This year there is one striking feature of the Dublin Theatre Festival which would suggest that the Capital’s two key theatres are not making too much of an effort for the event. Of course, the Gate and Abbey normally go their own independent ways during the Festival but this time round the Abbey isn’t even listed in the Festival brochure. Plans to carry forward Hugh Leonard’s one-good-one-abysmal set of plays Chamber Music have apparently been shelved in favour of a hastily staged revival of Frank McGuinness’ politically-appropriate Observe the Sons of Ulster . . .

At the Gate, Brian Friel’s magnificent Molly Sweeney continues for the duration of the Festival which means that the only new play at either theatre is the long-awaited premiere of Marina Carr’s The Mai at the Peacock. Directed by Brian Brady, with music by Michael O Suilleabhain, Carr’s play tells the no doubt tragi-comic tale of four generations of women, centred on the figure of the 40-year-old Mai.

Equally eagerly awaited is Peter and Jim Sheridan’s new version of James Plunkett’s The Risen People which, in its original manifestation led to the same author’s best selling novel Strumpet City. Focusing on the story of ‘Fitz’, a foundry foreman, the play examines how the 1913 lockout propels this one man and his family towards their destiny. Rumour has it that there is a highly imaginative use of music in this production, that it may even be an opera in ways. With the brothers Sheridan directing, this production at the Gaiety Theatre should certainly be one of the highlights of the Theatre Festival.

Likewise, Rough Magic, though I can’t say I’m deeply excited by yet another play which features in its central role yet another ex-showband singer “Auntie Kitty who is coming to stay for a few days”, as happens in Hidden Charges at the Project. Although, as written by Arthur Riordan and directed by Lynne Parker the play itself should easily transcend the potential limitations of its subject matter.

One other theatre company who fire high expectations is Co-Motion who are presenting the cutely titled Loco County Lonesome written by Pat McCabe and directed by Joe O’Byrne, at the Olympia. What’s it about? Well, “Big John never wanted Della to be going out with Paco and now Paco is out for the showdown and, on a sweltering night in mid-summer when the cooling system in the old slaughterhouse has broken down old scores will be settled.” You did ask!

Other new Irish plays that could be recommended include Donal O’Kelly’s ‘thriller set in the cut-throat world of World Bank/IMF cutbacks in Jamaica’, Trickledown Town at the City Arts Centre and John Crowley’s True Lines at the same venue, which ‘weaves together the story of four Irish twentysomethings in different parts of the world simultaneously’.

Yet above all I would have to recommend the magical Macnas production of Buile Shuibhne/ Sweeny which is being staged in Colaiste Mhuire and which cast this writer back through the centuries when I originally saw the play during this year’s Galway Arts Festival. Next issue of Hot Press I’ll look at the foreign productions in the Dublin Theatre Festival and Dance.