On September 2nd, the Abbey Theatre will launch its latest in-house production, This Beautiful Village. The performance will see a two-week run on the Abbey’s main stage. For the second time this year, the Abbey Theatre will run at partial capacity, making only about half of the seats in the auditorium available for booking. The rationale behind this decision is unknown, but it promises a more intimate experience in the Abbey’s large auditorium.
This Beautiful Village takes place over one night, as a group of suburban locals gather to discuss a piece of graffiti that has appeared in their area. They attempt to grapple with who did it, why, and how to fix the problem. With a cast of six, pressures rise, agendas are set and secrets are revealed. Though the play is filled with dramatic tension throughout, it also serves as a comedy of manners for the 21st century. Set in the present day, it promises to be a relevant, lively picture of relationships in 2019.
The play was written by Lisa Tierney-Keogh, one of four associate playwrights in residence at the Abbey Theatre. Tierney-Keogh was a leading figure in #WakingTheFeminists, a groundbreaking movement to ensure gender equality in Irish theatre. Now she’s writing for the national stage. This will be the world premier of This Beautiful Village, and the play is set to be a cutting articulation of what it means to live in suburban Dublin today.
The play is directed by David Horan, whose previous work includes the critically acclaimed CLASS at the Civic Theatre, and Deirdre Kinahan’s Halcyon Days for the Dublin Theatre Festival.
This Beautiful Village will open in the Abbey Theatre with a free preview on September 2nd, and will run until September 14th. Ticket prices range from €13–€45, with concession rates available for students and seniors.
