September 2006 Edition

The Art of Social Change
28 September-19 October 2006
Dublin City Library & Archive, Pearse Street, Dublin 2

The Art of Social Change then tours to Belfast
and opens at The Switch Room on 16 November 2006

The Art of Social Change exhibition will combine interactive displays and audio visual material giving visitors the opportunity to experience a range of community arts events from 1973 onwards. From the early days of street theatre and festivals as Grapevine Arts, to the community theatre, comedy, dance, and pioneering educational projects at City Arts Centre; the organisation has always been a hub of creative activity for activist and emerging actors, musicians and artists, Christy Moore, Tommy Tiernan, and Augusto Boal to name but a few. Ground breaking arts programmes include the music studios for young bands set up with support from U2 and Yamaha; disability arts programmes such as the Young Playwrights Programme, Music MAP, and Celebrating Difference; facilitating the first conferences in Ireland for community arts, arts and disability, and arts and health; pioneering community arts projects and developing the concept of activist arts through campaigns such as the anti-nuclear movement, Wood Quay demonstrations, South Inner City anti high-rise campaign, and the Parade of Innocence, to name but a few.

The Art of Social Change charts the history of a well loved organisation, one which has made and continues to make a key contribution to Ireland’s cultural heritage.

Kindly supported by Dublin City Council, The Heritage Council, Interface at The University of Ulster and Masterphoto.

For further information please contact The Archive, CityArts, Basement, 46 Merrion Square, Dublin 2.
t: 01 6394608 e: thearchive@cityarts.ie

Index

The Theatre Royal Remembered
23 October–18 November 2006
Dublin Room, Dublin City Library & Archive
138–144 Pearse Street

The Albany New Theatre opened on Hawkins Street in January 1821, during its first year in business it was granted a patent by the Lord Chancellor and earned the right to be called the Theatre Royal. Since its inception the Theatre Royal has gone through many guises, with changes to structure, management and performers. The theatre struggled in the early days and closed and re-opened on more then one occasion. In 1880 tragedy hit the theatre when it was burnt to the ground by a fire caused by a faulty gas jet in the Vice Regal box. The fire struck just before the evening performance of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves. The performance was to be staged on behalf of the Dublin Charities Fund patronised by the Duchess of Marlborough and founded to assist the alleviation the Little Famine which had struck the west coast of Ireland. The stage manager, Francis Egerton, who attempted to fight the early flames, was the only fatality as the theatre was preparing to open when the fire struck. However the theatre was almost entirely destroyed and remained closed until 1886 when it finally re-opened as the Lenister Hall, a popular concert hall. This Theatre also struggled and closed its doors in 1895. A new Theatre Royal with a capacity for 2000 re-opened in 1897 to much acclaim. Due to the onset of the film industry and the growth of cinemas the Theatre Royal closed for refurbishment and transformation in 1934.

The Theatre Royal, still remembered by many of today’s Dubliners, opened with a Gala performance ‘The New Royal Revue’ on 23 September 1935. The new theatre was one of the largest in Europe with a capacity to hold almost 4000 in the auditorium which was set out in seven designated areas: the Stalls; Orchestra Stalls; Royal Circle; Grand Circle; Centre Circle; Upper Circle; and three boxes on each side. The Gala performance was opened by Sean Lemass, the then Minister for Industry & Commerce, and included such well known performers as: Count John McCormack, the Theatre Royal Orchestra under the direction of Jimmy Campbell, St Helier Sisters, Danny Malone (Tenor) and Senator Murphy (American Comedian) and showed short films Mickey Mouse in the Band Concert and Irish Melodies.

The Elliman family bought the Gaiety Theatre in 1936 and full control of the Theatre Royal followed shortly. Under the Ellimans Irish talent was nurtured and through the 1940’s Dick Forbes, Noel Purcell, Cecil Sheridan, Peggy Dell and Maureen Potter made regular appearances. But the Ellimans also attracted international stars of stage and screen and many famous stars such as: Judy Garland; Betty Hutton; Bob Hope; Danny Kaye; the Three Stooges, Gracie Fields; Dirk Bogarde; John Mills; Stewart Granger; Nat King Cole, and James Cagney all appeared in the Royal.

The Theatre Royal closed its doors for the last time on the 30 June 1962 with the ‘Royale Finale’.  The theatre was pulled to the ground and replaced by Hawkins House which today houses the Department of Health.

Dublin City Archives, who holds the Irish Theatre Archive, will be running an exhibition ‘The Theatre Royal Remembered’, from the 24 October in Dublin City Library and Archive, 138-144 Pearse Street, Dublin 2

C21st Curation public lectures