Pierre Bensusan

A visit to St John's Theatre in Listowel is never disappointing. This intimate and popular venue has a reputation for bringing performers of very high quality to Kerry. It is no wonder that audiences travel many miles here, as proprietor Joe Murphy will always make your trip worthwhile.

Each visitor is given a hearty welcome, the pre-show introductions by Joe are frequently hilarious and the interval refreshments are dished out with humorous quips... and the cupla focal. You can't beat it.

It is rare that Joe's acts are not excellent. His programme of events always boasts great variety. There is a huge array of musical and theatrical genres, big names and not so big, amateur and professional, contemporary and traditional, regional, national and international.

The venue is also fabulous. As well as it being such an aesthetically pleasing building it was a masterstroke to choose an old church - guaranteed to prevent rowdiness among the crowd. The discerning St John's audience is invariably attentive and appreciative.

"Pierre Bensusan has been coming to St John's since the end of the nineties, Joe told me." A self-taught finger-style steel guitarist of French-Algerian origin Pierre Bensusan is considered one of the best of his kind in the world. He recently played in St John's as part of his Irish tour, and spell-binding stuff it was too.

His demeanour was calm, self-assured and good-natured as he chatted and joked with the audience between breathtakingly masterful playing.

"Do you like my new computer?" he asked at one point, referring to the sophisticated gadget that was enhancing his musical effects and that he contemplated at length between numbers. He then joked "Actually, I am watching a very good movie here..."

'Antiplanos' - his latest CD, was released in 2004 and I am now the happy owner of a copy. One of the tracks from 'Antiplanos' is a song called "La Nuit des Meteors", which means "Night of the Shooting Stars". It was this song that I remember most from the concert. Pierre sings very nicely, with a folksy Mediterranean voice and even though I did not understand the words as he sang it, still I was captivated.

Now having read the translation on Pierre's website I see why I was so entranced. This extract shows the romantic sensibility of the song:

Still while I sleep/I travel through time/All that I see
Is not just a simple dream/My body weighs down/And your soul is so light
Till I find you/I would need all eternity

Bensusan's music is often classified as world music (though it could also be Celtic, folk or New Age). Hearing him play and sing reminded me again of how beautiful music goes beyond the barriers of language.

Pierre's website is crammed with information and his CD's can all be purchased through it. He will shortly be uploading master classes and live concert videos on it. So, to acquire some Gallic charm, log onto

Contact St Johns Theatre and Arts Centre Listowel at 068 22566 or e-mail stjohnstheatre@eircom.net.