Neil Murray News

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.

The Abbey Theatre today, 6 March 2020, announced that Sarah Smith has been appointed to the role of Technical Director of the Abbey Theatre.

From 1 - 11 April 2020, the Abbey Theatre presents Ireland's Call, the explosive one-man play written and performed by John Connors.

Multi-award winning dance theatre company balletLORENT will head to Darlington Hippodrome later this month as part of a 2020 national tour with a brand new fairytale The Lost Happy Endings, an original story by former Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy, retold as dance theatre for family.

The World Premiere of What I (Don't) Know About Autism makes history tonight, Tuesday 4th of February, as the first-ever 'relaxed performance' staged at Ireland's National Theatre.

Directors of the Abbey Theatre, Graham McLaren and Neil Murray, today announced a wide range of projects for the Abbey and Peacock Stages and on tour in 2020 presenting a diverse, challenging and engaging programme for theatre audiences.

The Abbey Theatre Gala is an annual celebration of Ireland's National Theatre. Hosted by the Westbury Hotel, on Thursday 14th November, this year's event honoured Irish playwright Thomas Kilroy for his contribution to Irish theatre.

The Abbey Theatre shares its deep regret today at the loss of a man of many talents - poet, author, Aosdána member, former Cavan goalkeeper and beloved playwright Tom MacIntyre.

Directors of the Abbey Theatre, Graham McLaren and Neil Murray, today announced two productions set to delight audiences this winter. The first, a major new Abbey Theatre production, from the Irish canon, of Drama at Inish; followed by Collapsing Horse's A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings, a magical show for all the family.

As part of Japan Society's 2019-2020 Performing Arts Season, the Society proudly presents a dynamic performance of Japan's scariest ghost stories from Kwaidan, a collection of Japanese folktales by writer Lafcadio Hearn. In this one night only event, acclaimed actor Shiro Sano brings selections from Hearn's tales to life, accompanied by visuals as well powerful live music by distinguished guitarist Kyoji Yamamoto, sharing with audiences a glimpse of Hearn's open-minded view of Japan and the world. Commencing the live performance, folklorist Bon Koizumi, Hearn's great-grandson and Director of the Lafcadio Hearn Memorial Museum in Matsue, Japan, will give a short lecture on the writer's relevance today. Kwaidana?"Call of Salvation Heard from the Depths of Fear takes place Thursday, October 24 at 7:30pm at Japan Society (333 East 47th Street).

The Abbey Theatre will produce Last Orders At The Dockside, the world premiere of a new play by critically-acclaimed playwright Dermot Bolger, directed by Abbey Theatre Co-Director Graham McLaren.

In September 2019, the Abbey Theatre will premiere This Beautiful Village by Abbey Theatre Associate Playwright Lisa Tierney-Keogh on the Abbey Stage. After 10 years writing in New York and heading up the American wing of Waking the Feminists, this marks the critically-acclaimed Irish playwright's debut at Ireland's National Theatre.

The Abbey Theatre announces further details about The Patient Gloria, a co-production with Irish artist, Gina Moxley, which receives its UK premiere at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe this summer.  This critically acclaimed production, written by and featuring Gina Moxley, with direction by John McIlduff, will run at the Traverse Theatre from 1 until 25 August 2019.

Winner of the Verity Bargate Playwriting Award 2017, Dylan Coburn Gray's Citysong makes its world premiere on the Abbey Stage from 25 May – 8 June ahead of going Out of the Abbey to London's Soho Theatre, co-producers of Citysong, from 12 June – 6 July.

​​​​​​​Dublin Based Theatre Collective THEATREclub, who are celebrating their tenth year, are set to make their debut on the Abbey Stage with It was easy (in the end). An Abbey Theatre and THEATREclub co-production, It was easy (in the end) opens at the Abbey Theatre on 26 April until 4 May 2019. Tickets from €13 including booking fee are on sale now from the box office.

Award-winning writer David Ireland's newest play, Ulster American, makes its Irish premiere on the Abbey Stage from 9 – 20 April 2019. It is directed by Gareth Nicholls, Interim Artistic Director of Edinburgh's Traverse Theatre.

Phenomena is a rock music concept conceived by record producer Tom Galley and brother, Whitesnake guitarist Mel Galley and directed by Wilfried Rimensberger. Contributors were leading rock musicians such as Brian May, John Wetton, Glenn Hughes, Don Airey, Mel Galley, Neil Murray and Cozy Powell amongst others.

Over the last two years, the Abbey Theatre has welcomed close to 300,000 audience members to 97 productions and events, not only at the Abbey Theatre, but also in pubs, theatres and venues across Ireland and beyond.

Today the Abbey Theatre announces the full programme for the Avolon Winter Season 2018, comprising five productions across both the Abbey and Peacock Stages.