Dublin Theatre Festival 2022
by Frank L

Sept 29-Oct 16, 2022

It is good to be able to state that this year’s festival will run from 29th September to 16th October subject, of course, to any unwanted surprises that Covid (or similar) may have in store. Public booking opens from 12pm on the 10th of August, with priority booking already open.

There are twenty different venues including, surprisingly, the National Maternity Hospital. More familiar territory is the Abbey Theatre which in this centenary of the publication of Ulysses showcases the premier of Edna O’Brien’s Joyce’s Women on the main stage and later in the Peacock, there is a new production of Tom Murphy’s Whistle in the Dark with Sean McGinley playing Dada. The Gate collaborates with Teach Damsa with a new production entitled How to be a Dancer in Seventy-two Thousand Easy Lessons which hopes to build on their successes with MAM and Swan Lake. The Gaiety will show an adaptation by David Horan of Colm Toibin’s 1999 novel The Blackwater Lightship for five performances.

Whistle in the Dark – Abbey Theatre

Outside these stalwart venues of Dublin Theatre, the Civic in Tallaght present a new play by Frank McGuinness Dinner with Groucho which centres on a dinner between Groucho Marx and T.S. Eliot in a restaurant presided over by a proprietor played by Ingrid Craigie. This is followed by No Magic Pill by Christian O’Reilly which is based on the real-life story of one Martin Naughton and his campaign for independence for disabled people in Ireland. Draiocht and the Pavilion offer a new play by Fishamble entitled Heaven written by Eugene O’Brien which is set, believe it or not, in County Offaly and will transfer to New York. Axis Ballymun in association with Bitter like a Lemon will present a new play by Lee Coffey G.O.D. Good. Orderly. Direction. which deals with recovery (from exactly what is unspecified) but the programme advises it “contains strong language, adult themes throughout).

Dinner With Groucho

Back in the city centre, the Project Upstairs shows five shows which all come from outside Ireland: Manifesto Transpofagico from Brazil, Jezebel which originates from the Netherlands/Belgium, Elles Vivent (They Live) from France, Short of Lying which intriguingly emanates from Brazil and Belgium and finally there is from France; Farm Fatale. Meanwhile, in the Project Cube, there will be a new play by Dan Colley Lost Lear, in collaboration with the Riverbank Arts Centre and the Mermaid Arts Centre. The Samuel Beckett Theatre will have Good Sex which is by Dead Centre and Emilie Pine another production which warns of adult language and strong themes which will be followed by Animals, a reimagining by Louise White and the ensemble of Orwell’s “Animal Farm”.

Antoine Defoort, France – Elles Vivent

There are also productions in the Depot @the Complex, the Ark, Kennedy’s pub Westland Row (Lolling – Anu, Landmark Productions and MoLI) , the City Assembly House, a performance which begins at the Festival House, the O’Reilly Theatre and Smock Alley.

There is a programme for children and there are a series of talks, critical events and works-in-progress. In this regard, The Baptiste Programme in Smock Alley will have work-in-progress readings of “brand new first full-length plays” by Dagogo Hart Dagogo, Esosa Ighodaro, Ikenna Anyabuike and Nanda Jola. The Baptists Programme is a paid and mentored script development programme for “Black Irish theatre makers and people of colour”.

Book tickets and enjoy. Dublintheatrefestival.ie