The Abbey Presents TALES FROM THE HOLYWELL and TARTUFFE in 2023

A musical motif and a tale of deceit will take over the Abbey stage in early 2023.

Damien Dempsey's powerful music and songwriting will be celebrated in Tales from the Holywell, the story of a young boy from Dublin's northside finding his voice, his muse and his tribe. This theatrical production weaves spiritual songs sprung from Dempsey's childhood home in Holywell Crescent in Donaghmede with an autobiographical narrative of Damo's own story.

Frank McGuinness' modernising -'Irishising' of Molière's original 17th century dialogue combines the rhyming flow of his Tartuffe with Frank McGuinness' boisterous and hilarious updating of this layered classic, where deceit and confusion abound.

Tales from the Holywell

Written by and Starring Damien Dempsey
Directed by Conor McPherson

January 30 - February 18, 2023

This world premiere Abbey production is a journey through Damien Dempsey's life and sees one of Ireland's great musical storytellers, appear and perform onstage like never before. 
  

Tales from the Holywell brings to the national stage, in words, music and song, a reflection on his childhood, the early stages of his music-making and life as an Irish musician.  

Raised on Holywell Crescent, Donaghmede, Damien's song writing career spans more than 20 years, releasing 10 albums and performing with Sinead O'Connor and Bob Dylan along the way. His work is known for his truthful and emotive lyrics, celebrating how music can move us all.  

Directed by Conor McPherson, this new Abbey Theatre production will follow our staging of McPherson's award-winning play The Weir and the international success of his smash-hit Girl from the North Country.   Tales from the Holywell, an Abbey Theatre commission, is a revealing insight into the artist we know and love as Damo. 

"As Damien's devoted legion of fans will attest, he is in touch with something powerful, mysterious and elemental." Conor McPherson, Director, and Abbey Theatre Senior Associate Writer. "Tales from the Holywell promises a moving and humorous glimpse into the mind of an artist at the height of his powers. Not to mention songs to make our hearts soar and our tears flow. I'm honoured and excited to be part of Damien's first ever Abbey Theatre production."

Tarfuffe by Molière

A new version by Frank McGuinness
Directed by Caitríona McLaughlin

March 3 - April 8, 2023

In this spectacular dramatic comedy, the villainous Tartuffe shocks and enthrals with his deceptive powers.  Charming to some, a danger to others, one family risks losing everything if he gets his way. 

In a new version of Molière's Tartuffe by Frank McGuinness, directed by Caitríona McLaughlin, this 17th century classic is given an audacious contemporary makeover. Where truth faces off with deceit, who has the last laugh? 

Molière's exuberant comedy is brought back to life in an opulent Irish retelling of this classic tale. 

"Molière skewered the hypocrisy and sanctimony of the French court of the sixteenth century with Tartuffe, but he's actually writing about the same impulses that still drive much of our discourse online today" Caitríona McLaughlin, Artistic Director, Abbey Theatre. "Like Tartuffe, we ostentatiously perform our virtue on social media, and like the man he dupes, Orgon, we are blinded by admiration for those that perform their virtue most dazzlingly. It's basically Twitter in periwigs; brutal and hilarious."

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