EDNA O’BRIEN SAID, “Sometimes one word can recall a whole span of life.” If one word can hold such resonance, then perhaps theatre can provide a language and space to bring those engaging stories to life.
Ireland has always held a strong tradition of producing some of the world’s finest writers and playwrights who have written astutely about social and political dynamics, familial relationships and everything in between. Across generations, Brian Friel, Marina Carr, Samuel Beckett, Enda Walsh and the aforementioned Edna O’Brien have created works that have made us laugh and cry, sometimes within one scene, and inspired us to think broadly about the world around us. Furthermore, their respective material – and the themes explored – continues to resonate with modern audiences.
Perpetuating Ireland’s enduring legacy of theatre and ensuring its steadfast future is the annual Dublin Theatre Festival. Its inaugural event was held in 1957 and featured Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest in the Olympia Theatre, The Playboy of The Western World by J.M. Synge, and Tennesse Williams’ The Rose Tattoo in the defunct Pike Theatre. This particular production of the latter roused the interest of Gardaí as the play was perceived to have contained “objectionable passages” in its writing.
This year, Dublin Theatre Festival launched on September 29 with yet another incredible programme brimming with 17 world premieres, an impressive mixture of Irish and international works, theatre for children and talks. The festival, a highlight for theatre and performance art enthusiasts, continues to present groundbreaking and inspiring works across a number of venues until October 16.
The festival continues to showcase extremely progressive and forward-thinking works from a wide range of writers and playwrights, both Irish and international, established and emerging. Included in this year’s programme are Edna O’Brien’s Joyce’s Women, The Blackwater Lightship by Colm Tóibín and Romeo Castelucci’s BROS, amongst many more. Speaking to The Journal, Willie White, the Artistic Director and CEO of Dublin Theatre Festival described the process of curating the programme.
“The programme is typically developed from a series of conversations with artists over an extended period. I meet Irish artists throughout the year to discuss their plans and travel around Europe mostly, watching performances that I think could be a fit for Dublin. Along the way, I keep in mind that I’m most interested in theatre as a contemporary art form, so I tend to follow artists that I think have something to say about what’s going on in the world right now. For example, some of the themes of this year’s festival programme include race, gender, environment and extremist politics as well as the delight in gathering for a party!”
This year’s edition of the event is particularly special as it marks a return to larger audiences since Covid-19. White says, “Thankfully, the festival has been going well! After cancelled indoor performances in 2020 and reduced capacities in 2021, we’re building back to something more like previous festivals, while still remaining vigilant about the pandemic. Some of the highlights so far have been our first opening night at a packed Gaiety Theatre since 2019. Elsewhere, it’s been great to see that our €10 ticket scheme for artists and under 30s has had a fantastic take-up, with more than 1100 tickets issued so far. We’ve also premiered productions of new Irish works like Lost Lear, Good Sex and Animals which have been selling out. It’s great that there has been such strong interest in the international projects this year, as the festival is a key moment to showcase the breadth of contemporary theatre practice.”
The occurrence of Dublin Theatre Festival always presents great opportunities for new audiences to fall in love with the magic of theatre. White recalls some of his early memories of how the stage made a lasting impression on him. “I grew up in rural Ireland in the 70s and 80s and only went to professional theatre for the first time when I was at university in Dublin. When I was starting out in the mid-90s on what has now become my career, it was a golden time for Irish writing with a succession of new plays by writers like Marina Carr, Martin McDonagh, Conor McPherson, Tom Murphy and Enda Walsh. Seeing the premiere productions of works like Portia Coughlan, The Weir and Disco Pigs was so exciting and inspiring. When I got to see work internationally that opened my mind even more, with life-changing performances like Pina Bausch’s Nelken.”
As the curtain closes on another year of the Dublin Theatre Festival on October 16, we take a look at some of the shows not to be missed.
What: Set in 1918, The Boy That Never Was depicts a world that is eerily similar to the present day in terms of global chaos, demonstrating the cyclical nature of history. This adaptation of Moonstone, the Icelandic novel by Sjón, by Brookentalkers Theatre Company brings us the moving story of Máni Steinn, a young queer man living in a bigoted environment.
Where: Samuel Beckett Theatre, Trinity College, College Green, Dublin 2
When: October 12 – 16, shows at 7:30pm & 2:30pm.
Tickets: €20 – €30, Book here
What: The brainchild of French director and artist Phillip Quesne, Farm Fatale is a visually striking and evocative work in which a group of music-loving scarecrows inhabit a post-apocalyptic world.
Where: Project Arts Centre (Upstairs Space), 39 Essex Street East, Temple Bar, Dublin 2
When: October 14 – 15, show at 7:30pm
Tickets: €30, Book here
What: I Wish I Was A Mountain, written and performed by Toby Thompson, is one for the family as we’re taken on a magical adventure of a small town transformed by the arrival of a very special visitor. Telling the story through live music and rhyme, this is a perfect introduction to budding theatre enthusiasts.
Where: The Ark, 11a Eustace Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 2
When: October 15 – 16, shows at 1pm & 4pm
Tickets: €15, Book here
What: Set in the suburbs, two couples living next door to one another become unnerved to discover that they’re more similar beneath the surface than they’d anticipated. Will Eno’s critically acclaimed play was first performed on Broadway in 2014, this production comes from a collaboration between Gare St Lazare Ireland with Rubicon Theatre Company and Laguna Playhouse.
Where: Smock Alley Theatre (Main Space), 6-7 Exchange Street Lower, Temple Bar, Dublin 8
When: October 7 -16, shows at 2:30pm & 7:30pm
Tickets: €25 – €35, Book here
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