The Abbey Theatre’s 21st Birthday

Moments that connect

27-12-1925

The Abbey Theatre’s 21st Birthday

Find out more
The enduring appeal of She Stoops to Conquer by Oliver Goldsmith

Moments that connect

22-02-1926

The enduring appeal of She Stoops to Conquer by Oliver Goldsmith

Find out more
The Peacock Theatre is born

Moments that connect

27-11-1927

The Peacock Theatre is born

Find out more
Notice for Abbey School of Acting classes
14-01-1946

Notice for Abbey School of Acting classes

Find out more
A cupboard of importance to Irish theatre history

Moments that connect

18-07-1951

A cupboard of importance to Irish theatre history

Find out more
Ernest Blythe at The Queen’s

Moments that connect

1960

Ernest Blythe at The Queen’s

Find out more
Abbey Theatre Christmas Card

Moments that connect

25-12-1961

Abbey Theatre Christmas Card

Find out more
Audience members enjoy a night at The Queen’s Theatre

Moments that connect

27-08-1962

Audience members enjoy a night at The Queen’s Theatre

Find out more
The Irishwoman of the Year

Moments that connect

16-05-1966

The Irishwoman of the Year

Find out more
Abbey Theatre visitors book

Moments that connect

18-07-1966

Abbey Theatre visitors book

Find out more
Pat Laffan in Long Day’s Journey Into Night

Moments that connect

05-06-1967

Pat Laffan in Long Day’s Journey Into Night

Find out more
Poster for Jack Be Nimble
10-08-1976

Poster for Jack Be Nimble

Find out more
Godfrey Quigley in Time Was

Moments that connect

20-12-1976

Godfrey Quigley in Time Was

Find out more
Mothers, a one woman show

Moments that connect

11-07-1977

Mothers, a one woman show

Find out more
Talbot’s Box by Thomas Kilroy performed on the Peacock stage

Moments that connect

13-10-1977

Talbot’s Box by Thomas Kilroy performed on the Peacock stage

Find out more
I do Not Like Thee, Dr. Fell
15-03-1979

I do Not Like Thee, Dr. Fell

Find out more
Observe the Sons of Ulster Marching Towards the Somme

Moments that connect

18-02-1985

Observe the Sons of Ulster Marching Towards the Somme

Find out more
Lady G

Moments that connect

20-07-1987

Lady G

Find out more
Pygmalion Poster

Moments that connect

27-04-2011

Pygmalion Poster

Find out more
A look at the one-man show

Moments that Connect

27-08-2014

A look at the one-man show

Find out more

The Abbey Theatre’s 21st Birthday

On 27December 1925 the Abbey Theatre performed  The Hour Glass by W.B. Yeats, a morality in one act, In the Shadow of the Glen, a play in one act by J.M. Synge  and Hyacinth Halvey, a comedy in one act by Lady Grgeory. A special commemorative programme with images of all three playwrights.  The programme notes that a vote of thanks to the Abbey Players is to be proposed by Mr. Ernest Blythe, Minister for Finance, seconded by Mr. Gerald O’Lochlain (Gaelic Drama League). Mr. Thomas Johnson T.D. in the chair. Lady Gregory to reply on behalf of the Players.  A further note announces that the company would not play the following night instead would be performing plays in Irish for children by the Gaelic Drama League.

Back to timeline ^

Share your moment with us

Theatre happens when people come together. Every line, laugh, kiss has been witnessed by you. Help us reel in the lived history of the Abbey Theatre. Share your moments and memories with us.

Share your moment

The enduring appeal of She Stoops to Conquer by Oliver Goldsmith

As we prepare for our latest production of Oliver Goldsmith’s enduring comedy, we recall the original production of She Stoops to Conquer at the Abbey Theatre. In 1905, the Garrick Amateur Dramatic Club hired the Abbey Theatre for a Thursday evening 8pm performance in aid of the All-Ireland Temperence Bazaar, South County Dublin Stall.  A programme from our archive confirms the prologue was by Mr. W. Alexander Craig, M.R.I.A. and spoken by Miss Mary O’Hea. Orchestral music was performed during the intervals by Mr. G. R. Hillis’s Concert Orchestra.

Later, in 1923, the Abbey Theatre mounted its first production which was directed by Lennox Robinson. All the major stars of the day performed in that production including Eileen Crowe, Maureen Delany, MJ Dolan, Christine Hayden, FJ McCormick and Arthur Shields.

Here we see the 1969 production, Pat Laffan (left) is Charles Marlow and Vincent Dowling (right) is Hastings. Interestingly both Pat and Vincent made the transition from actor to director. Pat Laffan went on to become Director of the Peacock, Vincent Dowling went on to become Artistic Director and Alan Simpson, the Director of this production was Artistic Director at this time.

Back to timeline ^

Share your moment with us

Theatre happens when people come together. Every line, laugh, kiss has been witnessed by you. Help us reel in the lived history of the Abbey Theatre. Share your moments and memories with us.

Share your moment

The Peacock Theatre is born

The Peacock Theatre opened on 27 November 1927. In-house it was originally referred to as the Little Theatre but was officially opened as the Peacock Theatre, so named because the walls were painted Peacock Blue.

The second of the Abbey Theatre’s two stages, from its inception it was seen as a space to house the Abbey Theatre School of Acting and a rental space to gain valuable income for the main Abbey Company.

The first performance was a play called From Morn to Midnight. A host of major Irish theatre talent were involved in that first production. Norah McGuinness was Designer, Denis Johnston was Director, Dorothy Travers Smith, who later worked as a Designer acted in this performance, as did Kitty Curling who was a student at the School of Ballet and went on to be an Abbey actress. So from day one, the Peacock was a breeding ground for Irish theatre.

Back to timeline ^

Share your moment with us

Theatre happens when people come together. Every line, laugh, kiss has been witnessed by you. Help us reel in the lived history of the Abbey Theatre. Share your moments and memories with us.

Share your moment

Notice for Abbey School of Acting classes

This notice from Lennox Robinson, Principal of the Abbey School of Acting outlines the structure of the classes undertaken as part of the Abbey School. Classes are mainly concerned with acting but range from breathing and voice production to occasional lectures on Make-Up.

For many this was the route to the Abbey stage but for others their acting ability or knowledge of Irish qualified for an audition, ultimately leading them to the Abbey company. Hear how Ronnie Masterson was spotted by Ernest Blythe at a Feis and how others made their way to the Abbey in Starting Out, a podcast from the Abbey Theatre Oral History Project.

Back to timeline ^

Share your moment with us

Theatre happens when people come together. Every line, laugh, kiss has been witnessed by you. Help us reel in the lived history of the Abbey Theatre. Share your moments and memories with us.

Share your moment

A cupboard of importance to Irish theatre history

Taken shortly after the fire was put out, this photograph depicts the havoc created backstage by the 1951 Abbey Theatre fire. This storeroom close to the Abbey stage was left totally exposed to the elements, having lost its roof. The photo clearly shows a fire hose abandoned in front of an empty cupboard. What is not obvious is the importance of that cupboard to Irish theatrical history. Here the scripts and prompt scripts of Abbey Theatre productions were stored at stage right, along with curtain, sound and lighting cues. Many of the items displayed on this website were rescued from this cupboard by dedicated Abbey staff members, and due to their actions are now preserved in the Abbey Theatre Archive thus allowing them to be examined by future generations.

Listen here to Homes of the Abbey a podcast from our Oral History Project.

Back to timeline ^

Share your moment with us

Theatre happens when people come together. Every line, laugh, kiss has been witnessed by you. Help us reel in the lived history of the Abbey Theatre. Share your moments and memories with us.

Share your moment

Ernest Blythe at The Queen’s

1960

For many Ernest Blythe is synonymous with the promotion of Irish language plays at the Abbey Theatre. His involvement with the theatre is long-lived from his interventions to procure a state subsidy for the theatre in the 1920’s, his enthusiasm for the establishment of the Peacock theatre in 1927 and his long service as Managing Director from 1941 to 1967. Here he is depicted in the Queen’s Theatre during rehearsals.

To hear more on his time with the Abbey Theatre listen here to a podcast from our Oral History Project here.

Back to timeline ^

Share your moment with us

Theatre happens when people come together. Every line, laugh, kiss has been witnessed by you. Help us reel in the lived history of the Abbey Theatre. Share your moments and memories with us.

Share your moment

Abbey Theatre Christmas Card

Abbey Christmas Card signed by Daisy and Cissie Sproule, long serving members of Box office staff. Uniquely Abbey in its make up the printed verse inside goes as follows…

Sean O’Casey’s Joxer might say

“A darlin’ New Year an’ a grand Christmas Day”,

The Playboy might whisper in Pegeen Mike’s ear,

“A wonder o’ Christmas, a joy o’ New Year”,

The wish of the Abbey is “Nollagi faoi shéan”

And blessings in plenty till Christmas again.

Back to timeline ^

Share your moment with us

Theatre happens when people come together. Every line, laugh, kiss has been witnessed by you. Help us reel in the lived history of the Abbey Theatre. Share your moments and memories with us.

Share your moment

Audience members enjoy a night at The Queen’s Theatre

After the 1951 fire that destroyed the Abbey Theatre we relocated to The Queen’s Theatre on near-by Pearse Street for a period of 15 years. The play that August was A Jew Called Sammy by John Mc Cann, a former Lord Mayor of Dublin and father of the great actor, Donal Mc Cann. Can you help us identify these audience members?

Tell us on Twitter

Back to timeline ^

Share your moment with us

Theatre happens when people come together. Every line, laugh, kiss has been witnessed by you. Help us reel in the lived history of the Abbey Theatre. Share your moments and memories with us.

Share your moment

The Irishwoman of the Year

Here we see Kathleen Barrington as Esther Delaney in The Irishwoman of the Year by John Power delivering a speech to the audience. This was the last new play performed by the Abbey at the Queen’s Theatre before their return to Abbey Street.

Back to timeline ^

Share your moment with us

Theatre happens when people come together. Every line, laugh, kiss has been witnessed by you. Help us reel in the lived history of the Abbey Theatre. Share your moments and memories with us.

Share your moment

Abbey Theatre visitors book

When the New Abbey Theatre was formally opened on the 18th July 1966 by Eamon de Valera, he signed the visitors book on that occasion. Other notable invitees on the night included Ralphe J. Bunche, a Nobel Peace Prize Winner and Bryan Guinness (Lord Moyne). The Guinnes family had of course provided the Abbey Theatre with temporary refuge in the Rupert Guinness Hall before its move to the Queen’s Theatre in 1951.

Other dignitaries to visit that week included Sean Lemass, Kathleen Lemass and Eileen O’Casey, widow of Sean O’Casey.

The final signatures are that of Bing Crosby and his wife who attended an Abbey performance in September 1966.

Back to timeline ^

Share your moment with us

Theatre happens when people come together. Every line, laugh, kiss has been witnessed by you. Help us reel in the lived history of the Abbey Theatre. Share your moments and memories with us.

Share your moment

Pat Laffan in Long Day’s Journey Into Night

Pat Laffan is seen here as James Tyrone Jr. in Long Day’s Journey Into Night by Eugene O’Neill. T.P. McKenna had originally played the part in 1959 in the play’s Irish Premiere with Ria Mooney as Mary Cavan Tyrone. This was a rare acting role for Ria Mooney as by the 1950’s she was more commonly directing rather than acting in Abbey Theatre productions. Both productions were directed by Frank Dermody.

Listen here to Memories of Ernest Blythe, Ria Mooney and Frank Dermody, a podcast from our Oral History Project.

Back to timeline ^

Share your moment with us

Theatre happens when people come together. Every line, laugh, kiss has been witnessed by you. Help us reel in the lived history of the Abbey Theatre. Share your moments and memories with us.

Share your moment

Poster for Jack Be Nimble

This poster for Jack Be Nimble highlights an early production by Patrick Mason in his Abbey career. Having previously worked at the Abbey as a Voice and Movement Coach this marks his directorial debut in 1976. It is also the beginning of his long collaboration with Tom MacIntyre. Their most famous collaboration The Great Hunger with actor Tom Hickey is recounted in The Great Hunger, a podcast from our Oral History Project.

Access the Oral History Project podcasts here.

Back to timeline ^

Share your moment with us

Theatre happens when people come together. Every line, laugh, kiss has been witnessed by you. Help us reel in the lived history of the Abbey Theatre. Share your moments and memories with us.

Share your moment

Godfrey Quigley in Time Was

Godfrey Quigley played in over 40 productions at the Abbey Theatre between 1976 and 1990. Here we see Godfrey as P.J. in Time Was by Hugh Leonard, playing with Dearbhla Molloy as Beatrice and Kate Flynn as Ellie. His indomitable spirit and unique way of learning his lines are recounted by Bernard Farrell and Tom Hickey in Memories of Godfrey Quigley a podcast from our Oral History Project.

List to the podcasts here.

Back to timeline ^

Share your moment with us

Theatre happens when people come together. Every line, laugh, kiss has been witnessed by you. Help us reel in the lived history of the Abbey Theatre. Share your moments and memories with us.

Share your moment

Mothers, a one woman show

Mothers, was a one woman show devised and performed by veteran Abbey Actress May Cluskey. It featured extracts from Yeats, O’Casey and Kavanagh. This poster for the show features a photo taken by Fergus Bourke who photographed Abbey Theatre productions from 1973 to 1991. He was well-known for his images of the West. This poster resonates with major themes in Irish theatre; rural life and the relationship between a mother and her children. 

Back to timeline ^

Share your moment with us

Theatre happens when people come together. Every line, laugh, kiss has been witnessed by you. Help us reel in the lived history of the Abbey Theatre. Share your moments and memories with us.

Share your moment

Talbot’s Box by Thomas Kilroy performed on the Peacock stage

Talbot’s Box was based on the life of Matt Talbot known as the workers’ saint who lived in Dublin from 1856-1925. John Molloy played Matt Talbot and Eileen Colgan played a priest figure (it would have been unusual at the time for a woman to play a priest!)

The production attracted huge public interest, particularly among people in Dublin’s inner city. They came in their droves to see John Molloy play Matt Talbot with the conviction that they were really seeing Matt Talbot on stage. People brought scapulars and held them up in the auditorium during the performance.

Back to timeline ^

Share your moment with us

Theatre happens when people come together. Every line, laugh, kiss has been witnessed by you. Help us reel in the lived history of the Abbey Theatre. Share your moments and memories with us.

Share your moment

I do Not Like Thee, Dr. Fell

While Bernard Farrell can recall early family ventures to the Abbey at the Queen’s Theatre in the 1960’s, this photograph from I do Not Like Thee, Dr. Fell marks his first foray into playwriting.

The production premiered at the Peacock Theatre, later transferring to the Abbey Stage. Bernard recounts how the Peacock Theatre was a nurturing space both for himself and others in The Peacock Theatre a podcast from the Abbey Theatre Oral History Project.

Listen to the Oral History Project podcasts here.

Back to timeline ^

Share your moment with us

Theatre happens when people come together. Every line, laugh, kiss has been witnessed by you. Help us reel in the lived history of the Abbey Theatre. Share your moments and memories with us.

Share your moment

Observe the Sons of Ulster Marching Towards the Somme

A scene from the 1994 production of Observe the Sons of Ulster Marching Towards the Somme by Frank McGuinness, directed by Patrick Mason. This play premiered on the Peacock stage on 18th February 1985. It went on to travel the world.

In a reflection on the power of theatre and Observe the Sons of Ulster Marching Towards the Somme, Andy Pollak, former Director of The Centre for Cross Border Studies, Armagh said, “I believe that in the dark years of the 1980s during a period of deep mutual incomprehension between the nationalist South and the unionist North, Observe the Sons of Ulster Marching Towards the Somme did more to explain Northern Protestants to people in the Republic than any single political development I can think of  ”.

Back to timeline ^

Share your moment with us

Theatre happens when people come together. Every line, laugh, kiss has been witnessed by you. Help us reel in the lived history of the Abbey Theatre. Share your moments and memories with us.

Share your moment

Lady G

This photograph depicts Máire O’Neill as the indominitible Lady Gregory in Lady G , a one woman show by Carolyn Swift. The play created a portrait of Lady Gregory as playwright and co-founder of the Abbey Theatre. The production premiered in 1987 and was directed by veteran actor Barry Cassin.

Back to timeline ^

Share your moment with us

Theatre happens when people come together. Every line, laugh, kiss has been witnessed by you. Help us reel in the lived history of the Abbey Theatre. Share your moments and memories with us.

Share your moment

Pygmalion Poster

 

Pygmalion by Bernard Shaw was performed for the first time at the Abbey Theatre in 2011. Charlie Murphy starred in the role of Eliza Doolittle, an impoverished flower-girl who is taken in hand by linguistics professor Henry Higgins and turned into a lady.

The poster features a red rose emerging from Eliza Dolittle’s mouth to highlight the play’s themes of language and speech, class structure and self determination.

The Abbey’s signature typeface Abbey Sans is inspired by the early posters at the Abbey Theatre, in the days when only the play title and the date and time were required to promote a show.

More recent Abbey posters can be seen at www.abbeyposters.zero-g.ie

Back to timeline ^

Share your moment with us

Theatre happens when people come together. Every line, laugh, kiss has been witnessed by you. Help us reel in the lived history of the Abbey Theatre. Share your moments and memories with us.

Share your moment

A look at the one-man show

The Abbey Theatre has had a long history of producing one-man shows and actor Eamon Morrissey has been an integral part of this history. Writers Flann O’Brien, Jonathan Swift, James Joyce and Maeve Brennan have inspired Eamon to create fascinating stories for stage.

His first one-man show The Brother had its world premiere at the Abbey Theatre in 1974. This was followed by Patrick Gulliver in 1978 and Joycemen in 1980.

This poster shows Mr. Gulliver’s Bags, Eamon’s fourth one-man show on the Peacock stage. This show opened on Monday 20 August 1984 and was based on the life and works of Jonathan Swift.

It is fitting that 30 years since the first performance of Mr.Gulliver’s Bags, Eamon Morrissey is back again with another hugely successful one-man show Maeve’s House on the Peacock stage.

Back to timeline ^

Share your moment with us

Theatre happens when people come together. Every line, laugh, kiss has been witnessed by you. Help us reel in the lived history of the Abbey Theatre. Share your moments and memories with us.

Share your moment