THE GOOD LUCK CLUB Comes to The National Archives of Ireland
Performances run from 27th May 2026 to 14th June 2026.
ANU Productions and The National Archives of Ireland have announced The Good Luck Club, a new off site theatre production marking the centenary of Ireland’s 1926 Census. Commissioned as part of the National Archives’ year-long commemorative programme to mark the release of the 1926 Census records, this intimate and immersive experience will be staged within the historic National Archives building on Bishop Street from 27th May 2026 to 14th June 2026 - the first time a theatrical production has ever been mounted in the historical building.
Written and directed by Louise Lowe, with design and scenography by Owen Boss, The Good Luck Club is a commission by the National Archives and is created specifically for the landmark institution. The production invites audiences to step inside the living fabric of Ireland’s past, moving through the building in small groups, exploring rarely accessed spaces and encountering a series of vivid, human stories drawn from archival records. Blending performance, participation and historical testimony, the production illuminates the social landscape of Ireland in 1926 - a nation finding its footing in the early years of independence.
The production features an ensemble cast including Ghaliah Conroy, John Cronin, Libby Conway Dunne, Maeve Fitzgerald, Oliver Flitcroft, Jack Hassett, Pattie Maguire, Ciara Molloy and Jamie O’Neill.
Taking direct inspiration from the Irish Hospitals' Sweepstake - the hugely popular lottery initiative that captured the public’s imagination in the early 20th century - The Good Luck Club examines themes of chance, aspiration and survival, stepping inside the gilded machinery of the infamous Sweepstakes, where the desperate hope meets the calculations of the new post war Ireland. Through personal stories unearthed from the census and historical records, the production will meaningfully excavate early 20th Century Ireland and how a country was built on a ticket and a prayer.
The wider creative team includes Rob Moloney (Composer), Mae Leay (Costume Designer), Sinead Wallace (Lighting Designer) and Aidah Sama (Sound Designer).
Co-Directors of ANU Productions and The Good Luck Club, Owen Boss and Louise Lowe said: “It has been a privilege for ANU to be invited to create this commissioned, off site performance inside the National Archives of Ireland as part of their year long commemorative programme. The building is an active custodian of Ireland’s archival history, and that awareness informs all decisions we make - from how audiences will move through the space to how the census records inform the performance. The Good Luck Club celebrates our ongoing, rich dialogue with archivists as part of all our work, and the process has been very exciting for us to create. We can’t wait to welcome audiences for the first time into the Archives; a space that is usually quiet and observational, and asking them to encounter it in a new way.”
Director of the National Archives, Orlaith McBride added: “The release of the 1926 Census is a hugely significant moment in the history of Ireland. As the first census taken after independence, it reveals for the first time how people in Ireland lived, worked and worshipped. We’re delighted to have commissioned ANU Productions to mark this release and celebrate the hugely personal stories it contains. It’s a special moment for us to welcome such an internationally acclaimed company inside the National Archives building to bring The Good Luck Club to life, and to bring the 1926 Census to life for a whole new audience.”
Renowned for their bold and immersive theatrical style, ANU Productions have consistently redefined the boundaries between audience and performance. Following the acclaimed and highly reviewed staging of The Dead by James Joyce, ANU’s work is celebrated for its intimate engagement with iconic literary texts and historical record. With The Good Luck Club, ANU once again transforms a culturally significant space into a living, breathing performance environment.
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