Shakes Versus Shav
Synopsis: Shakes Versus Shav’, a madcap puppet film featuring the voices of Colm Meaney as George Bernard Shaw and Derek Jacobi as William Shakespeare, is a new Irish short based on the last play completed by legendary Irish playwright and Nobel Prizewinner, George Bernard Shaw.
In a knockabout Punch & Judy style, Shaw himself battles it out with William Shakespeare in a war of words to decide who is the greater writer.
Written barely a year before he died in 1950 at the grand old age of 94, ‘Shakes Versus Shav’ was a final opportunity for the great GBS to celebrate his work and legacy, while taking a sly swipe at what he saw as Shakespeare’s overblown reputation. The film is true to Shaw’s original play: both funny and poignant, with laugh out loud slapstick moments, flashes of genuine drama and scathing wit. It’s a fresh and fitting tribute to two of the greatest writers in the English language … with strings attached.
Released to coincide with the 75th anniversary of the play’s publication in 2024, ‘Shakes Versus Shav’ is co-directed by puppeteer Damian Farrell (Star Wars, Jurassic World, Dark Crystal) and documentary-maker Gerry Hoban. The film grew out of a previous collaboration between the two while working with Gabriel Byrne on the IFTA Award-winning documentary about George Bernard Shaw, “My Astonishing Self”.
‘Shakes Versus Shav’ has been produced by Damian Farrell, Elaine Gallagher and Martha Moloney for Caboom, and is funded by Screen Ireland/Fís Éireann, along with RTÉ, Coimisiún na Meán and Section 481.
Damian Farrell is a director, puppeteer, and animator in television and film. With over 25 years of experience, Damo directs scripted comedy, puppet series, animation, hidden camera, and documentaries. He also directs commercials for many leading brands.
A former animation artist at Emerald City Productions and the Don Bluth Studio in the early nineties, and a Jim Henson-trained puppeteer, Damo’s breadth of experience across many different media has seen him work on projects with LucasFilm, Bad Robot, Disney, Sesame Workshop, The Muppets, BBC, CBBC, The Jim Henson Company, ITV and Double Z Enterprises.
Director’s Biography - Damian Farrell, Gerry Hoban
Damo was a puppet captain on Universal Pictures ‘Jurassic World Dominion’ directed by Colin Trevorrow. He has also been a puppeteer and creature performer for Star Wars on LucasFilm’s ‘The Rise Of Skywalker’, ‘The Last Jedi’, ‘The Force Awakens’, ‘Rogue One’, ‘Solo’ and ‘Andor’ performing numerous characters under the direction of JJ Abrams, Rian Johnson, Ron Howard, Chris Miller, Phil Lord, Tony Gilroy and Gareth Edwards.
Damo has directed the preschool sketch series ‘Gigglebiz’ for CBeebies (Children’s Comedy BAFTA 2015) and the first series of CBBC’s ‘Class Dismissed’. He has worked extensively with Irish impressionist Mario Rosenstock creating and producing over 150 episodes of the satirical puppet series ‘Special 1 Tv’, the original ‘Gift Grub Live’, and three series of ‘The Mario Rosenstock Show’ for RTÉ. He is also the producer of Vincent Gallagher’s multi-award-winning stop-motion short film ‘Second To None‘. In 2022 he directed the 20 x 7min ‘Storybud’ series for Kite Entertainment for RTÉJr. He is also a former chairman of Animation Ireland.
In 2019, Damo appeared as one of the principal puppeteers on the Emmy Winning Netflix series ‘The Dark Crystal; Age Of Resistance’ for The Jim Henson Company directed by Louis Leterrier.
Damo is currently producing and co-directing a puppet film with award-winning documentary director Gerry Hoban based on the last play written by George Bernard Shaw called ‘Shakes Versus Shav’.