Irish Arts Council Slashes Funding

And the global theatre funding cuts continue. This time it’s The Abbey, Ireland’s national theatre. The Arts Council has cut 16% of its annual grant to the theatre from €10 million to €8.35 million. In addition to the Abbey, the highest profile recipient of Arts Council funding, the average grant cut to Irish theatre in 2009 will be just over 8% including major companies like the Gate and the Druid. Unfortunately, companies like the Irish Writers’ Centre in Dublin and the Galloglass Theatre Company in Tipperary have lost all Arts Council funding in the cutbacks. The council is also taking some of its own medicine, promising to cut its administration costs next year by €1.5 million. Happy New Year indeed.

Beckett Back at Lincoln Center

The missionary wing of the Holy Church of Samuel Beckett, otherwise known as Dublin’s Gate Theatre, has again arrived in New York to spread the gospel. Back at Lincoln Center after its 1996 marathon, Michael Colgan brings three works not originally written for the stage. The first is a television piece entitled‘Eh Joe’ starring Liam Neeson, the second is a novella entitled ‘First Love’ starring Ralph Fiennes, and the third is an abridgement of three novels called ‘I’ll Go On’ starring Barry McGovern. Check out a detailed article from the NYTimes here.