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We are known as the ‘Little theatre with the big imagination’ where actors Gabriel Byrne, Tom Hickey and Olwen Fouere started their careers. We call ourselves Focus Theatre and we are a specialist Art House company rooted in the Stanislavski method.
While we have an established reputation for classic works, we see our main mission as the production of innovative new theatre by incubating new and established writers as well as training theatre artists to exacting international standards.
After two years of development and countless hours of creative discussions we are bringing the world premiere of ‘The Hen Night Epiphany’, play by renowned Irish playwright Jimmy Murphy.
‘The Hen Night Epiphany’ is a deeply moving, humorous, and compelling piece of theatre about love and family. It tells the story of five women who take to the countryside for a night of fun and laughter that leaves their lives turned upside down.
This is our first collaboration with Jimmy Murphy who is one of Ireland’s leading playwrights with a national and international reputation. His stage plays include ‘Brother’s of the Brush’ (winner of the Dublin Theatre Festival 1993 Best New Play Award); ‘A Picture of Paradise’ (The Peacock, 1997); ‘Aceldama’ (1998); ‘The Muesli Belt’ (The Abbey Theatre, 2000); ‘The Kings of the Kilburn High Road’ (2000); ‘The Castlecomer Jukebox’ (Red Kettle Theatre Company, 2004). His play ‘The Kings of the Kilburn High Road’ was adapted by Tom Collins as the Irish language film Kings (film), and was selected as Ireland’s entry for best foreign-language film for the Academy Awards. His recent play ‘What’s Left of the Flag’ (Theatre Upstairs at The Plough, 2010) was nominated for Best New Play, 2010 Irish Theatre Awards.
‘The Hen Night Epiphany’ is directed by award winning Director Joe Devlin, the set is designed by Sonia Haccius, with lighting by Moyra D’Arcy; the cast comprises Sinead Hackett, Lisa Harding, Annie Kent, Margaret Toomey, and Deborah Wiseman.
We would like you to be part of this exciting and brave endeavour. Clearly, this is our most challenging and, at the same time, most ambitious project to date. Since our annual Arts Council grant was axed completely, this Crowd Funding platform is giving us the hope to make The Hen Night Epiphany a realistic achievement. Our goal is to raise €3000 which will cover 30% of the production costs such as set designing, construction materials, and programmes printing. The other 70% comes from Dublin City Council - Arts Office and private sponsors.
The performance will be staged in Dublin’s venues such as Focus Theatre (Sep 19th- 22nd; Oct 12th-15th); Ranelagh Arts Centre (Sep 24th); Mermaid Arts Centre ( Sep 28th – 29th); Draiocht (Oct 1st); The Helix (Oct 6th-8th); and Civic Theatre (Oct 18th-22nd).
Please support us and let our imagination grow…
Focus Theatre Team
