Theatre chief rules out GPO move

The Abbey Theatre today ruled out suggestions to relocate to the historic GPO building.

The venue, which today unveiled its 2008/2009 season, has just received 30 million euro in a three-year public funding programme.

The Government wants the venue to move down the Liffey quays to a bigger site in the Docklands but Senator David Norris called for it to relocate to the GPO.

However Abbey director Fiach Mac Conghail said today: “My particular view is I want to go to the Docklands. I know there is a lot of debate and discussion about it but the Government decision has been taken and I’m happy to proceed with that.”

The new Abbey site is expected to include three theatres, a cinema, a bar, two restaurants and four rehearsal spaces.

Mr Mac Conghail said the construction should take about five years after the design competition.

The Abbey, which suffered a financial crisis in 2005, will receive 9.2m euro funding from the Arts Council in 2009, 10m euro in 2010 and 11m euro in 2011.

The Abbey attracted audiences of 120,000 people.

The 2008/2009 presents a diverse range of new writing and the classics as well as European and US work.

Pulitzer Prize winner Sam Shepard is premiering a new play, Ages of The Moon, which will star Stephen Rea and Sean McGinley.

Other works from playwrights Marina Carr, Tom Mac Intyre and Billy Roche are also on the programme.

Mr Mac Conghail also said he was happy the national theatre was reaching out to new audiences with hip marketing strategies. He mentioned recent successes such as Romeo and Juliet, and the Playboy of the Western World which returns this Christmas.

The Abbey and its sister theatre, the Peacock are also pushing forward starting times to 7.30pm and 8pm respectively to allow ample time for audiences time to socialise around the capital after performances.

He said the Abbey had a stable of about 20 writers penning plays for the stage.

“It takes a writer three to four years to write a play. It’s not a science. It is sometimes a heartbreaking process.

“What we won’t do is put on a play that is either undercooked or for the sake of ticking a box. It is a long haul. We have to protect the writer, particularly young writers.”

He added: “It would be our hope over the next three to five years to have a full-time ensemble of actors working in the theatre.”