- Chris O'Rourke
Dublin Theatre Festival 2016
All Things Dublin Theatre Festival 2016
Now in its 59th year, The Dublin Theatre Festival will hit the city for over 18 days and nights between September 29th and October 16th. This year’s line-up features a myriad of exciting theatrical experiences from Ireland and across the globe, showcasing the diversity of contemporary theatre including drama, opera, both classical and experimental, dance, performance art, documentary theatre and film.
Programme highlights include:
A Dublin Theatre Festival Gala Night to honour the work of Sinead Cusack and celebrate her extraordinary contribution to world theatre
A riotous, irreverent and funny take on William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream from the UK based Lyric Hammersmith and Filter Theatre at Bord Gáis Energy Theatre
A collaboration with Corn Exchange Theatre to present Anton Chekov’s celebrated comedy The Seagull in an eagerly anticipated new version by Michael West and Annie Ryan at the Gaiety Theatre
At the Abbey Theatre, a new play by Carmel Winters, The Remains of Maisie Duggan (Peacock stage) and Donegal a musical play written by Frank McGuinness with music by Kevin Doherty (Abbey stage).
There’s also a wealth of world premieres including:
Opera Theatre Company’s production of Mozart’s Don Giovanni in a new translation by Roddy Doyle
A new adaptation of Swan Lake/ Loch na hEala rooted in the Midlands of Ireland by Michael Keegan-Dolan
These Rooms by CoisCéim Dance Theatre and ANU
Druid’s production of Helen & I by Meadhbh McHugh
Breaking Rainbows from visual artist and shepherd Orla Barry;
The Circus Animals’ Desertion by Brokentalkers
Commemorating the first anniversary of the Carrickmines tragedy, Ireland Shed a Tear? by Michael Collins
Alien Documentary by Una McKevitt
THEATREclub refuse to commemorate 1916 in It’s Not Over, their version of Sean O’Casey’s The Plough and the Stars
An experimental opera The Last Siren from Ian Wilson
The Gate Theatre, we’ll see the Irish premiere of The Father by Florian Zeller in a translation by Christopher Hampton,
The O’Reilly Theatre will see Michael Colgan direct First Love, by Samuel Beckett starring Barry McGovern.
Death at Intervals from Kellie Hughes and Galway International Arts Festival at Smock Alley
Audiences can also look forward to extraordinary work from Australia, Belgium, Spain, Iceland, UK, Norway, Sweden and Germany. Ancient Rain (Far and Away Productions and Brink Productions, Australia) stars Camille O’Sullivan, Australian singer-songwriter Paul Kelly and Feargal Murray in a new music theatre work inspired by the works of W.B. Yeats and other great Irish poets. BERLIN (Belgium), a documentary style approach to film and theatre, tells the story of survival, hope and love in an abandoned town in ZVIZDAL (Chernobyl – so far so close). From Kriðpleir and LÓKAL Performing Arts, (Iceland) Crisis Meeting. Backstage in Biscuit Land from Touretteshero stars Jess Thom who has Tourettes syndrome in a show weaving comedy, puppetry and singing. From El Conde de Torrefiel, one of the most exciting and provocative theatre companies to emerge from Spain in recent years comes Guerrilla. Verk Produksjoner (Norway) with satirical and political undertones look ahead into our uncertain future in Wishful Beginnings. Paines Plough and Pentabus Theatre’s bring their internationally successful production of Every Brilliant Thing (UK) and from one of Sweden’s most interesting performance and film artists Gunilla Heilborn, a charming piece, This is Not a Love Story.
Dublin Theatre Festival has again teamed up with The Ark to present a number of internationally acclaimed works for children including work from Mary-Francis Doherty in association with Young at Art (UK), Junges Ensemble Stuttgart (JES) (Germany) and Teater Pero (Sweden).
The festival experience continues off stage with FESTIVAL+, a series of panel discussions, critical events and In Development showcases giving audiences a first look at 5 exciting new works in progress by Irish companies.
Once again Festival Director, Willie White, has assembled a broad and eclectic programme certain to cater to all tastes. But have a flutter and bet on a production you might not ordinarily see. Maybe simply because you like the name if it. Often that’s the best way for finding those hidden treasures, for getting into the festival feel and for seeing shows you may not get the opportunity to see again. Looking at this year’s programme, there’s several hidden treasures to be had.
For further information on shows, programme and tickets, visit Dublin Theatre Festival
