Take a look at some theatre pieces hitting Irish stages soon
It’s an exciting time for theatre makers all over the country, as live in-person performances are set to make a comeback in the coming weeks. Throughout the pandemic, directors, playwrights, and actors, as well as a slew of crew members, have been in the wings. Many pivoted to virtual performances and some worked on funding for future productions. Now, up to 50 people can attend performances indoors, up to 200 if outdoors.
As we look towards an exciting autumn and winter catalogue of plays and performances, here are some stand-outs to look out for.
Heart of a Dog by Éadaoin O’Donoghue
Inspired by Mikhail Bulgakov’s novel of the same name, Heart of a Dog is directed by John O’Brien. The play follows the adventures of Sharik, a mongrel who turns into a man in a gruesome experiment. Overall, it is an incredible exploration of what it means to be human, full of joy, pain, love, and loss. This is an absurdly funny piece that is as comic as it is terrifying. It premieres on September 23rd in Cork’s Everyman Theatre, before touring to The Civic for the Dublin Theatre Festival.
Finding Joseph by Tzarini Meyler
Finding Joseph is the latest offering from Irish theatre company LipZinc Theatre. This one-man show, starring actor and musician Fia Rua (Eoghan Burke) is an experience combining sharp new writing with physical theatre and installation art. In essence, the show centres around Joseph, born in the late 60s in Ireland in a children’s home. Follow his journey as an adult back into childhood memory and fantasy, as he reclaims his story. LipZinc paired with Athlone Family Resource Centre for this production, with the show opening in the Dean Crowe Theatre on September 11th.
Night Dances by Emma Martin
If there’s one thing many of us have missed throughout the pandemic, it’s dancing. Night Dances is a tonic to this, offering up an ode to the dance hall, and the rhythmic connection that lives there. The show is a series of dance poems that are performed with music by Daniel Fox. Ultimately, it examines the connections to be made between bodies dancing, and what that tells us about life, magic, love, pride, and humanity. It opens as part of the Dublin Theatre Festival in The National Stadium from October 13th.
