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The International Association for the Study of Irish Literatures |
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Irish Studies Listservs and Electronic Discussions Irish Writers Individual Sites |
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Listed below are internet resources for the study of Irish theatre and drama. Emphasis has been placed on production companies, publishers, and archival resources. This page is intended to be of use for scholars of Irish theatre, and therefore does not include links to repertory theatres, receiving venues, commercially-orientated service providers, etc. The starting point for anyone interested in Irish theatre has to be the Abbey. Their site contains information about the Abbey and Peacock programmes, including notices of the theatre’s many pre- and post-show talks and discussions. The Gate website is impressive, containing an archive of recent productions, with photographs included. The website promises an online archive – we look forward to seeing it online soon. As reported in the IASIL News section, the Gate will premiere Brian Friel's latest play in 2005. Irish Theatre Magazine is published four times a year, and contains news, reviews and features about Irish theatre. Recent contributors have included Helen Lojek, Chris Morash, Enda Walsh, Shaun Richards, Michael Billington and many others. The magazine also publishes an online newsletter, delivered by email six times a year. Subscription is available on the website. The first three newsletters have included reviews of new work by Sebastian Barry, Tom Murphy, Marie Jones, Michael Keegan Dolan, and David Hare. Launched
on 9 December 2003, the Playography Project is one of the most ambitious theatre
scholarship programmes ever undertaken in The Playography will not only define the Irish theatrical repertoire for the first time but will also revitalise that repertoire by reintroducing many lost scripts and providing a gateway for locating and clearing rights for all existing scripts. The Playography is in many ways an attempt to counteract the alarming lack of publishing that has taken place in Irish theatre. The
first phase of the research, covering the period from 1975 to the present
day, began in February 2002 and has now been published online. The catalogue
will be complete by the end of 2005. Since its first edition appeared in 1998, the Irish Theatre Handbook has proven an indispensable resource. It’s due to go online in October 2003. It contains over 1,000 entries including information on Irish Theatre Companies, Venues and Arts Festivals; Support Organisations, Arts Officers, Theatre Publications; Funding Opportunities for companies and individuals; Theatre and Dance training courses and a one-stop guide to the companies and individuals who supply services to the industry. One of Europe’s oldest arts festivals, the Dublin Theatre Festival takes place every October. In recent years, the Festival has premiered many significant new Irish works, including Frank McGuinness’s Dolly West’s Kitchen, Marina Carr’s By the Bog of Cats and Brian Friel’s adaptation of Uncle Vanya. It’s also presented major new international works by Peter Brook, Robert Lepage, Deborah Warner, and Robert Wilson. The Dublin Fringe Festival has, since the mid-1990s, accompanied the main festival every October. The Fringe is where such writers as Conor McPherson started off, and each year acts as a showcase for new and emerging talents. The Dublin Gay Theatre Festival Established in 2004, Dublin's Gay Theatre Festival provides an opportunity to showcase the contribution of gay people to theatre, past and present. It is designed to give a platform to the talents of gay people which historically were concealed by the process of criminalisation. The opportunity is created to present the historic contribution of gay artists in the more open context of modern times. The festival also creates new opportunities for visibility and affirmation for existing and emerging gay artists and theatrical works. The festivals criteria for inclusion into the programme are broadly interpreted to include works by gay writers, works that have a gay relevance or theme, or works that include either performance or another artistic contribution by gay people. Participation and attendance is open to all who wish to witness and acknowledge the immense contribution of gay people to theatre in all its forms. (NOTES ADAPTED FROM GTF website) An
excellent website from As many IASIL members will be aware, Galway's Druid Theatre are premiering their ambitious "DruidSynge" project - a staging of all of Synge's plays - in July 2005. To complement the production, Druid have established a special website that contains a host of resources and information on Synge and Druid Theatre, including play synopses, biographical essays, etc. Many IASIL members have contributed previously unpublshed short essays on Synge. Contributors include Tim Robinson. Ben Levitas, Declan Kiberd, Nicholas Grene, Ann Saddlemyer, Fintan O’Toole, Christopher Morash, W. J. McCormack, Patrick Lonergan, Adrian Frazier, and Mary C. King. Belfast’s main theatre, and currently one of the
most impressive companies in Theatre shop – a fantastic resource, which includes transcripts from the annual Theatre Shop conferences. Information may also be found here about the Irish Playography project, an online database which, when completed, will give complete information about every Irish play produced during the last thirty years. Theatre Shop also produces the indispensable Irish Theatre Handbook, a directory of Irish theatre companies and practitioners. A highlight of the Irish arts calendar, the Galway Arts Festival includes new Irish theatre, visiting productions from abroad, as well as many events in other media. One
of the most innovative Irish companies, whose play HURL (2003)
– about a multi-ethnic hurling team in Gare St Lazare Players Ireland is a theatre company based simultaneously in Cork and Mericourt, France. Artistic director Judy Hegarty Lovett runs the company with her husband actor Conor Lovett. In recent years they have produced a number of Beckett's prose pieces for live presentation. Dubbeljoint Productions was formed in 1991 by Pam Brighton, Marie Jones and Mark Lambert, and since then the company has established itself as one of Ireland’s leading companies for new writing. Nearly all of the company’s productions have opened in west Belfast. Their website includes information on new plays, and a press release concerning the 2003/2004 court case about Marie Jones's Stones in His Pockets, which was originally produced by Dubbeljoint in 1996. The commedia inspired Corn Exchange are noted for their many interesting productions, including Car Show, Foley and Michael West’s adaptation of Lolita. Cork-based theatre company - and the original producers of Enda Walsh's Disco Pigs. Their website is lively, easy to use, and full of interesting information.
A full-time ensemble, heavily inspired by Grotowski, Stanislavksi and similar practitioners. They’ve done some very interesting work on some of the classics, notably Macbeth and the Duchess of Malfi The Sligo based Blue Raincoat company is a permanent ensemble with a dedicated performance space, The Factory. Their work is grounded in a number of European, Japanese and American disciplines in which the company have trained – and is always visually stunning, combining impressive movement and tableaux with beautiful scenography and lighting. Anyone who thinks Irish theatre is too much based in text should check out their work... Formerly known as Pigsback, Fishamble are noted for their development of new Irish writers, having premiered work by Mark O’Rowe, Deirdre Hines, Joseph O’Connor, Ian Kilroy, and many others. Island is a Limerick-based independent company with an impressive track record of high-quality production. Highlights in recent years include Mike Finn's Pigtown and John Barrett's Where He Lies. One of the most important contributors to the development of Irish theatre for more than four decades. Calypso was founded in 1993 by Donal O'Kelly to create work of an international standard that would explicitly tackle issues of social marginalization and injustice in Ireland. Since that time, the company has produced work by Gavin Kostick, Paula Meehan, Roddy Doyle, and others on a range of issues including mental health, asylum seekers, and global wealth distribution. Macnas is a very important community and performing arts company, known internationally for their work with U2. Prime Cut is one of the main Irish producers of international work. This Waterford company is another important source of new writing. Recent premieres have included work by Jimmy Murphy, Loughlin Deegan and Jim Nolan. Only Druid has had a greater impact on the independent Irish theatre sector than Rough Magic, a Dublin-based company with an impressive track record of premiering new writing, with such writers as Declan Hughes, Liz Kuti, and Donal O'Kelly in their repertoire. The company is also the major producer of international work in the Irish indepedent theatre sector. Details of Rough Magic's 2005 Season are posted on the IASIL newsletter. The national Irish language theatre, which recently celebrated its 75th Anniversary. Another new writing company, and an important one too: recent productions have included Convictions and Caught Red Handed, two of the most acclaimed recent Irish plays. The company publishes its own scripts – details are online. A very interesting company with a growing reputation, Yew Tree is fronted by John Breen, whose recent works have included the massive hit Alone it Stands and Charlie. The Really Irish Theatre Awards A satirical look at the Irish theatre scene. Well worth checking out. Monaghan-based touring theatre company. The Linenhall Library’s Theatre Archive An
indispensable resource for the study of theatre in The Samuel Beckett Centre, Trinity College Dublin A training centre and venue for new productions. MA in Irish Theatre and Culture, Queen's University Belfast An MA course at Queen's University. An independent Irish publisher devoted exclusively to theatre. It has produced important new books on Tom Murphy, Frank McGuinness and Marina Carr. Its publication Theatre Stuff includes interviews with almost every major figure now working in Irish theatre, and is essential reading. Perhaps better known for their poetry, Gallery also has a wonderful list of theatre publications, including the work of Brian Friel, Marina Carr, Jim Nolan, Tom Kilroy, and others. A British company, best known for premiering Andrea Dunbar and Mark Ravenhill. But they have also played a significant role in the development of recent Irish drama, presenting much of the recent work of Sebastian Barry. Again, a British theatre, but also the venue where many of the most important recent Irish plays were first produced, notably Conor McPherson’s The Weir. A London theatre, and the place where Billy Roche’s Wexford Trilogy, Conor McPherson’s St. Nicholas and Hillary Fannin’s Mackerel Sky were first produced. A very useful website, containing interesting downloads and links. The Royal National Theatre have recently premiered new Irish work by Owen McCafferty, Martin McDonagh, and other Irish writers. The RSC are of course known principally for their work on a certain Elizabethan playwright. But they have also brought work to the stage by Anne Devlin, Martin McDonagh, Frank McGuinness and Billy Roche. Some important sites not directly related to Irish theatre… A well organised website, which includes a useful virtual library of the Council’s publications. Anyone working on contemporary Irish theatre should download the Council’s Views on Theatre in Ireland (1995), and the three Arts Plans are also significant. Also interesting are the annual reports, which include detailed financial statements about theatre funding. Weekly arts programme fronted by John Kelly, which includes theatre reviews and performances. Transcripts and video are included on the site. A daily arts radio programme, with a real player archive of recent broadcasts. With Fintan O’Toole as chief critic, the Times produces very useful reviews. Their theatre coverage generally is of a very high standard, with many interesting features and interviews. Access to the site is by subscription, with weekly, monthly and annual rates available. There is a comprehensive archive. A daily email news digest is available for free. The Guardian’s Theatre reviews Most major new Irish productions are covered by the Guardian, access to which remains free, at present. The National Library of Ireland An impressive range of theatre holdings, including manuscripts by Brian Friel and Sean O’Casey. THEATRE JOURNALS The following international theatre journals frequently include articles on Irish Theatre and Drama TRI - Theatre Research International and don't forget to check out our links to Irish Studies journals and magazines
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Updated 26 May, 2005
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