cemetery in Santa Ana
A red glow fills the chapel as narrator Patrick O'Sullivan introduces the main attraction: Edgar Allan Poe. 'Over a century and a half since his death in 1849, no one remains as synonymous with mystery and macabre and literature as he — a true master of his words,' O'Sullivan intones. 'EAP, as he's known on the streets, is often attributed with being the first American author to make a living exclusively through writing. So much like writers today, he didn't make any money.' Laughter, cocktails and a whole lot of Poe makes up 90 minutes of the Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy. This unique theatrical reading of four of Poe's works pairs up literature with alcoholic beverages designed to match each story. Launched in January 2023, the Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy is a national tour that first came to Orange County's Fairhaven Memorial Park & Mortuary in Santa Ana in February 2024. After making a one-day stop at the Huntington Beach Central Library in Huntington Beach on May 24 this year, the speakeasy returns to the cemetery June 5-7 with new stories and fresh cocktails for Chapter Two. 'As a lifelong Poe enthusiast, I've always wanted to create a unique experience that combines libations with literature. These are two of my favorite things. I've felt for a long time that there is a void for an event like this,' said Julia Tirinnanzi, creator of the Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy. 'It just seemed like such a natural pairing. It's no secret that Poe loved literature and libations alike. This is why the event really comes to life — as you walk through his life and watch his work being performed, you also sip on his personal favorite drinks and classic beverages of the 1800s.' Last year's Poe story lineup included 'The Tell-Tale Heart,' 'The Raven,' 'The Masque of the Red Death' and 'The Black Cat.' The accompanying cocktails included Pale Blue Eye (a twist on the Tom Collins) with citrus- and blueberry-infused vodka, fresh lemon juice, simple syrup and soda water topped with blueberry, and Nevermore with fresh lime juice, peach and orange blossom-infused vodka, simple syrup and dehydrated lime. The Cocktail of Red Death was rosemary-infused watermelon juice, 100-proof vodka, citrus vodka and fresh lime juice. The Cat's Meow — a twist on Poe's favorite, brandy milk punch — included aged bourbon, apple brandy, vanilla milk, sweet cream and maple syrup. 'Each cocktail is served just before each monologue is performed,' Tirinnanzi said. 'As you are sipping on a classic 1800s-style cocktail, you instantly feel transported into the Victorian era. It's a huge part of the experience.' This year's Poe stories are 'The Cask of Amontillado,' 'Annabel Lee,' 'The Pit and the Pendulum' and 'The Fall of the House of Usher.' The cocktails for this year are still under wraps until the event opens. Though this is now the speakeasy's second time at the Santa Ana cemetery, it usually takes place at theaters, museums and even estates that have a Victorian-era vibe. 'A few years back, I attended an event at Hollywood Forever, and the setting of a cemetery was surprisingly so peaceful at night,' Tirinnanzi said. 'Once we started looking for the perfect venue home for the show in OC, Fairhaven fit the bill and we knew it would be a great venue. It's beautiful and chilling at the same time, just like Poe's work.' O'Sullivan said he joined the Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy tour in 2024. 'This is the sequel to our first EAP Speakeasy that we brought to Fairhaven last year,' he said. 'It's a selection of four new stories from Poe that weren't in the first tour. So if you came last year, you are in for a different experience but with the same dark, mysterious tone and atmosphere that is a staple of Poe. There will be four new themed drinks, too.' He said he will likely serve as narrator of the show again as well as perform 'The Fall of the House of Usher.' 'A lot of what [Poe] represents, or what the idea of him represents has influenced and continues to influence modern fashion, music, television and more,' O'Sullivan said. 'He's a whole vibe, as they say. Regarding only his work though, it covers so much. There are love stories, tales of those drunk with power and many spirals into madness. His writing explores dark thoughts that are fascinating to many people. There is definitely an angst to it too, which I think keeps Poe influencing younger generations.' The Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy is for guests 21 years and up. For more information, including tickets, visit
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Four Edgar Allan Poe tales to be told in one theatrical performance
A one-man show based on Edgar Allan Poe's work is returning to York after a sold-out performance last year. Threedumb Theatre's One Man Poe will be performed at Theatre@41 Monkgate on June 1. The show, which sees Stephen Smith performing four of the American author's spine-chilling works, returns following a sold-out visit to the York Medical Society last year. The show went on to sell out its entire 21-show run at the 2024 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, also winning the Spookies Award for Best Horror Solo Show. The Tell-Tale Heart, The Pit and the Pendulum, The Black Cat, and The Raven are the works represented in One Man Poe. Mr Smith said: "I had a fantastic time last summer at the York Medical Society, on June 28. "I had the pleasure of greeting everyone as they arrived at the venue, chatting to all the gothic horror fans who had travelled in far and wide. "I felt a true appreciation of the horror genre from the people of York - the city has such an interest in ghosts and the supernatural - so I felt our show really fit the bill. "Selling out weeks in advance was a testament to this. "This time, however, I am performing the show in an actual theatre! "This means I can present the show with true theatrical flare, by hooking up my spooky sound design to a proper PA system, and programme the 100+ lighting cues - all to aid Poe's incredible stories, which carried through just fine in the technically-basic but wholly atmospheric set up of the York Medical Society's gorgeous lecture room last year." A "huge fan" of the late Roger Corman/Vincent Price's Poe-cycle when a child, Mr Smith reignited his love of classical horror stories during the pandemic by creating online renditions of Poe's work via Facebook Live. In the words of a spokesperson, "When the theatres reopened, he combined four of Poe's most popular pieces in a solo show and named the extravaganza One Man Poe." One Man Poe was first performed in 2021 at Watford Palace Theatre.
