Festival gears up to stage world of entertainment
As for all the men, and women, having their entrances and exits, he could have been describing Dublin Theatre Festival’s key players.
Exit stage left, but not just yet, outgoing director Fergus Linehan is bound for Australia to head up Sydney Festival 2006.
Canadian Don Shipley, who takes on Linehan’s role here, made his formal entrance yesterday.
“It’s always a treat being back here,” said the regular visitor. “The first three days are going swimmingly.”
His head full of the Dublin festival, which runs from September 27 to October 9, Linehan said: “It’s a strong programme this year. I’m really happy finishing up on this note.”
But the plays are the thing, and Linehan believes the patrons will get enthused about them. “We have a lot of big nights at the theatre,” he said.
Joe Dowling returns with his new Guthrie US production of Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman, last seen in Dublin in 1986 when Joe Dowling directed Ray McAnally.
How about Shakespearean comedy in Russian? Twelfth Night will be performed at the Olympia by an all-male Moscow cast. A small onstage screen will give a running commentary in English.
Italian Romeo Castellucci - “probably the most controversial director in the world” - is back, with more challenging visual artistry.
A research project on the future of tragedy, Tragedia Endogonidia at the Samuel Beckett Theatre, has a warning that some people may find scenes disturbing.
Shock and awe, indeed.
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