Theatrical forces merge on campus this week for NUI Galway's Theatre Week. Now in its second year, the event showcases through theatre, literature and film, the many talents of NUI Galway students, societies and alumni. Theatre Week began last night (Monday, 21 February) with the Alumni Theatre and Literature Night. Writers and performers who originated from NUI Galway returned to tread the boards of the new Cube Theatre in Áras na Mac Léinn. The evening included writers such as Mary Mullen, Alan McMonagle, Ann Irwin, Rab Fulton and theatre groups involved are Fergoli, Mephisto, Colours Theatre, Side-Show Production as well as Fionnuala Gallagher and many more. The week will include the Jerome Hynes One Act Play Series, Alumni Theatre and Literature Night, the Nothing Specific Society Cardboard Battle, a joint BACon Soc and Dramsoc production of Fight Club, a Monologue Double Bill and workshops from make-up artists and Shakespeare experts. Throughout the week there will also be a series of Shakespeare film adaptations shown and these screenings are free to attend. The six winning Jerome Hynes One Act Plays run from Tuesday to Thursday encompassing life changing themes including death, love, sleep and a naked president. The plays include Sleep Skips my Heart by Sarah Griffin, The Key to Hell by Niamh Dennis, Remember December by David Kilgannon, A Presidential Crisis or People Drowning Everywhere by Michael Shiels and Death of a Movie Starby Thomas Dooley. The Nothing Specific Society will host their second annual battle in cardboard armour on the President's Lawn. This year they have made it an intervarsity event with battlers from all over Ireland attending. Cardboard Armour workshops will take place right throughout the week in preparation for the battle on Thursday at 12 noon. Digging Art by Thomas Dooley and A Pale Moon Rose by Neil Flynn are theatre week's chosen monologues. Digging Art won the Monologue Competition during Múscailt and A Pale Moon Rose, performed by Jerry Fitzgerald has been in various theatres around Cork and Kerry, this is its Galway premier. For more information on the week's events check out www.socs.nuigalway.ieor contact the socsbox on 091 492852. -Ends-