Irish talent to storm Edinburgh

Culture Ireland, is the government agency responsible for promoting Irish acts worldwide, and contributed over €300.000 to the creation of this years line-up.

Eugene Downes, Chief Executive of Culture Ireland, said: “The range of theatre and dance companies being presented at Edinburgh this year, from world names like the Abbey and Gate through to dynamic young ensembles, promises to give an eclectic snapshot of the new work being made in Ireland.”

Plays by two of Ireland’s leading writers will be staged at the Traverse Theatre. The Abbey is presenting Mark O’Rourke’s “Terminus”, while Druid perform Enda Walsh’s “The New Electric Ballroom”.

Three companies are presenting new plays by Irish female writers at the Assembly Rooms. Djinn Theatre Company will present ‘The Magic Tree’, a new work from Ursula Rani Sarma. Dragonfly Theatre presents ‘Married to the Sea’ by Shona McCarthy, already an award winning production at Fringe Festivals in New York and Dublin. Also appearing will be ‘Greenstick Boy’, a new one-woman show, written and performed by Maggie Cronin,

Dancebase, is presenting “Irish Cream”, a curated triple bill of new contemporary dance. Acts include Catapult Dance Company’s "Beat Box Bingo", "Hanging in There" by Nick Bryson and Damian Punch, and Fearghus Ó Conchúir and Matthew Morris in "Match".

Fishamble Theatre Company’s production of Pat Kinevane’s ‘Forgotten’ will also be presented at Dancebase following a very successful Irish and international tour.

Mad Capp Theatre Company’s ‘Living with Johnny Depp’ and Sole Purpose Production’s ‘Don’t Say a Word’ completes the Irish theatre line-up at Edinburgh.