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About Us
Rough Magic is one of Ireland’s leading theatre producers and a significant mentor to emerging artists. It provides an unexpected angle to the mainstream and an anchor to the emerging generation.
Since its foundation in 1984, Rough Magic has produced over 135 shows, including 39 Irish premieres and 30 World premieres. Rough Magic is recognised both as independent creative entity and a valued institution. We operate as an ensemble across a wide spectrum of scale and style, covering international contemporary work, world classics and new Irish writing, with the audience at the heart of everything we do.
In 2021 the company launched COMPASS, folding play development and support for emerging theatre artists into the company’s core programming. COMPASS will develop partnerships to produce major new commissions as we approach our 40th Anniversary and support artists at every level.
Awards include: a record number four Irish Times Irish Theatre Awards for Best Production (Copenhagen 2003, Improbable Frequency 2005, The Taming of the Shrew 2007, Don Carlos 2009); London Time Out Award; two Edinburgh Fringe First Awards and the Irish Times Irish Theatre Award for Best Ensemble for A Midsummer Night’s Dream in 2018. Most recently Rough Magic’s production of Solar Bones was awarded Best Actor for Stanley Townsend and Best Director for Lynne Parker at the Irish Times Irish Theatre Awards in 2022.