Abbey Theatre - Amharclann na Mainistreach

Wednesday 26 January 2011 The Abbey Theatre is delighted to announce three exceptional new productions that round off the 2011 season on the Abbey stage. Ireland’s national theatre is presenting major productions of JUNO AND THE PAYCOCK by Sean O’Casey in a co-production with the English National Theatre, CURSE OF THE STARVING CLASS by Sam Shepard, and THE GOVERNMENT INSPECTOR by Nikolai Gogol, in a new version by Roddy Doyle.

This follows the previously announced work running from March to August that includes the world premieres of THE PASSING and THE EAST PIER, both written and directed by Paul Mercier, PYGMALION by Bernard Shaw and TRANSLATIONS by Brian Friel.

Director of the Abbey Theatre, Fiach Mac Conghail said, “I am delighted to be presenting such a strong range of productions on the Abbey stage in 2011 for all our patrons at the national theatre. We are absolutely thrilled to present JUNO AND THE PAYCOCK by Sean O’Casey in its first production at the Abbey since 1999. This is our first ever co-production with the English National Theatre. A fantastic cast will include Sinéad Cusack, who will be starring on the Abbey stage for her first time since 1967 and Ciarán Hinds. I’m also delighted that the internationally renowned and award-winning Irish designer Bob Crowley will make his debut at the Abbey as designer of this production.”

August 2011 sees a continuation of diverse and dynamic work at the Abbey with a production of CURSE OF THE STARVING CLASS by Sam Shepard, one of the world’s most important playwrights with whom the Abbey has built a solid relationship with over the last number of years. Directed by talented Irish director Jimmy Fay, this will run for three weeks. CURSE OF THE STARVING CLASS is Shepard’s classic play about poverty and the mentality that accompanies it. The Tate family are all hungry for a better life, but can’t escape the cycle of violence and desperation in which they’ve become trapped.

In September, as part of the 2011 Ulster Bank Dublin Theatre Festival the Abbey Theatre in a co-production with the English National Theatre will present JUNO AND THE PAYCOCK by Sean O’Casey. Directed by Howard Davies and designed by Irish designer Bob Crowley this production will star Sinéad Cusack and Ciarán Hinds. After its run on the Abbey stage, it will transfer to the English National Theatre. JUNO AND THE PAYCOCK is set during the Irish Civil War of the 1920’s. In this, the second part of O’Casey’s great Dublin Trilogy, the ambitions of a tenement family are set against the political and social events which conspire to keep them in their place. A very human tragedy of ambition, folly and loss.

Christmas at the Abbey Theatre will see Jimmy Fay directing THE GOVERNMENT INSPECTOR by Nikolai Gogol, in a new version by Roddy Doyle. Doyle gives us a hilarious version of Nikolai Gogol’s classic satire on bureaucracy and corruption, in which a low level clerk is mistaken for a visiting government official.

Director of the English National Theatre, Nicholas Hytner, said, “I warmly welcome the National Theatre’s collaboration with the Abbey Theatre, and very much look forward to what promises to be an outstanding production of one of the undisputed masterpieces of the 20th century.”

Artistic Director of the Ulster Bank Dublin Theatre Festival, Loughlin Deegan, said, “The Festival is delighted to continue its partnership with the Abbey Theatre with this production of Juno and the Paycock, one of the most vital statements on Irish culture. With this superb cast and creative team, it is sure to be one of the biggest hits of the 2011 Festival.”

The Abbey Theatre will be announcing further programming on the Peacock stage at a later date.

The Abbey Theatre acknowledges the financial support of The Arts Council.

Booking opens for members on Monday, March 28th 2011
General booking opens on Monday, April 11th 2011
Booking on +353 1 87 87 222 & www.abbeytheatre.ie

For further information please contact:
David McCadden david.mccadden@abbeytheatre.ie / (01) 887 2229 or 086 854 4446
Maura Campbell maura.campbell@abbeytheatre.ie / (01) 879 7268

Abbey stage

Curse of the Starving Class
By Sam Shepard
Directed by Jimmy Fay
27 August – 10 September 2011
(Previews 23rd August – 26 August)

Juno and the Paycock
By Sean O’Casey
Directed by Howard Davies
Co-production between the Abbey Theatre & the English National Theatre
Dublin – 29 September – 5 November 2011
(Previews 21 September – 28 September)

The Government Inspector
By Gogol, a new version by Roddy Doyle
Directed by Jimmy Fay
30 November 2011 – 21 January 2012
(Preview 24 Nov – 29 Nov)