Welcome to Rough Magic 2018
This year will take the company into a new chapter of its extraordinary story. Rough Magic will draw inspiration from its roots as a creative ensemble of artists by gathering together a dynamic new company of actors, designers, technicians, and directors to deliver two major productions from the great architects of the English language, Shakespeare and Joyce.
Read MoreIn August, we will partner with the internationally-renowned Kilkenny Arts Festival to produce a spectacular outdoor production of William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream directed by Lynne Parker. The ensemble will then focus its skills on the world premiere of Arthur Riordan’s new adaption of A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce, directed by Ronan Phelan. Featuring the same cast and creative team as in Kilkenny, this exciting production will play first in the Pavilion Theatre, Dublin before touring to eight venues across the country:
2018 sees the arrival of a new generation of SEEDS into Rough Magic’s offices. The company is delighted to welcome writer Ciara Elizabeth Smyth, director Olivia Songer, designer Naomi Faughnan, production manager Liadan Ni Chearbhaill, and lighting and AV designer John Gunning.
The company will continue to serve as a creative hub of Irish theatre, providing support to participants in SEEDS and ADVANCE and sharing resources with individual artists and emerging companies, reinforcing Rough Magic’s place at the heart of Irish theatre.
All of this will be brought to you by the new Rough Magic management team: General Manager Gemma Reeves, Producer Selina O’Reilly, Associate Director and SEEDS curator Ronan Phelan and Artistic Director Lynne Parker
The first Rough Magic creative ensemble was formed in 1984; over three decades the people have changed but the personality of the company has stayed constant – an eclectic collusion, with unity of purpose, generosity of spirit and a joyous sense of ambition.
Latest News
Q&A with Arthur Riordan
Arthur Riordan is the writer behind our upcoming stage adaption of James Joyce’s seminal novel A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. A seasoned theatre artist, Riordan is also an actor, one of the original founders of Rough Magic, and has even adapted Joyce before. In the Q&A below he reveals why Portrait is a … Continued
Book TicketsLynne Parker on touring Joyce
Two weeks before the curtain rises on Portrait, Rough Magic’s artistic director Lynne Parker discusses adapting the novel 100 years later, and why it’s important to bring Joyce out of Dublin. Why did you choose to program Joyce this year, and A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man in particular? We were … Continued
Rough Magic is delighted to introduce our new SEEDS
After the phenomenal success of Mr Burns: A Post-Electric Play, we are delighted to welcome our next batch of SEEDS into the fold.
The response to our call for applicants was unprecedented, with more applicants than ever before, ensuring that the job of selecting the five participants was as difficult as it’s ever been.
Join our mailing list
Praise for
Rough Magic
Core Pillars
Proudly Positioned
A national company responding to the needs of all parts of the island
Progressively Energised
A creative ensemble, with unity of purpose, generosity of spirit and a joyous sense of ambition
Intelligently Humorous
Known by audiences throughout Ireland for work of quality, that engages, stimulates and entertains
Positively Invested
Acknowledged as the essential portal to the creativity of independent Irish theatre artists