That time of year again. October, the maturing sun, wintertime pub closing, and the opening of the Dublin Theatre Festival.
The last such festival of the millennium was launched last night. After 10 years it will be Tony O Dalaigh's swan song as festival director. He has no regrets. The show will go on and this outgoing director will be succeeded by his deputy, Fergus Linehan.
Another new festival face made her debut at the launch last night. Moya Doherty is its new chairwoman. In a powerful and provocative speech she warned that despite the festival's successes, there was no room for complacency.
"Theatre in my view is in danger of being displaced, or overlooked in the clamour of activity, events and entertainment that now characterises Dublin especially," she said.
"Music, film and television have never been busier or made more demands on the supply of creative talent Ireland has available. And with so many bars, multiplexes and restaurants to choose from for an evening in the city, how can we guarantee that the public in their thousands will opt to spend their money in the theatre?"
In other cities, she said, including Cork and Galway, cultural festivals took over and everyone appeared involved. But "here in Dublin the city has many things on its mind and theatre, perhaps, takes its place in the queue."
"We need to move it back up to the head of the queue," she said.
She said that for the future, funding would be her "strategic priority ", while "a sprinkling of stardust would not go amiss," she added with a twinkle in her eye.
The Map-Maker's Sorrow by Chris Lee was the first festival production; it opened at the Peacock last night.
Tonight will see the opening of Bernard Farrell's new play The Spirit of Annie Ross at the Gate, while Frank McGuinness's new play Dolly West's Kitchen opens at the Abbey tomorrow night.
There's the wonderful Australian Cloudstreet at the SFX from October 8th, and a very powerful The Village by the Russian-Isreali Gesher Theatre company at the Olympia tonight. And more and more. So many plays so little time.
