Edna O'Brien

One of Ireland's greatest contemporary writers, Edna O'Brien, turns her attention to the life of one of the country's greatest novelists, James Joyce, in a powerful new play Joyce's Women. Written for the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Ulysses, this world premiere from Edna O'Brien gives voice to the women who were central to the life of James Joyce.  

Ireland owes a great debt to Edna O'Brien and Tom Murphy.  These two exceptional Irish writers have led the way in bringing the untold, unexamined stories of Ireland to the world, with a vital influence on the generation that followed. Two extraordinary new productions of their work will be seen at the Abbey Theatre this Autumn, as part of Dublin Theatre Festival.

Yesterday, on International Women’s Day, The Duchess of Cornwall hosted a reception at Clarence House to celebrate the work of The WOW Foundation and to celebrate its 12th annual WOW Festival in London this weekend. As President of The WOW Foundation, The Duchess of Cornwall was met by Jude Kelly CBE, Founder and CEO.

PEN America today announced writer and Emmy Award-winning late night host Seth Meyers, who has uplifted countless authors’ voices—as the host for the organization’s 2022 Literary Awards, which return this year as a momentous in-person event, on February 28 at New York City’s Town Hall (123 W 43rd St).

The Royal Society of Literature (RSL), the charity that represents the voice of literature in the UK, has today in celebration of its 200th birthday announced RSL 200, a five-year festival launched with a series of major new initiatives and 60 new appointments championing the great diversity of writing and writers in the UK.

Ernest Hemingway, the iconic literary figure considered one of the greatest American writers and among the first to live and work at the treacherous nexus of art and celebrity, is the subject of an upcoming three-part, six-hour documentary series.

Over four nights (28 April - 1 May), audiences throughout Ireland and across the globe can watch the world premiere of Dear Ireland a?" a historic digital theatre project that brings together 50 brand new monologues, commissioned by the Abbey Theatre as a rapid response to the COVID-19 crisis. Each piece of work was written and created in self isolation by 100 participating artists.

The Abbey Theatre has commissioned writers from Ireland, with unique additional contributions from the USA, China and Italy, to each write a monologue, to be performed by 50 actors, and then streamed on the Abbey's digital platforms. Today, 15 April 2020, Graham McLaren and Neil Murray, Directors of the Abbey Theatre, announce the lineup of artists taking part in the theatre's historic project, Dear Ireland.

Irish Arts Center, a multidisciplinary center dedicated to bringing people of all backgrounds together through the excellence and dynamism of Irish arts and culture, presents their 10th Annual Book Day (March 17).

Write Out Loud - an organization founded in 2007 with a commitment to inspire, challenge and entertain by reading literature aloud for a live audience  - presents VOICES OF IRELAND,  their tenth annual celebration of the Emerald Isle, with classic and contemporary Irish tales and music. Write out Loud has been producing Voices of Ireland every March since 2011. VOICES OF IRELAND is performed for one night only on Monday, March 16th at 7:30pm at Lamb's Players Theatre.  Performers include Agustine Welles, Linda Libby, Walter Ritter & Veronica Murphy. Pre-show and intermission music will be provided by the Celtic Echoes.

Today PEN America announced the major career achievement honors to be presented at the 2020 PEN America Literary Awards.

Irish Arts Center (IAC), a multidisciplinary center dedicated to bringing people of all backgrounds together through the excellence and dynamism of Irish arts and culture, announces its Fall 2019 Season. As construction of the New Irish Arts Center progresses, IAC kicks off its final year in its intimate current home with an array of gripping performances and events. (The Center's 51st Street home will be renovated following the opening of the new, adjacent 11th Avenue building). Music programming encompasses exemplars of contemporary classical, trad, jazz, and soaring pop, and the organization is thrilled to honor icon Elvis Costelloa?"deemed one of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time by Rolling Stonea?"at this year's Spirit of Ireland Gala (October 18). Literary events feature vital voices in poetry and prose and honor legendary contributors to both forms; performances push the boundaries of Irish dance; and, across numerous master classes, talks, and family events, IAC continues to serve as a growing hub for community, conversation, engagement, and education.

The National Theatre has announced 15 productions of new plays and fresh adaptations by leading writers.

With a mission to produce one new play by each of its six members, 6NewPlays officially closes up shop this fall with WAKEFIELD by Brian Thorstenson. Inspired by Nathaniel Hawthorne's short story of the same name, Wakefield starts at the moment Hawthorne's story ends, when the husband Henry Wakefield returns home after 20 years. Veteran actor Anne Darragh plays Sophia, Henry's wife, alongside Thorstenson as Henry. Erin Mei-Ling Stuart co-directs. Wakefield runs October 5 - 14 at Studio 210 in the Mission. Tickets, $20 - $25, will go on sale in August.

PlayGround's Festival of New Works features the premiere of the full-length play BRIGHT SHINING SEA by Julianne Jigour opening with a press night on Wednesday May 16, running through June 16, (previews May 14 & 15). BRIGHT SHINING SEA is a co-production with Planet Earth Arts and one of two PlayGround commissioned full-length plays featured this season.  In Julianne Jigour's Bright Shining Sea, six characters find their lives intertwined as they face the personal challenges caused by environmental degradation. Bright Shining Sea confronts destruction-personal and environmental-but presents connection and compassion as the means by which hope is possible. Julianne remarks "It asks us to view the Earth holistically, to recognize our interconnectedness, and to do what the current administration won't-to take responsibility for our planet, for each other, and for future generations.

PlayGround's Festival of New Works features the premiere of the full-length play BRIGHT SHINING SEA by Julianne Jigour opening with a press night on May 16, running through June 16, (previews May 14 & 15). BRIGHT SHINING SEA is a co-production with Planet Earth Arts and one of two PlayGround commissioned full-length plays featured this season.

Write Out Loud - an organization founded in 2007 with a commitment to inspire, challenge and entertain by reading literature aloud for a live audience - presents VOICES OF IRELAND, their annual celebration of the Emerald Isle, with classic and contemporary Irish tales and music. VOICES OF IRELAND is performed for one night only on Monday, March 19th at 7:30pm at Lamb's Players Theatre. Performers include Ron Choularton, Michael Cusimano, Caitie Grady, Kurt Norby, Veronica Murphy & Walter Ritter. Pre-show and intermission music will be provided by the Celtic Echoes.

Irish Arts Center (IAC), the arts and cultural center dedicated to projecting a dynamic image of Ireland and Irish America for the 21st century, has announced its fall 2017 season. The lineup epitomizes IAC's commitment to building community with a diversity of arts institutions, artists and audiences - in New York, across America, and abroad.

The British film director and pop promo auteur Peter Whitehead's kaleidoscopic 1967 documentary TONIGHT LET'S ALL MAKE LOVE IN LONDON is a vivid and controversial snapshot of the height of London's “Swinging” era.

THE COUNTRY GIRLS by Edna O'Brien will run at Chichester's Minerva Theatre from 9 June - 8 July, with a press night on 1 June, directed by Lisa Blair.