GOLDEN Globe and Bafta award winner Miranda Richardson was among the stars at the opening day of Happy Days, an international Samuel Beckett festival in Co Fermanagh.
The actress, best known for her roles in Blackadder and the Harry Potter films, read Enough, one of Beckett's best-known prose pieces, at Enniskillen's Masonic Hall yesterday.
Beckett, an Irish avant-garde novelist, playwright, theatre director, and poet, was born in Co Dublin in 1906 but spent much of his early years in Enniskillen where he studied at Portora Royal School.
The festival, which runs until Monday, is only in its second year but has already attracted several big-name stars.
Leading actors including acclaimed film and theatre actress, Cork-born Fiona Shaw, Olivier award-winner Juliet Stevenson, Brideshead Revisited star Diana Quick, Drop the Dead Donkey actor Neil Pearson and Enniskillen-born Adrian Dunbar.
On Saturday, comedian and writer Clive James will discuss his translation of The Divine Comedy and his interest in Dante.
Mr James will be speaking via a video-link up during the hour-long event at South West College.
The following day, comedian Frank Skinner will discuss the writers who influenced him as well as his and Beckett's shared interest in music hall entertainment.
This year's festival is based upon Beckett's love of Dante.
Marble Arch caves became the backdrop to performances of Dante's Inferno and Beckett's Not I yesterday.
Visitors were taken around the caves by boat and on foot during the performances, which run until Sunday.
Lough Erne's islands, representing the Purgatorio section of The Divine Comedy, will be the setting for readings of Beckett's prose, with performances beginning today.
On Sunday, a specially chartered plane will fly from the Edinburgh Festival to the Beckett festival to mark the Paradiso section of Dante's work.
Among the installations are acclaimed Irish director Neil Jordan's Not I featuring actress Julianne Moore.
Beckett plays will also be performed by artists from Australia, Portugal, France and Ireland.
Actor Neil Pearson said it was a joy to take part in the festival, particularly "somewhere as beautiful as this".
"I've never done Beckett before although I have always been a big fan," he said. n For full details and to book go to www.happy-days-enniskillen.com or call 028 6632 5000
n FESTIVAL: Far left, Miranda Richardson; left, Neil Pearson; below left, Clive James; below, Frank Skinner
MAIN PICTURE AND
NEIL PEARSON
PICTURE: John McVitty