The challenges and opportunities facing cultural criticism in the contemporary moment will be parsed by a line-up of leading Irish and international speakers this Friday in the Peacock for Mission Critical, a sold out, day-long symposium hosted by the Abbey Theatre and supported by The Irish Times. The event will bring together critics, artists, audiences and readers to activate conversations around the future of theatre criticism in Ireland and beyond through dialogue, debate and insight sharing. Convened by Literary & New Work Director at the Abbey Theatre, Ruth McGowan, the full list of invited speakers and topics has today been released and can be found below.
Commenting, Co-Director of the Abbey Theatre, Artistic Director, Caitríona McLaughlin said: “Great critics are the keepers of theatre’s fleeting soul — they capture what disappears the moment the lights go down. Their words become the only lasting trace of an art form that lives and dies in the instant of performance. We need critics who love and respect our artform, our artists and our ambitions. Critics who can analyse, praise and challenge us and most of all critics who can look at our work with knowledge of our legacy, our contemporary context and our influences.
“I believe critics are an essential part of the theatrical ecosystem. For many, they provide the only access to a production — the ones too distant, too brief, or already sold out. Critics open the gate through which we, the makers, connect with collaborators, presenters, and audiences — extending the life of a performance beyond its fleeting moment on stage. It was said of the great critic Kenneth Tynan that reading his reviews was like being in the theatre itself.”
Mission Critical programme and speaker line-up:
10am Welcome
Words of welcome from Ruth McGowan, Literary & New Work Director at the Abbey Theatre and Hugh Linehan, Duty Editor, Writer and Podcaster at The Irish Times
10.15am Keynote: The End of Criticism?
Theatre critic Arifa Akbar explores whether the art of criticism is facing a crisis amid shrinking column inches and the growth of influencer culture. From identity politics to the internet, social and technological change is challenging the ideals that have underpinned the work of critics for centuries. What does this mean for criticism and for culture at large? Introduction and Q&A by Ruth McGowan.
11am Panel discussion: Reports from the Theatre Beat
Dedicated critics Helen Meany, Nancy Durrant, Katy Hayes and Fergus Morgan discuss the realities of writing and talking about theatre in Ireland and the UK now. They offer their perspective on what audiences and theatre makers do and don’t want from criticism in 2025. They will share how they are sustaining their practice and what they are fighting to keep for the future of the artform.
11.50am Coffee Break
12.10pm Panel discussion: Mother of Invention
Innovators Karen Fricker, Giuliano Levato and Ciara L Murphy and Holly Williams talk about how they have evolved their critical practice with the times, repurposing existing platforms and founding new models to connect audiences with the work of theatre artists.
1pm Lunch break
2pm In conversation: Ben Brantley & Fintan O’Toole
Informed by decades of rigorous and insightful engagement with Irish and American theatre these eloquent and hugely influential writers are paired in a conversation about the future of theatre criticism. Introduction by Jimmy Fay, theatre director and Executive Producer at Lyric Theatre Belfast.
3pm Panel discussion: Do You Read Me?
What can theatre criticism learn from the experience and approach of critics in other mediums? In this panel discussion Cristín Leach, Roe McDermott, Berginald Rash and Brendan MacEvilly share perspectives from visual art, film, music and literature.
3.50pm Coffee Break
4.05pm Talk: Why It Matters
Writer and cultural critic Jennifer Krasinski shares her thinking about perpetuating critical writing as a vibrant literary form. Based on her upcoming book The Craft of Cultural Criticism: Writing About the Arts and Why It Matters, coauthored by editor and critic David O’Neill, she will speak about the importance of criticism in the contemporary moment and the value of teaching and mentoring as part of a thriving cultural landscape. Introduction and Q&A by Emily Reilly.
4.55pm Thank you and closing comments.
5pm Drinks Reception
For full biographies of all speakers, click here.
