Staying centre stage

Loughlin Deegan tells Alan O’Riordan how the Dublin Theatre Festival is making the most of the city’s talent

FIVE years is a long time in the life of a theatre festival. Especially if those five years are Ireland 2007-2011. The Dublin Theatre Festival celebrated 50 years in 2007 and Loughlin Deegan came in as its artistic director at the crest of a wave of expansion, funding largesse (at least by Irish standards) and growing ticket sales.

Since then, it’s been a process not of decline per se, but of steering the festival through choppy waters. And now, handing the reins to his successor, Willie White, Deegan can probably allow himself to reflect on a job well done.