Abbey Theatre Announces Winter Season

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.

Drama at Inish first premiered at the Abbey Theatre in 1933. Running from 21 November - 25 January, this new production takes Lennox Robinson's brilliant farce into 1960s Ireland and features some of Ireland's best loved actors including Nick Dunning, Breffni Holahan, Marcus Lamb, Aoibhinn McGinnity, Anthony Moriarty, Helen Norton, Marion O'Dwyer, and Mark O'Regan.

Drama at Inish is directed by Belfast-born director Cal McCrystal, in his debut at the Abbey Theatre. McCrystal is the acclaimed comedy director for the National Theatre's West End and Broadway hit show, One Man, Two Guvnors, and directs productions for English National Opera, Gifford's Circus and large-scale cabaret shows in Las Vegas. He creates comedy sequences for Cirque du Soleil and films including Paddington, Paddington 2, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 and the forthcoming film adaptation of Cats. Drama at Inish also features a strong line-up of leading Irish creative talent including Sarah Bacon (Set and Costume), Sinead McKenna (Lighting Design) and Carl Kennedy (Sound Design).

The story follows the inhabitants of a small seaside town in Ireland. Inish has never been on the map but it has been making headlines lately, and for all the wrong reasons. Could the performances of the newly arrived De la Mare Repertory Theatre Company really be the cause of the town's strange behaviour?

Graham McLaren and Neil Murray, Directors of the Abbey Theatre, said of Drama at Inish:

"The renowned literary tradition of the Abbey Theatre is a symbol of Ireland's strength within the performing arts and on the world stage. For the past two years we have paid homage to the Irish canon with productions such as Teresa Deevy's Katie Roche and Marina Carr's On Raftery's Hill and this winter, we're delivering the work of another master Irish playwright with a new production of Drama at Inish, Lennox Robinson's hysterical riot that proves its endurance across the decades. We invite audiences to see some of Ireland's finest comedic actors perform in this unique Abbey Theatre collaboration with the brilliant comedic director Cal McCrystal."

On the Peacock Stage, the Abbey Theatre presents A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings, which recently premiered at Dublin Fringe Festival to a rapturous audience and critical reaction, winning the festival's award for Best Design. In a kitchen, in a theatre, two storytellers and their audience find something remarkable - a very old man with enormous wings. The wise neighbour woman tells us he's an angel. The priest says he's an imposter. Pilgrims flock to see him, hoping to be healed by him, hoping for a gawp. They leave with something different than what they expected.

Adapted from Gabriel García Márquez's Un señor muy viejo con unas alas enormes, Collapsing Horse, one of Ireland's most exciting theatre companies, brings a classic piece of magical realism to the stage in search of its beautiful, strange, emotional richness. Running from 10 - 28 December, this production is one for the family to enjoy, suitable for ages 8+.

McLaren and Murray added: "Showcasing bold new creative voices and local performers is key to the mission of the Abbey Theatre, and this presentation of A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings is a thrilling example of the fresh and exciting talent within Irish theatre. This show will captivate Abbey audiences, building further upon its recent successes at the 2019 Dublin Fringe Festival. It made a huge impression on us and we were keen to extend its reach as quickly as possible. We hope to see both young and old(er) theatre lovers join us for what will be a highlight of our winter season."

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