Renowned American playwright, Arthur Miller, will visit this years Dublin Theatre Festival which starts at the end of September. Deirdre Falvey, Arts Editor, reports.
Speaking at the launch of festival details yesterday, its director, Mr Fergus Linehan said the line-up will include many co-productions and co-presentations as well as crossovers between Irish and international work.
The programme will feature a Brian Friel premiere, Performances, at the Gate Theatre.
Directed by Patrick Mason, it entwines music from the Alba Quartete, and tells the story surrounding the composition of Leos Janacek's remarkable String Quartet No 2 (Intimate Letters).
Martin McDonagh's controversial black comedy, The Lieutenant of Inishmore, offers a different kind of connection in that it is an Irish play produced by the Royal Shakespeare Company.
The Woman Who Walked into Doors, an interpretation of Roddy Doyle's novel, produced by a Belgian company and directed by a Dutchman is an opera "for soprano, actress and videoscreen" (and an orchestra of 30), is presented by the festival and Opera Ireland.
Michael Keegan Dolan's Giselle, presented by Fabulous Beast Dance Company and the festival is a radical retelling of the legend, with a company from Nigeria, the UK, US, Austria, Slovakia and Italy.
Celebrated international directors bringing work to the festival include Quebec visionary Robert Lepage's The far side of the moon; Spanish director Calixto Beito (whose Barbaric Comedies opened the festival in 2000) with his new version of Hamlet; and Rina Yerushalmi brings Mythos, her powerful and bleak Israeli/Palestinian version of the Greek myth Oresteia, set in the middle east.
Irish productions include Thomas Kilroy's new play The Shape of Metal at the Abbey (directed by Lynne Parker); Stella Feehily's first play, Duck, at the Peacock (with Out of Joint and the Royal Court); Garry Hynes and Druid follow last year's production of John B Keane's Sive with his dark folk play, Sharon's Grave; fresh from the Galway Arts Festival, Barabbas presents Hurl, Charlie O'Neill's play about a multi-ethnic hurling team, directed by Raymond Keane.
There will also be more matinees (all at €15). Special events include Playing Politics, a conference examining the relationship between politics and drama including a public interview with Arthur Miller by Joe Dowling.
A children's season at the Ark, including Tommy Tiernan's Original Stories for Children, cabaret from Fascinating Aida, flamenco from Maria Pages, and very odd music from the Tiger Lillies will also feature in the festival.
In his first year as DTF chairman Peter Crowley announced that director Garry Hynes and accountant Gaby Smyth are to join the festival board.
He said the ambitious programme is a challenge to the economic and funding environment, and thanked the Arts Council and City Council for maintaining their support.
The festival runs September 29th to October 11th. Booking at 44 East Essex Street, Temple Bar, D2, Tel 01-677 8899 or see www.dublintheatrefestival.com