Fail Better: Irish National Theatre

‘A Novel and Curious Idea’ focuses on the foundations of Ireland’s National theatre, examining where the art form began so we can look at where it has ended up.Written, presented, and edited by Sarah O’SullivanMusic by Theo FoleySpecial thanks to DCU, the Pavilion Theatre, Ambrose & Lesley O’Sullivan, Maia Purdue, and Tim Houston.Interviews included in this episode:Professor Nicholas GreneLisa NallyColin MurphyAllie WhelanTexts quoted / consulted:British Pathé. “New Abbey Theatre (1963).” YouTube, 13 Apr. 2014, www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RtRWOqXLP0 Foster, Roy. “A Troubled House.” The Guardian, The Guardian, 4 Feb. 2004, www.theguardian.com/stage/2004/feb/04/theatre.wbyeats Friel, Brian, and Seamus Deane. Brian Friel : Plays One. London ; Boston Mass., Faber And Faber, 1996.Grene, Nicholas. The Politics of Irish Drama: Plays in Context from Boucicault to Friel. Cambridge University Press, 1999.Harrington, John P. (ed). Modern and Contemporary Irish Drama. 2nd ed., New York, Ny, Norton, 2009.Keating, Sara. “Looking for an Answer to the National Question.” The Irish Times, 5 Mar. 2018. www.irishtimes.com/culture/stage/looking-for-an-answer-to-the-national-question-1.3406350 The Old Vic. “The Playboy of the Western World, TRAILER.” YouTube, 7 Oct. 2011, www.youtube.com/watch?v=w604efZ9dHc 

‘National to Local’ is about the practical idea of our national theatre–how nationwide is its reach? And why should we be asking that question?Written, presented, and edited by Sarah O’SullivanMusic by Theo FoleySpecial thanks to DCU, the Pavilion Theatre, Ambrose & Lesley O’Sullivan, Maia Purdue, and Tim Houston.Interviews included in this episode:Aaron MonaghanUltan PringleTexts quoted / consulted:Druid. www.druid.ie Falvey, Deirdre. “Abbey Theatre Uproar: 300 Actors and Directors Complain to Minister.” The Irish Times, 7 Jan. 2019. www.irishtimes.com/culture/stage/abbey-theatre-uproar-300-actors-and-directors-complain-to-minister-1.3750135?mode=sample&auth-failed=1&pw-origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fculture%2Fstage%2Fabbey-theatre-uproar-300-actors-and-directors-complain-to-minister-1.3750135 Finn, Christina. “Abbey Theatre Told to Tour More, Hire Creatives and Diversify Productions to Make Money.” TheJournal.ie, TheJournal, 2014, www.thejournal.ie/abbey-theatre-review-arts-council-1546921-Jun2014/ Keating, Sara. “Looking for an Answer to the National Question.” The Irish Times, The Irish Times, 5 Mar. 2018, www.irishtimes.com/culture/stage/looking-for-an-answer-to-the-national-question-1.3406350 O’Kelly, Katie. “Missing Audiences Ireland - Survey Results & Audience Development Toolkit.” Theatre Forum, 23 June 2022, theatreforum.ie/forum-notice/missing-audiences-survey-ireland/ 

‘Them’s the Breaks’ explores one of Irish theatre’s most explosive controversies in recent years: Waking the Feminists. When women were excluded from an important national theatre programme, many were inspired to speak out about sexism in the industry. This episode explores what happened then and what has happened since.Written, presented, and edited by Sarah O’SullivanMusic by Theo FoleySpecial thanks to DCU, the Pavilion Theatre, Ambrose & Lesley O’Sullivan, Maia Purdue, and Tim Houston.Interviews included in this episode:Sarah Jane ScaifeLisa NallyJulia ApplebyTexts quoted / consulted:Abbey Theatre. “Waking the Nation - 2016 at the Abbey Theatre.” YouTube, 28 Oct. 2015, www.youtube.com/watch?v=HL6_Bh2nQd0 Irish Times. “Waking the Feminists Event Takes over the Abbey Theatre.” The Irish Times, 12 Nov. 2015, www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/waking-the-feminists-event-takes-over-the-abbey-theatre-1.2427195 Kirsty Blake Knox. “Abbey Hopes 1916 Programme Will Wake Nation.” Independent.ie, 29 Oct. 2015, www.independent.ie/entertainment/theatre-arts/abbey-hopes-1916-programme-will-wake-nation-34151255.html Linehan, Hugh. “Which Irish Theatre Companies Have the Worst Record Regarding Women?” The Irish Times, 7 June 2017, www.irishtimes.com/culture/stage/which-irish-theatre-companies-have-the-worst-record-regarding-women-1.3110422?mode=sample&auth-failed=1&pw-origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fculture%2Fstage%2Fwhich-irish-theatre-companies-have-the-worst-record-regarding-women-1.3110422 McCormack, Chris. ““Them’s the Breaks”: Gender Imbalance and Irish Theatre - Exeunt Magazine.” Exeunt Magazine, 2015, exeuntmagazine.com/features/thems-the-breaks-feminism-and-irish-theatre/ Mullally, Una. “Waking the Feminists: The Year Women Awoke and Dared to Dream.” The Irish Times, The Irish Times, 29 Oct. 2016, www.irishtimes.com/special-reports/the-centenary-conversations/waking-the-feminists-the-year-women-awoke-and-dared-to-dream-1.2835711 RTÉ Entertainment. “Abbey Theatre Prepares to Wake the Nation in 2016.” RTE.ie, RTÉ, 28 Oct. 2015, www.rte.ie/entertainment/2015/1028/737979-abbey-theatre-gets-set-to-wake-the-nation-in-2016/ Sihra, Melissa. Women in Irish Drama. London Palgrave Macmillan UK, 2007.