The exterior of the Abbey Theatre in 2006.

The Abbey Theatre (Irish: Amharclann na Mainistreach), also known as the National Theatre of Ireland (Irish: Amharclann Náisiúnta na hÉireann), is located in Dublin, Ireland. The Abbey first opened its doors to the public on 27 December 1904 and, despite losing its original building to a fire in 1951, it has continued to stage performances more or less continuously to the present day. The Abbey was the first state-subsidised theatre in the English-speaking world; from 1925 onwards it received an annual subsidy from the Irish Free State. The Knickerbocker Theatre was a Broadway theatre located at 1396 Broadway (West 38th Street), New York City History The 1500 seat theater was designed by J.B. McElfatrick & Co. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 517 pixel Image in higher resolution (1024 × 662 pixel, file size: 417 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Abbey Theatre ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 517 pixel Image in higher resolution (1024 × 662 pixel, file size: 417 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Abbey Theatre ... For other uses, see Dublin (disambiguation). ... December 27 is the 361st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (362nd in leap years). ... 1904 (MCMIV) was a leap year starting on a Friday (see link for calendar). ... Serge Sudeikins poster for the Bat Theatre (1922). ... This article is about the prior state. ...

In its early years, the theatre was closely associated with the writers of the Celtic revival, many of whom were involved in its foundation and most of whom had plays staged there. The Abbey served as a nursery for many of the leading Irish playwrights and actors of the 20th century. In addition, through its extensive programme of touring abroad and its high visibility to foreign, particularly North American, audiences, it has become an important part of the Irish tourist industry. The Celtic Revival, also known as the Irish Literary Revival, was begun by Lady Gregory, Edward Martyn and William Butler Yeats in Ireland in 1896. ... Oscar Wilde remains one of Irelands best-known playwrights The history of Irish theatre begins with the rise of the English administration in Dublin at the start of the 17th century. ... North America North America is a continent[1] in the Earths northern hemisphere and (chiefly) western hemisphere. ... Destinations Armagh - ecclesiastical capital of all Ireland. ...

Before the Abbey

A 1907 engraving of W. B. Yeats, one of the founders of the Abbey Theatre.

The founding of the Abbey was the result of the coming together of three distinct forces. The first of these was the seminal Irish Literary Theatre. Founded by Lady Gregory, Edward Martyn and W. B. Yeats in 1899 - with assistance by George Moore - this theatre had presented a number of plays in the Ancient Concert Rooms and the Gaiety Theatre, with some critical approval but limited public interest. William Butler Yeats Source: http://www. ... William Butler Yeats Source: http://www. ... The Irish Literary Theatre was a precursor to the Abbey Theatre. ... A photograph of Lady Gregory from her 1913 book Our Irish Theatre Isabella Augusta, Lady Gregory (15 March 1852–22 May 1932), née Isabella Augusta Persse, was an Irish dramatist and folklorist. ... Edward Martyn (1859-1923) of Tullira Castle, Co. ... William Butler Yeats, 1933. ... George Moore may refer to: George Moore (American Radio Presenter) George Edward Moore (1873–1958), G.E. Moore, British philosopher George Moore (Australian Radio Presenter) George Moore (jockey), Australian jockey George Moore (MLB pitcher) George Moore (Jumpers), fictional philosopher, lead character in Tom Stoppards play Jumpers George Moore (Medal... The Gaiety Theatre is a theatre on South King Street in Dublin, Ireland, off of Grafton Street and close to St. ...

The second thread was the work of two Irish brothers, William and Frank Fay. William worked for a time in the 1890s with a touring company in Ireland, Scotland and Wales while Frank was heavily involved in amateur dramatics in Dublin. After William returned, the brothers began to stage productions in halls around the city. Finally, they formed W. G. Fay's Irish National Dramatic Company, focused on the development of Irish acting talent. In April, 1902, the Fays gave three performances of Æ's play Deirdre and Yeats' Cathleen Ní Houlihan in a hall in St Theresa's Hall, Clarendon Street in Dublin. The performances played to a mainly working-class audience, rather than the usual middle-class Dublin theatre-goers. The run was a great success, thanks in part to the fact that Maud Gonne played the lead in Yeats' play. The Company continued its work at the Ancient Concert Rooms, with works by Seumas O'Cuisin (James Cousins), Fred Ryan and Yeats. William George (Willie) Fay (November 12, 1872 - October 27, 1947) was an actor and actor and theatre producer who was one of the co-founders of the Abbey Theatre. ... Frank Fay (1870–1931), brother of William Fay, was an actor and co-founder of the Abbey Theatre. ... This article is about the country. ... This article is about the country. ... W. G. Fays Irish National Dramatic Company was a precursor to Dublins Abbey Theatre. ... George William Russell, a. ... Maud Gonne MacBride (Irish: , 21 December 1866 – 27 April 1953) was an English-born Irish revolutionary, feminist and actress, best remembered for her turbulent relationship with William Butler Yeats. ... James Henry Sproul Cousins (1873-1956) was an Irish writer who was a playwright, critic and poet; ultimately he was known as a writer on theosophy. ... Frederick Ryan (1876 – 1913), was an Irish playwright and socialist. ...

The third and final element was the presence in Dublin of Annie Elizabeth Fredericka Horniman. Horniman was a middle-class Englishwoman with some previous experience of theatre production, having been involved in the presentation of George Bernard Shaw's Arms and the Man in London in 1894. She came to Dublin in 1903 as Yeats' unpaid secretary and to make costumes for a production of his play The King's Threshold. It was her money that was to make the Abbey Theatre a viable reality. Annie Elizabeth Fredericka Horniman (1860-1937) was a member of the Horniman Tea family who founded the Abbey Theatre in Dublin. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... George Bernard Shaw (26 July 1856–2 November 1950) was an Irish dramatist, literary critic, and socialist. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ...

Foundation of the Abbey

A poster for the opening run at the Abbey Theatre from 27 December, 1904 to 3 January, 1905.

In the light of the success of the St Theresa's Hall venture, the Irish National Theatre Society was formed in 1903 by Yeats as president, Lady Gregory, Æ, Martyn, and John Millington Synge. Funding was provided by Annie Horniman. At first, performances were staged in the Molesworth Hall. Abbey This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Edmund John Millington Synge (IPA: ) (April 16, 1871 – March 24, 1909) was an Irish dramatist, poet, prose writer, and collector of folklore. ...

When the Hibernian Theatre of Varieties in Lower Abbey Street and an adjacent building in Marlborough Street became available after the local fire safety authorities closed the Hibernia on fire safety grounds, Horniman and William Fay agreed their purchase and refitting to meet the needs of the society. On 11 May 1904 the society formally accepted Horniman's offer of the use of the building. As Horniman was not normally resident in Ireland, the Royal Letters Patent required were paid for by her but granted in the name of Lady Gregory. William Fay was appointed theatre manager and took on responsibility for training the actors in the newly established repertory company. Yeats' brother Jack Yeats was commissioned to paint portraits of all the leading figures in the society for the foyer and Sarah Purser designed some stained glass for the same space. The Mechanics Hall, also known as the Hibernian Theatre of Varieties was a theatre and music hall in Lower Abbey Street, Dublin. ... is the 131st day of the year (132nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1904 (MCMIV) was a leap year starting on a Friday (see link for calendar). ... Jack Butler Yeats (1871-1957) was an Irish artist who wrote and illustrated for books and magazines. ... Sarah Purser (March 22, 1848 - August 7, 1943) was an Irish artist. ...

On 27 December, the curtains went up on the opening night. The bill consisted of three one-act plays, On Baile's Strand and Cathleen Ní Houlihan by Yeats, and Spreading the News by Lady Gregory. On the second night, In the Shadow of the Glen by Synge replaced the second Yeats play and these two bills alternated over a five-night run. Frank Fay, playing Cúchulainn in On Baile's Strand, was the first actor on the Abbey stage. Although Horniman had designed costumes, neither she nor Lady Gregory was present. Horniman had, in fact, returned to England and her main role with the Abbey over the coming years, in addition to providing funding, was to organise publicity and bookings for touring Abbey productions in London and provincial English venues. December 27 is the 361st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (362nd in leap years). ... Spreading the News is a short one-act comic play by Lady Gregory, which she wrote for the opening night of the Abbey Theatre in Dublin, 27 Dec. ... Young Cúchulainn (as Sétanta), 1912 illustration by Stephen Reid. ...

In 1905, Yeats, Lady Gregory and Synge decided to turn the theatre into a Limited Liability Company, the National Theatre Society Ltd., without properly consulting Horniman. Annoyed by this treatment, she hired Ben Iden Payne, a former Abbey employee, to help run her new repertory company in Manchester. This article is about a U.S.-specific corporate form; for a general discussion of entities with limited liability, see corporation. ... Ben Iden Payne (September 5, 1881 _ April 6, 1976) was an English actor, director and teacher. ... This article is about the City of Manchester in England. ...

The early years

The new theatre found itself a great popular success, with large crowds turning out for most productions. It was also fortunate in having, in Synge, one of the foremost English-language dramatists of the day as a key member. The theatre also staged plays by eminent or soon-to-be eminent authors including Yeats, Lady Gregory, Moore, Martyn, Padraic Colum, George Bernard Shaw, Oliver St John Gogarty, Wilfrid Blunt, F. R. Higgins, Thomas MacDonagh, (one of the leaders of the Easter Rising in 1916), Lord Dunsany, T. C. Murray and Lennox Robinson. Many of these authors also served on the board, with the result that the Abbey gained an enduring reputation as a writers' theatre. Padraic Colum, photographed by Carl Van Vechten, 1959 Padraic Colum (December 8, 1881 - January 11, 1972) was an Irish poet, novelist, dramatist, biographer and collector of folklore. ... George Bernard Shaw (26 July 1856–2 November 1950) was an Irish dramatist, literary critic, and socialist. ... Oliver St John Gogarty (August 17, 1878-September 22, 1957) was an Irish physician and surgeon, who was also a poet and writer, one of the most prominent Dublin wits, and for some time a political figure of the Irish Free State. ... Frederick Robert Higgins (April 24, 1896 - January 6, 1941) was an Irish poet and theatre director. ... Thomas MacDonagh (Irish: Tomás Mac Donnchadha ; (1 February 1878 – 3 May 1916) was an Irish nationalist, poet, playwright, and a leader of the 1916 Easter Rising. ... Combatants Irish Volunteers, Irish Citizen Army, Irish Republican Brotherhood British Army Royal Irish Constabulary Commanders Patrick Pearse, James Connolly Brigadier-General Lowe General Sir John Maxwell Strength 1250 in Dublin, c. ... Best known as Lord Dunsany, Edward John Moreton Drax Plunkett, 18th Baron of Dunsany (July 24, 1878–October 25, 1957) was an Irish writer and dramatist notable for his work in fantasy and horror. ... Thomas Cornelius Murray (January 17, 1873 – March 7, 1959) was an Irish dramatist who was closely associated with the Abbey Theatre. ... Lenox Robinson (October 4, 1886 - October 15, 1958) was an Irish dramatist, poet and theatre producer and director who was involved with the Abbey Theatre. ...

However, things were to take a turn for the worse in January 1907 with the opening of Synge's The Playboy of the Western World. Egged on by nationalists who believed that the theatre was not sufficiently political and with the pretext of a perceived slight on the virtue of Irish womanhood in the use of the word 'shift', a significant portion of the crowd rioted, causing the remainder of the play to be acted out in dumbshow. Nationalist ire was further provoked by the decision to call in the police. Although press opinion soon turned against the rioters and the protests (now known as the Playboy Riots) petered out, the Abbey was shaken and Synge's next (and last completed) play The Tinker's Wedding (1908) was not staged for fear of further disturbances. The Playboy of the Western World is a play written by J. M. Synge and first performed in January 1907. ... Irish nationalism refers to political movements that desire greater autonomy or the independence of Ireland from Great Britain. ... Dumbshow, also dumb show or dumb-show, is a traditional term for pantomime in drama, actions presented by actors onstage without spoken dialogue. ...

That same year, the Fay brothers' association with the theatre ended when they emigrated to the United States and the day-to-day management of the theatre became the responsibility of Lennox Robinson.

In 1909, Shaw's The Shewing-Up of Blanco Posnet led to protests (it led the season from August 1909, along with The Playboy of the Western World) and the subsequent discussion filled a whole issue of the theatre's journal, "The Arrow."

Also in 1909, the proprietors began steps to make the Abbey independent of Annie Horniman, with whom relations had been tense for some time (in part due to her wish to be involved in regulating what was performed), and who had indicated that she wished this to be the case from after the expiry of the original Letters Patent in 1910. Fundraising efforts continued into 1910.

On 7 May 1910, when all the other theatres in the city closed as a mark of respect on the death of King Edward VII, Robinson kept the Abbey open. The relationship with Annie Horniman was already strained, and when she found out about Robinson's decision, she decided to finally sever her connection with the Abbey. By her own estimate, she had spent £10,350 (worth roughly $1 million in 2004 US currency) of her own money on the project, a considerable sum for the time. is the 127th day of the year (128th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1910 (MCMX) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Friday [1] of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Edward VII (Albert Edward; 9 November 1841 – 6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, of the British Dominions beyond the Seas, and Emperor of India from 22 January 1901 until his death on 6 May 1910. ...

With the loss of Horniman, Synge and the Fays, the Abbey under Robinson tended somewhat to drift along and suffered from falling public interest and box office returns. This trend was halted for a time by the emergence of Sean O'Casey as an heir to Synge. O'Casey's career as a dramatist began with The Shadow of a Gunman, staged by the Abbey in 1923. This was followed by Juno and the Paycock (1924) and The Plough and the Stars (1926). This last play resulted in riots reminiscent of those that had greeted the Playboy nineteen years earlier. Once again, scared off by the public reaction, the Abbey rejected O'Casey's next play and he emigrated shortly thereafter. Sean OCasey Sean OCasey (March 30, 1880 - September 18, 1964) was a major Irish dramatist and memorist. ...

The Abbey after Yeats

Ninette de Valois at age 16. She ran the Abbey School of Dance and provided choreography for a number of Yeats' plays.

In 1924, Yeats and Lady Gregory offered the Abbey to the government of the Free State as a gift to the Irish people. The offer was refused. The following year, however, Minister of Finance Ernest Blythe arranged a government subsidy that made the Abbey the first state-supported theatre in the English-speaking world. The subsidy allowed the theatre to avoid bankruptcy, but did not fully eliminate its financial troubles. The Abbey School of Acting and the Abbey School of Ballet were also set up in this year. The latter, which closed in 1933, was run by Ninette de Valois, who also provided choreography for a number of Yeats' plays. copied from http://www. ... copied from http://www. ... At age 16 Dame Ninette de Valois (June 6, 1898 – March 8, 2001) was the Irish founder of Londons renowned Royal Ballet. ...

Around this time, some additional space was acquired and a small experimental theatre, the Peacock, was started downstairs from the main theatre. In 1928 Hilton Edwards and Micheál MacLiammoir set up the Gate Theatre, initially using the Peacock to stage important works by European and American dramatists. The Gate sought work by new Irish playwrights and the story of how one such play came into their hands illustrated the fact that the Abbey had now entered a period of artistic decline. When Denis Johnston submitted his first play Shadowdance to the Abbey, it was rejected by Lady Gregory and returned to the author with “The Old Lady says No” written on the title page. Johnson decided to rename the play, and The Old Lady Says 'No' was staged by the Gate in the Peacock in 1928. (Note: the veracity of this story is called into question by respected academic critics Joseph Ronsley and Christine St. Peter.) Hilton Edwards (1903-1982) was an Irish actor and theatrical producer who, with his partner Micheál MacLiammoir, co-founded the Gate Theatre in Dublin. ... Micheál MacLiammóir (born Alfred Willmore) was an Irish actor and dramatist born 25 October 1899 in the Kilburn neighborhood of London. ... The Gate Theatre, in Dublin, was founded in 1928 by Hilton Edwards and Micheál MacLiammoir, initially using the Abbey Theatres Peacock studio theatre space to stage important works by European and American dramatists. ... For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ... Denis Johnston (June 18, 1901 – August 8, 1984) was an Irish dramatist who was awarded an OBE 1945 and was also a member of Aosdána. ...

The tradition of the Abbey as a writer's theatre survived Yeats' withdrawal from day-to-day involvement. For example, Frank O'Connor sat on the board from 1935 to 1939, serving as Managing Director from 1937, and had two plays staged during this period. Unfortunately, he was forced to resign after Yeats died. During the 1940s and 1950s, the staple fare of the Abbey stage was comic farce set in an idealised peasant world, which, if it ever had existed, no longer had much relevance for the lives of the majority of Irish citizens. As a result, the decline in audience numbers continued. This decline might well have been more dramatic but for a number of popular actors, including F. J. McCormick, and dramatists, including George Shiels, who could still draw a crowd. Another Abbey tenant was Austin Clarke's Dublin Verse Speaking Society, later the Lyric Theatre, which operated out of the Peacock from 1941 to 1944 and the Abbey from 1944 to 1951. For the actor, husband of Ayn Rand, see Frank OConnor (actor). ... F. J. McCormick (real name Peter Judge) (1889 - 1947) was an Irish actor who came to fame with the Abbey Theatre. ... George Shiels (24 June 1886 - 19 September 1949) was an Irish dramatist whose plays were a success both in his native Ulster and at the Abbey Theatre in Dublin. ... Austin Clarke (May 9, 1896–March 19, 1974) was one of the leading Irish poets of the generation after W. B. Yeats. ... The Lyric Theatre grew out of Austin Clarkes Dublin Verse Speaking Society. ...

On 18 July 1951, the building was destroyed by fire, with only the Peacock surviving. The company took a lease on the old Queen's Theatre in September and continued in residence in this temporary home until 1966. The Queen's had been home to the Happy Gang, a team of comedians who staged skits, farces and pantomimes to huge audiences. In some respect, with its continued diet of peasant comedies, the new tenants were not far removed from the old. It is indicative of the state of the Abbey's ambitions at the time that neither of the two most interesting Irish dramatists to emerge in the 1950s, Brendan Behan and Samuel Beckett, featured there. In February 1961 the ruins of the Abbey were finally demolished and plans for rebuilding, with a design by Irish architect Michael Scott, began. On 3 September 1963, the President of Ireland, Eamon de Valera, laid the foundation stone for the new theatre. The Abbey reopened on 18 July 1966. is the 199th day of the year (200th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1951 (MCMLI) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Queens Theatre, Dublin, located in Pearse Street was originally built in 1829 as the Adelphi Theatre. ... Brendan Francis Behan (Irish: Breandán Ó Beacháin) (February 9, 1923 - March 20, 1964) was an Irish poet, short story writer, novelist and playwright who wrote in both Irish and English. ... Samuel Barclay Beckett (13 April 1906 – 22 December 1989) was an Irish dramatist, novelist and poet. ... Busárus: Dublins central bus station Michael Scott (1905-1988) is considered the most important architect of the twentieth century in Ireland. ... is the 246th day of the year (247th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1963 (MCMLXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Official Seal of the President of Ireland The President of Ireland (Irish: ) [uːəxt̪ˠəɾaːn̪ˠ n̪ˠə heːɼən̪ˠ] is the head of state of the Republic of Ireland. ... Eamon de Valera (born Edward George de Valera, sometimes Gaelicised Éamon de Bhailéara; October 14, 1882 – August 29, 1975), was an Irish politician, best known as a leader of Irelands struggle for independence from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in the early 20th century, and... is the 199th day of the year (200th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the 1966 Gregorian calendar. ...

The Abbey 1966-2005

The combination of a new building, a new generation of dramatists that included such figures as Hugh Leonard, Brian Friel and Tom Murphy, and the growth in Irish tourism, with the National Theatre as a key cultural attraction, helped to bring about a revival in the theatre's fortunes. This was further assisted by the theatre's continuing involvement in the Dublin Theatre Festival, which began in 1957. Hugh Leonard (real name John Keyes Byrne) (born 1926) is an Irish dramatist and journalist. ... Brian Friel (born January 9, 1929) is a playwright and director from Northern Ireland. ... Tom Murphy (born 1935) is an Irish dramatist who has worked closely with the Abbey Theatre. ... The Dublin Theatre Festival is Europes oldest specialist Theatre Festival. ...

Plays such as Friel's Philadelphia Here I Come (1964), The Faith Healer (1979) and Dancing at Lughnasa (1990), Murphy's Whistle in the Dark (1961) and The Gigli Concert (1983) and Leonard's Da (1973) and A Life (1980) helped raise the Abbey's international profile through their successful runs in London and on Broadway. West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre in London, England, or sometimes more specifically for shows staged in the large theatres of Londons Theatreland. Along with New Yorks Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre... For other uses of Broadway, see Broadway. ...

In December 2004, the theatre celebrated its centenary with a range of events, including performances of the original programme by amateur dramatic groups from around the country, and the professional premiere of Michael West's Dublin By Lamplight, staged by Annie Ryan for The Corn Exchange company at the Project Arts Centre in November 2004. But behind the scenes cracks had begun to appear in the centenary celebrations, audiences were falling at an alarming rate, The Peacock had to close its doors due to lack of money, the theatre was close to bankruptcy and there were threats of huge lay-offs among the staff. Later that year in September a motion of no confidence in Artistic Director Ben Barnes was tabled by two members of the theatre's advisory council, playwrights Jimmy Murphy and Ulick O'Connor. Barnes, criticised for being on tour with a play in Australia at the time at a time of deep financial and artistic crisis, flew back and survived the motion. The debacle drew nationwide attention to the Abbey and put it under great public scrutiny and on May 12 the following year, 2005, Barnes, and Managing Director Brian Jackson, resigned after it was discovered that a serious error in the company's financial reporting had resulted in a grave underestimation of the theatre's deficit of €1.85 million. The new director, Fiach Mac Conghail, who was previously due to start in November 2005, thus took up the reins in May of that year. Dr. Michael D. West is the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Scientific Officer, and former CEO of Advanced Cell Technology Corporation, which specializes in Stem Cell research. ... A corn exchange was a building where people came to trade corn and other cereals. ... The Project Arts Centre is a venue for cutting-edge visual art and performance located in Dublins Temple Bar. ... James Murphy is the name of several notable figures, including: James Edward Murphy - Cartoonist James Murphy (footballer) - Association Football player & manager James Murphy (musician) - Member of the band Death Jimmy Murphy - Former racing driver This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise... Ulick OConnor (b. ...

The Abbey Theatre from 2006

On 20 August 2005, the Abbey Theatre Advisory Council approved a plan which would see the Abbey's owner, the National Theatre Society, being dissolved and replaced by a company limited by guarantee, the Abbey Theatre Limited. This plan was subsequently, after some strong debate, accepted. is the 232nd day of the year (233rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... In British or Irish company law, a Limited Company is a person on its own right. ...

On the basis of the new plan, in January 2006 the Arts Council of Ireland awarded the Abbey €25.7 million in revenue funding over three years. This grant represented an approximate 43% increase in funding to the Abbey and was the largest grant ever made by the Arts Council.

The new company came into being on 1st February 2006 with the announcement of the new Board of the Abbey, chaired by High Court Judge, Bryan McMahon.

2007 has since been a busy year for the Abbey. In March the larger auditorium in the theatre was radically reconfigured. This was part of a much-applauded upgrading of the theatre's facilities. That same month the Abbey produced the world premiere of a new play by Pulitzer Prize winning playwright and actor, Sam Shepard. This was a one man show called 'Kicking a Dead Horse', and starred Oscar-nominated Irish actor, Stephen Rea, who had begun his career with the Abbey many years ago. Downstairs, the smaller theatre, The Peacock, still stays dark for most of the year, despite assurances that it would open up and be the home to new work that it was meant to be.

Summer 2007 saw the world premiere of a new play entitled TERMINUS by the award-winning Irish playwright, Mark O'Rowe. With 13 writers now under commission to the Abbey since producer Fiach Mac Conghail took over two years ago, things seemed to bode well for Irish theatre but to date none of the commissioned work has been produced and at the rate at which new plays are being staged, one a year, it seems very unlikely that many of the 13 commissioned plays will ever be produced. It should also be noted that since Mac Conghail took over the Abbey has produced less new work under his reign than at any other time in the past, what new work he has produced has been less than successful and recent plays seems to rely heavily on the Monologue as a form of theatre and has attracted some critisisim in the press and among the theatre community. There is also a trend developing of the Abbey producing new Irish plays that have been commissioned and developed by London's Royal Court theatre, Tom Murphy's "Alice Trilogy" and Marina Carr's "Woman and Scarecrow" being the most recent examples.

A radical new version of Synge's "Playboy of the Westen World" is due to take place as the Abbey's contribution to the Dublin Theatre Festival in October 07, is it is widely believed that this production's performance will be the litmus test of the new board and producer's ability to take the theatre in the direction it needs to go.^{[citation needed]}

References

Coordinates: 53°20′54″N, 6°15′26″W Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ...