Go to the Theatre

Difficult as it may be to conceive, after soaking up the pub atmosphere for long enough, it is possible for one to eventually seek alternative options when planning out the evening.

In such a scenario, the question of culture may well pop up.  If you find yourself in a similar situation then hooray to you for you have stumbled upon a city that boasts a theatrical heritage of epic proportions.

Theatre has long held a prominent role in Irish culture and Ireland has birthed many famous playwrights such as WB Yeats, Sean O’Casey, JM Synge, Oscar Wilde, George Bernard Shaw, and Samuel Beckett.  Dublin’s theatrical scene is vibrant and generally avant-garde as classic revivals are combined with experimental stage-work. 

Theatres for you to discover include the Ambassador Theatre, the Dance Theatre of Ireland, Draiocht Theatre, Millbank Theatre, O’Reilly Theatre, the Laughter Lounge, and Bewley’s Café Theatre – Ireland’s only lunchtime theatre.

The trend-setting Gaiety Theatre in South King Street is Dublin’s longest established theatre, having been continuously staging performances since it first opened in November 1871.  Well-known for its annual Christmas pantomime, the Gaiety Theatre also transforms itself into a nightclub on Friday and Saturday nights with each of its four floors hosting a different live band or DJ.

The Abbey Theatre in Lower Abbey Street is the National Theatre of Ireland.  Although the original building was destroyed by a fire in 1951, it was rebuilt in 1966 and now plays a major role in the Irish tourist industry. 

As early as 1907, the Abbey was already causing controversy when rioters took to the streets to protest against the production of JM Synge’s ‘The Playboy of the Western World’ – now an oft-revived classic.