Described by the Guardian as the ‘the father of modern Irish drama,’ Brian Friel captured a time of political strife in Irish history, with such a sense of nuance the likes of which had never been seen before, that it has cemented his legacy as Ireland’s leading playwright.
Throughout his career, Friel penned twenty-four plays which have been performed on some of the most acclaimed stages in the world, including Broadway and the West End, but one of his most popular pieces is set to be revived for the stage this year.
Speaking with Michael Howley on Good Morning Dublin, director Caroline Byrne talked about her upcoming adaptation of Friel’s 1990 play, Dancing at Lughnasa, and how the director has set about leaving her mark on this iconic piece of work.
First premiering in April of 1990, Dancing at Lughnasa tells the story of Michael Evans and the memories that he recounts of his mother and aunts during the summer of 1936. The play is a tour-de-force in female resilience and reflects heavily on the sacrifices we choose and the sacrifices we are forced to make.
Byrne was adamant in honouring the original play and production during the development of her adaptation, while simultaneously improving certain aspects of the original production for a modern audience. Byrne achieved this by extensively researching the original production and highlighting particular scenes and set-pieces that she felt could be modernised.
Dancing at Lughnasa is now showing at the Gate Theatre until September 21st. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased from the Gate’s website. To find out more about Caroline’s directorial process, listen to her interview with Michael on Dublin City FM!
