18th Festival Preview: IDGTF Comes of Age in 2021!
The International Dublin Gay Theatre Festival comes of age in 2021.
Welcome to our 18th Festival!
Two years have passed since we last gathered in person to celebrate queer artists and moving expressions of wonderful LGBTQ+ stories.
This year, join us for our online festival, sponsored by Dublin LGBTQ+ Pride and the Arts Council.
Tune in for world premieres and exciting partnerships. Here’s what founder and Artistic Director of the Festival, Brian Merriman, had to say about this year!
2021 is the second year our stages went dark due to Covid. We have had no income and no renewal of the essential volunteer effort that has sustained us to reach our 18th year. Grant support has been lost or cuts maintained.
But there is a lot of good news! Pride month in June is our time to celebrate with you what makes Dublin a unique centre for LGBTQ+ theatre worldwide. Our small team has produced a remarkable programme to celebrate our ‘coming of age’.
2,500 Euro was awarded to 11 Irish and Irish resident playwrights for new Irish LGBTQ+ plays in May.
A new book IDGTF: 18 and Coming of Age the Director’s Cut – including 13 new plays will be published in June to celebrate our special birthday, and available on www.gaytheatre.ie.
We are really delighted to bring our loyal audiences a free online virtual Festival of 13 plays from Ireland and abroad beginning from June 7th.
Thanks to our ongoing partnership with Dublin LGBTQ+ Pride, who funded the recording of new plays and who financially supported our artists, we are delighted to present this free festival of many new dramatic works.
It is great to reconnect our artists with our audience online in June as we await our return to live theatre in May 2022.
I salute all of the writers of the 65 new plays encouraged by our 2020 and 2021 Bursary opportunities – an unimagineable number of new
Irish plays when we began in 2004. I am in admiration of the productions in our online festival who have adapted their plays to fit the digital format.
We hope you enjoy being part of our 18th birthday celebrations and here’s to returning to live theatre in 2022!
The streaming of these plays will be available through Dublin Pride’s Vimeo account on both the Pride and IDGTF websites. All productions are free for viewing and uploads will start from June 7th. Tune in to catch moving stories and beautiful theatre produced against all odds.
Against the ever-present anxieties and stresses of the past year, these plays are a testament to playwrights from Ireland and across the globe triumphing over the odds to produce breathtaking works of art. In a time when we cannot be together nor express ourselves through live theatre, it is important that these voices are heard. These plays are truly inspiring works borne out of these daunting times.
Festival Review 2018: PARTY BOY
FESTIVAL REVIEW: Play reading Party Boy Teachers Club Sunday May 13th
I dashed up O’Connell St. and stopped for an ever-present donut (crème-filled toffee with crumbles!) and coffee. I love going to Teachers (I’ve had a few shows there over the years). It’s a Georgian building with a black box theater in the basement, meeting halls and classrooms on the first floor, and a gorgeous bar on the second floor.
Near the top of the building, a couple dozen of us crowded into a meeting room for what was literally a table read: the actors sat behind a wooden table, and after a brief introduction by Brian, started reading the script.
I’m a fan of Brian Merriman the playwright, and have enjoyed his work, which frequently has a historical bent (“Eirebrushed,” “Wretched Little Brat”). This one is a departure for him. Inspired by a true story, “Party Boy” is the tale of a little gay boy who grows up in Dublin and Australia, and whose life and interests lead him into a career as a phone sex operator, a gym rat and trainer, and finally as a go-go boy and performer in live and filmed sex shows.
We’ve all seen the plays and read the books that tell and re-tell this story: most often they are morally superior, cautionary tales of young men gone astray and whose lives end all too soon because of an excess of everything, especially drugs. What makes this story different is that the boy has a mother who gives him unconditional love; she always takes him in when he comes home, and serves as both anchor and guide to him.
Party Boy faces not just the generalized homophobia of his home countries and communities, but also the approbation of a sex-negative society that lives to vilify sex workers (while always partaking of their services).
In a country and culture shaped by Catholic guilt and shame, Party Boy mostly takes to other countries to make a living, find companionship, and look for what he needs (which he doesn’t even know most of the time.)
Brian had hoped to stage the show this festival, but in real life, he had a hard time finding actors who were not afraid to take on a role that might carry such a weight of disapproval from the public. Delicate, toxic masculinity kept actors from playing an amazing role, actors who gave all kinds of reasons, except that they were afraid of it.
Brian read the role of Party Boy himself, with Maria Blaney playing the Mother, and Colin Malone playing all the other parts. (He f*cking nailed it, as we say in the theater.) Lia Caira did stage directions.
The reading kept us rapt, and it was real, urgent applause that erupted at the end. I’m sorry it’s not a full production in this festival. I know it will be seen, not just in Dublin, but other places. (I have my thoughts on its next steps, but never give critique unasked.) KW
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Kathleen Warnock is a renowned playwright and theatre producer based in New York.
Week 2 Preview – Sexuality, Scandal and Secrets
The second half of our programme, designed to celebrate 25 years since the decriminalisation of homosexuality in Ireland, sees plays covering a range of topical issues; from historical LGBT figures, visibility, the Trump era, bisexuality, surrogacy and alcoholism are packed into Week Two of a most innovative programme of theatre that makes Dublin the leading international centre in the world.
‘Tab and Landon’ from Canada is a dark and adults-only insight into scandalous family relationships arriving from Theatre Outré, Canada.
‘Women’s Shorts’ features a trio of powerful and funny pieces about LGBT women. The hilarious ‘Butt Trumpet’ (USA) reveals some unusual ‘talents’ of Trump’s former spokeswoman Kellyanne Conway. ‘Cherry Pickings’ (UK) follows queer women on a night out and ‘Unseasonable’ (USA) explores the aftermath for two women of a mysterious incident.
“Memories We Lost in the Fire” (UK) and “Are You Lonesome Tonight?” (Ireland) both explore young gay/bi men on a journey to understand their sexuality.
Renowned lesbian playwright, Carolyn Gage’s insight into Marty Mann, founder of the National Council on Alcoholism premieres from the USA in “Easter Sunday” (running in a double-bill with lesbian relationship comedy “The Christmas Drill”)
Irelands Blue Heart Theatre Company premieres ‘Passing On’ a story of surrogacy, family and choices as a gay couple’s plans to have a child are thrown off-course by a shocking revelation.
This week also presents an opportunity to see “2 HIStories” a duet of short stories from festival founder and artistic director Brian Merriman, exploring Irish life in the 1980s and UCD founder Cardinal Newman’s lifelong friendship with Fr Ambrose St John.
€10 Monday Matinees from 2:30pm
Our main programme starts with €10 Monday matinees at 2:30pm and 4pm.
See the following tomorrow (matinee & evening) with more shows starting on Friday:
Be inspired, moved and entertained with stories from around the world, all for amazing value!
The Drowning Room – a family gather to remember the victim of a ‘gay bashing’. But unexpected events lead to dark secrets being revealed. A powerful drama with a twist.
Ginger Beer – a frank and funny comedy about the perils of being a gay man in 2018 – Grindr, saunas, chemsex… and the perfect dick pic.
3 Lies About Brooklyn – shipped as a baby by Irish nuns to Brooklyn in the 1950’s, John Farrell tells his extraordinary true story of search for his true identity and sexuality.
Let Me Look At You – a 50-something gay man shares his misadventures in this comedy drama from the UK.
Breda’s Way – lesbian comic Breda Larkin investigates ‘the moving statues’ of summer 1985 in a humorous exploration of gender, faith and life in Ireland.
Writers in the Stars – Oscar Wilde, Shakespeare and Mary Shelley debate ‘who is the greatest’ in heaven. A comedy drama with LGBT twists!
Men’s Shorts – 3 short comedy plays – gay dating, wedding mishaps and a “straight” mate with a secret!
SMASHES – an award-winning comedy about bi visibility past & present – coming out, making out & getting inspiration from a past feminist heroine.
Beloved Sinner – relive Oscar Wilde’s last days in Paris in this captivating piece.
2018 Programme Preview: Who We Are & Who We Were
Festival 2018 is a year of celebration, marking 15 years of IDGTF and 25 years since decriminalisation of homosexuality in Ireland.
In our programme we explore the diverse lives of LGBT people today – through comedy, drama, short-plays and powerful stories from around the world.
Cruising, getting married, LGBT families, staying together through ups and downs… we look at online hook-ups, the perils of lesbian dating, young LGBT couples, older gay men and bisexual love both male & female.
We tell intimate personal stories and shatter sexual taboos.
We ask… how much has LGBT life changed from the past? How much has it remained the same?
We celebrate and reimagine past icons – Wilde, Shakespeare, Mary Shelley, Tennessee Williams and more with humorous, moving and erotic stories.
We shine a spotlight on pre-decriminalisation Ireland – from quirky and dark secrets of the Catholic Church to powerful accounts of the homophobia of the past – and look at LGBT struggles and triumphs from places as far apart as rural Ireland, Taiwan and the USA.
Find out more in our programme with secure online booking available now.
Keep watching www.gaytheatre.ie and Facebook for more details.
Spool Review – Finn Cooke and Otto Farrant
FESTIVAL REVIEW: Spool runs at The Teachers Club until Saturday 9pm and Saturday has a matinee at 4pm.
Two handsome young men are tied together in a beautiful exploration of the pressures faced by young men in exploring modern masculinity. Engagement with social media can confuse and prioritise the physical self from the critical uniqueness of the individual – the emotional self. How do you survive today if one dominates the other? Finn Cooke and Otto Farrant demonstrate how these two are different – one balletic, one literal, both are inter-dependent. Both sleep, wash, play, breath and dance together in perfect harmony. The pressures of modern existence become too much when one feels he can survive away from the other.
This is a blend of physicality, dance and intellect with some beautiful balletic moments, strong and humorous imagery, innocence and relevance. Farrant and Cooke shed all physical inhibition to blend, perform and flow together until cut in two. Can one survive just in body or just in mind in modern society where image is all and communication of the person’s value diminishing in a virtual world?
This melodic duet of body and mind is perfect for audiences of all ages – it explores masculinity in a beautiful form rarely seen and that is just one of the clever levels unmasked in this delightful gem developed by two young performers with a lot to say. Don’t miss it. GF
Preview of our Week 2 Shows Starting May 8
Our Week 2 programme running from May 8 to 13 has it all!
Love, crime, comedy, tense drama, touching true stories, critically-acclaimed drama, dance and more!
For some amazing drama check out…
The Elephant Girls
Lines in the Sand: a riveting and suspenseful drama where a vulnerable gay student falls under the spell of an older man.
Gypsy Queen: an unlikely relationship starts between two boxers. Already promising to be a hit of week 2, from the writer of ‘Away From Home’.
The Elephant Girls: don’t miss this critically-acclaimed show, the amazing true story of the rise and fall of an all-female criminal gang who ruled South-East London.
Queers: in modern London a diverse range of LGBTQ and straight-ish characters tell their intertwining stories.
From the director of our 2016 smash-hit 5 Guys Chillin’
A Peculiar Arrangement – Mike is engaged to Jenny but then he meets John… Things are about to get a lot more complicated in this dark piece.
Check out our Short Plays from the US …
Love Trumps Everything / How we GLOW – four stories celebrating LGBT people in America – real stories of young New Yorkers, Calamity Jane, marriage ‘made in heaven’ and more.
Great Comedy:
Joto! Confessions of a Mexican Outcast – the touching, funny true story of being the ultimate outsider. The perfect antidote for anyone suffering from Trump overload!
Dance and Drama:
Spool is a critically-acclaimed must see. A young man’s mind and body interwine through dialogue and dance.
Preview 2017: Celebrating LGBTQ Youth
We celebrate the challenges and triumphs of LGBTQ youth in 2017.
From sexual awakening to the Leaving Cert, making dubious decisions to standing up for their beliefs our young people are on a roller-coaster journey of discovery!
Why not join them from April 30th with Bank Holiday Monday matinees from 2:30pm on May 1st.
Free Seminar – April 30th @ 14:30
Main Programme
Spool is an extraordinary dance / physical theatre piece involving the body ‘dancing’ with the mind of a confused young man.
How We GLOW tells the real stories of LGBTQ+ youth living in New York. Features with a series of shorts about being LGBT in America ‘Love Trumps Everything’.
Preview: Celebrating Female Voices in Theatre
IDGTF is proud to provide a platform to showcase works by women and about women, with a particularly diverse and fascinating programme of works in 2017.
Following on from our general theme of exploring and celebrating identity, the women in these works are discovering who they are – from passion to deep friendship, from artists to criminals, from the voices of young women in modern New York to love in 1920’s Paris.
Lesbian, bi, trans, straight, questioning and from around the world … these women have powerful stories to tell.
Week 1 – Mon 1 to Sat 6 May
Montparnasse – A tale of love and lust in the bohemian circles of 1920’s Paris. Two Canadian women inspire artists as live art models through their naked beauty and spirit of adventure.
Both Sides Now / Wasting Paper – a double-bill about young women exploring who they are through art.
In Both Sides Now Lydia tries to figure out her life and sexuality armed with some paper, an old guitar and the music of Joni Mitchell.
Leaving Cert year can be crazy for anyone, but for Casey it was the year that changed her life. Her poetry going viral online was only the start. Find out in Wasting Paper.
The Possible / Strange Fruit / The Morning After is a ‘ménage à trois’ of short plays featuring a wedding, a one-night stand and an affair. In The Possible one women takes drastic action to win over another… But has her scheming gone a bit too far?
Week 2 – Mon 7 to Sat 13 May
The Elephant Girls is the extraordinary true story of an all-female gang in Victorian London. Gang-member Maggie sits down in a London pub to tell the whole story – desire, violence and an amazing slice of hidden history. Don’t miss this critically-acclaimed gem.
Love Trumps Everything / How We Glow gives you four pieces that explore the experiences of LGBTQ+ women and young people in America.
Love Trumps Everything is a series of short plays celebrating a pioneering woman who dared to break gender norms, the path to legally marry and dating in heaving.
How We Glow brings the real stories of LGBTQ New York teenagers to the stage – their identities, labels and their communities.
… and don’t miss Queers – the story of LGBTQ Londoners, including Carol – a teacher during the anti-gay ‘Section 28’ era and Sapphire – a proud trans woman.
Preview: Love, Desire and Hidden Passions at IDGTF 2017
As we uncover hidden desires and passions things are about to get very dramatic!
Our heroes and heroines are exploring their deepest desires and passions in 2017. In this heady mix of love, friendship, lust and sex prepare for some ups and downs!
Passionate friends and lovers, break-ups, rent-boys, questioning ‘straight’ men, young desires, fighters and hidden secrets – our programme has it all!
Week 1 – Mon 1 to Sat 6 May
In Naked Soldier… a young man discovers his desire for other men. As he searches for new men, he reveals insights about dating and desire.
In Bleach… Tyler is a hedonistic and successful London rent-boy. But one night, two Viagra and three clients burst his bubble and change everything.
An Unexpected Party… a year after the death of a gay man, his sister and ex are about to meet to reconcile their feelings. But she’s drunk and he’s bringing his new boyfriend. Things are not going to go to plan!
Montparnasse… 1920s Paris. Two women reunite in the City of Love in a powerful tale of lust, love and art.
The Tearing Up of Fergal & Tim… Fergal and Tim’s ‘civilised’ break-up escalates into a full-on battle of the wills. In a double-bill with Fronting – on the night he decides to search for love again, a young HIV-positive man tells his roller-coaster story.
In Confessions of a Mormon Boy… we welcome back this hit true story! From innocent Mormon boy to New York rent-boy to finding ‘home’, Steven Fales’ funny and moving story is not to be missed.
Week 2 – Mon 7 to Sat 13 May
In Gypsy Queen ‘Gorgeous’ George, a feared and admired Traveller boxer, develops a relationship with his coach’s gay son… Prepare for conflict inside and outside the ring!
A Peculiar Arrangement … Mike is engaged to Jenny, but then he meets John… A comedy about searching for love and acceptance in an every-changing world.
And don’t miss Queers where a cast of LGBTQ characters share their stories and embrace their identities, and ‘Love Trumps Everything‘ a series of US short-plays featuring marriage equality and heavenly dating!
WARNING: some of the above performances contain adult themes or nudity. See the full programme for more information.
IDGTF 2017 Preview: Celebrating You and Me
Let’s Celebrate LGBT+ Identity in All Its Forms
Join us on a whirlwind tour from the streets of modern New York and Dublin to Victorian London and 1920’s Paris … from heaven to hell.
Across time and place our plays celebrate our identities – as individuals and as a community.
Our heroes and heroines are stepping away from the ordinary and discovering who they really are – through religion, sex, youth, romance, drugs, art, violence and love.
Young LGBT people and questioning ‘straight’ men, artists and rent-boys, illegal immigrants and proud trans women, Mormons and boxers…
Their stories are funny, romantic, dramatic, erotic and inspirational.
Join them on this journey from May 1st 2017!
Special Features of our 2017 Programme:
- A free World War I Seminar – ‘Love in the Trenches‘
- Lots of special double and triple-bills offering endless variety
- Explorations of LGBTQ youth
- Powerful drama celebrating the lives and creativity of women
- €10 weekend matinees offering excellent value
- Huge diversity – dance, drama, comedy, musical theatre and more
- Packed with the best new Irish and international drama plus critically-acclaimed works
- … not to mention our free nightly Festival Club and closing Gala Awards Night!
Secure online booking now available at gaytheatre.ticketsolve.com.
Enquires / questions? Email: boxoffice@gaytheatre.ie.
IDGTF 2017 is on its way!
We are working hard on finalising the programme of IDGTF 2017 which will be announced on March 30th.
We will present:
- Comedy, drama, music from Ireland and from around the world…
- Topical works, erotic, romantic, erotic, feminist, youth-theatre, historical, literary and fun works…
- Free events, weekend matinees, talks…
- New writing and innovative theatre…
- Our Gala Awards Night on Sunday May 14th
- … and much more!
Join us from Monday Bank Holiday May 1st to May 14th
Tickets €10 (matinees) or €13/€15 (evenings)
Week 2: Erotic, Funny, Intelligent, Moving Drama – Starting Today
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We have a completely new line-up of productions starting from 7:30pm this evening and running until Saturday.
Our week two programme has something for everyone, including:
If you enjoyed ‘The Ref‘ in week one, you’ll love these must-see shows looking at Marriage Equality and its impact on everyone – male, female, gay, straight.
Proposal Under the Rainbow – Equal Marriage (…with a Few Hurdles in the Way)
 A man plans to marry his fiancé – both successful and in love.
One small problem… he must first face his future mother in law – Lady Dorothy – and she is not going to give her son away easily!
Don’t miss this comedy, showing that the battle for marriage is not quite over yet!
May 9 – 14 @ 9pm; Matinee May 14 @ 4pm
YES – How Marriage Equality Changed Our Lives
 Ireland said YES and their lives were transformed.
Recapture the excitement and drama of the referendum in this funny and moving drama.
7:30pm Mon-Sat; 2:30pm Sat 14; Over 18’s only
Like the perfect date – the characters in these shows are attractive, sexual and intimate.
However beware – beneath the surface lie hidden desires and secrets waiting to be revealed.
Behind the adult themes and a dash of humour these shows also pose deeper questions about relationships, intimacy and the sexual activity of LGBT people.
F*cking Men – Candid, Lustful … and Moving
 This smash-hit play from the King’s Head Theatre in London finally reaches Dublin!
Follow the stories of 10 men looking for erotic encounters and maybe more.
Candid, lustful and brutally honest.
7:30pm Mon-Sat; 2:30pm Sat 14; Over 18’s only
5 Guys Chillin’ – Hidden Encounters of Real Men Revealed
 Another play from London looking at the sex lives of men – the secretive world of ‘Chemsex’ and online hook-ups.
Based on real interviews with real men don’t miss this critically acclaimed piece.
See this and F*cking Men for only €25 with our Venue Ticket
9pm; Mon-Sat; 4pm Sat 14; Over 18’s only
Away From Home – A Male Escort & a Premiership Footballer
 A male escort meets a Premiership footballer for regular, secret encounters.
However in our tabloid age some secrets can’t be kept forever…
An intelligent, funny play looking at a closeted gay footballer and homophobia in sport.
9pm; Mon-Sat; Adult themes
Remember Me – An Explosive Encounter With Your Ex
 A man meets his ex – both looking for comfort and intimacy.
Things however don’t quite go to plan as feelings are laid bare in a roller-coater of romance, raw emotion and revealed secrets.
7:30pm; Matinee May 14 @ 2:30pm  Alex seems to be an attractive, respectable, mid-twenties guy.
But this is all a lie… Watch his world collapse as he succumbs to all of his desires and fantasies.
May 9 – 14 @ 9pm; Matinee May 14 @ 4pm
Fancy an evening of comedy?
Our week two shows feature a diverse range of comic characters ready to tell these stories and even dish out a few tips on relationships and life!
Erect But Unstable – A Comedic Cabaret of the Ups and Downs of Love
 John Arthur Sweet brings his award-winning comedy to Dublin.
Playing multiple characters from Montreal’s Gay Village, he will teach you a thing or two about love and relationships with sharp observations and many laughs.
7:30pm; Matinee May 14 @ 2:30pm
Must Be Nice – All Irish Families Have Their Secrets!
 Jimmy Doyle tells the hilarious story of growing up gay in an American/Irish Catholic family. Like all Irish families they are tribally loyal but full of secrets.
From Hollywood to a farm in Ireland, Jimmy will reveal all in this comedy show, produced by singer Brian Kennedy.
May 9 – 14 @ 9pm; Matinee May 14 @ 4pm
 Unlucky in love? Feeling down? Don’t worry, agony aunt Attracta Tension is here to solve your problems…With candid advice, sharp wit and a few songs thrown in – laughter is definitely the best therapy!
From the team that brought you ‘Angela She Wrote: Lansbury the Musical’
May 13, 14 only @ 10:15pm
   Too busy to see all our shows? Want moving stories, love, lust and laughs all in one night?
Then check out our ever-popular programme of International Shorts.
From coming out in Iran, to lesbian nuns, Julie Andrews and contraception.
A varied and entertaining night for four short plays is guaranteed.
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#FeministsAwake! Powerful stories by women, about women at IDGTF
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Amazing Women’s Theatre Happening Right Now
For 14 years IDGTF has proudly provided a platform for women to perform their works, told the stories of women’s lives, celebrated outstanding women forgotten by history and supported female playwrights.
#WakingTheFeminists 2015: hundreds of women (and supporters) gathered at the Abbey to question the lack of representation of women in theatre for 2016…
We are putting women on the stage right now in 2016. Now is your chance to stand up for women in theatre!
Our productions by women and about women need your support – not just to support women who are on stage and making theatre – but because their stories are powerful, compelling and exciting.
#FeministsAwake! POWERFUL THEATRE BY WOMEN & ABOUT WOMEN
Check out some highlights from our ‘Feminists Awake’ programme – plays by women, about women’s lives, sexuality and the crucial role heroic women have played to shape modern Ireland and the world.
From Helen of Troy to the brave women of 1916 to young women today breaking the mould and defying social taboos! Comedy, drama, cabaret and more.
FESTIVAL WEEK 1: ONLY 2 DAYS REMAINING – SHOWS ENDING MAY 7
Three women defy social conventions to live as a three-way couple and celebrate female sexuality, identity and art.
However things don’t always go to plan in this intelligent, witty and very colourful drama!
Bellelen Helen of Troy – Look Beyond Appearances
 A group of lustful men watch a beautiful woman perform for them.
But as her dance unfolds she reveals her powerful inner story as the legendary Helen of Troy.
A moving piece celebrating the strength of women from the legends of ancient Greece to the modern day.
Waking Beauty – A Modern Fairy Tale With a Twist
 The classic fairy tale: a beautiful young woman meets a handsome prince and they live happily ever after…
Not here! This young woman secretly desires a beautiful and mysterious stranger and no prince or spell can keep them apart.
A romantic tale that cleverly challenges the usual clichés, by a talented group of young Irish women.
Eirebrushed – Uncovering The Amazing Heroines of 1916
 Eirebrushed looks at the LGBT heroes of 1916 and reclaims their voices.
But more than challenging the accepted story of Padraig Pearse and Roger Casement, this play celebrates two heroic women – Elizabeth O’Farrell and Eva Gore-Booth who were ‘airbrushed’ from history.
These two amazing heroines return to share their revolutionary and courageous contributions in 1916.
 The true story of a Dublin woman in love with another, on the cusp of the Rising in 1916. Told mostly in her actual words, Honor Molloy reveals the true story of her great aunt.
Presented in the Irish Historical Shorts along with ‘The Ballad of Reading Gaol’ and ‘The Gentleman Caller’ three short plays revealing the fight in Ireland to love who you wanted to love.
‘Seriously. Camp. Cabaret’ – A Night of Cabaret & Burlesque
 Every gender and sexual identity is gloriously celebrated in a magic night of music and performance from classics to hidden gems.
 Finally… don’t miss Word Play – a gay man thinks he gets all the abuse in life but his straight female friend has a few observations of her own to share! A comedy about friendship, exploring the labels we give both women and gay men… with some beer thrown in.
International Theatre Shorts – Nuns, Julie Andrews and more!
 Our second programme of International Short plays looks at LGBT people from around the world.
Julie Andrews, nuns, lesbian love stories, condoms and a moving coming out story from Iran all feature in this diverse programme in the lovely Cobalt Café.
‘YES’ – Marriage Equality And How It Changed Our Lives
 The majority said one simple word; for a minority that word meant everything.
If you have enjoyed The Ref then check out this drama that captures the excitement of the 2015 Marriage Equality Referendum and its impact.
A new play from Colette Cullen.
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Preview: Lust, Love and Laughs – Celebrating Love in All its Forms
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From adult drama to cabaret to comedy we explore the loves, desires and lives of LGBT people from around the world.
Check out some programme highlights over the two weeks of the Festival exploring love, lust and relationships.
WEEK ONE – Mon May 2nd to Sat 7th
Bellelen Helen of Troy – A Greek Beauty Reveals Her True Self
 May 2 – 7 2016 @ 7:30pm; Matinee May 2 & 7 @ 2:30pm
Botox Angels – Feminism, Sexuality, Power, Art
 In a fascinating piece full of surprises three women explore their sexuality, bodies, power relationships, feminism, philosophy, iconic female artists.
Funny, erotic, dark, cerebral, physical … this play has it all!
May 2 – 7 2016 @ 9pm; Matinee May 7 @ 4pm
Straightened Out – A Musical Celebration of (Equal) Love
 Martin P. Koob brings us on a musical journey celebrating love and love songs. Enjoy a glass of wine and give in to romance at this late-night weekend show at the Cobalt Cafe.
May 6 & 7 @ 10:15pm
Waking Beauty – The Story of a Girl Who Wanted More
A little girl is raised to believe that happiness comes from her looks and being chosen to be loved one day by a man… But what if a girl demands more? This romantic drama reveals both hidden heroes and alternative happy endings.
May 2 – 7 @ 9pm; Matinees May 2 & 7 @ 4pm
… and don’t miss our Irish Historical Theatre Shorts featuring a real life lesbian love story from 1916 and our Marriage Equality comedy drama – ‘The Ref‘.
WEEK TWO – Mon May 9th to Sat May 14th
Erect But Unstable – Multi-Faceted Comedy about Queer Love
This gem from Canada explores queer love and sexuality through multiple monologues. Don’t miss this award-winning comedy drama.
May 9 – 14 @ 7:30pm; Matinee May 14 @ 2:30pm
F*cking Men – A Portrayal of Male Desire
Three gorgeous men star in this smash-hit play from London’s King’s Head Theatre. A look at the erotic encounters of 10 men searching for sexual satisfaction.
May 9 – 14 @ 7:30pm & Matinee May 14 at 2:30pm
5 Guys Chillin’ – True Stories of Drugs, Hook-ups and Grindr
This graphic and gripping play also from the ‘King’s Head Theatre’ explores real stories of real men from the world of ‘Chemsex’, Grindr and instant gratification…
May 9 – 14 @ 9pm; Matinee May 14 @ 4pm
Remember Me – Retracing a Relationship
Luc pays his ex a visit, both men searching for comfort and consolation. Swinging from hysteria to moments of tenderness a relationship is laid bare in this Irish drama.
May 9 – 14 @ 7:30pm; Matinee May 14 @ 2:30pm
Away From Home – A Male Escort & a Premiership Footballer
Male escort Kyle gets more than he bargained for when he is hired by a closeted premiership footballer. But can the truth be hidden forever in this exploration of sexuality and homophobia in the world of soccer.
May 9 – 14 @ 9pm
Proposal Under the Rainbow – Meet the Mother-in-Law!
Two fictional dynasties, the Jamesons and the Guinnesses are about to be united as Vivyan plans proposing to his partner Timothy. But first he must face a tricky challenge… the approval of his formidable future mother-in-law, Lady Dorothy! May 9 – 14 @ 9pm; Matinee May 14 @ 4pm
Alex seems like a normal 25 year old guy on the surface. But behind the moral facade he indulges in his deepest darkest desires. Don’t miss this high-energy adult drama from Germany.
May 9 – 14 @ 9pm; Matinee May 14 @ 4pm
… and from a moving coming-out tale to condoms to lesbian nuns and Julie Andrews don’t miss our sparkling selection of International Theatre Shorts.
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Programme Preview – 1916: Revolutionaries and Lovers
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Discover our special 1916 programme and please note some important programme changes
At IDGTF 2016 we celebrate heroes and history makers.
One of the highlights of the Festival is our special 1916 Rising programme, where we celebrate the courageous LGBT women and men who fought for personal and national freedom but whose true stories were suppressed or forgotten.
Through drama, short plays and our free seminar we will ensure that their incredible stories are finally heard, including fascinating accounts in their own words.
Don’t miss this special programme running as part of week one of the Festival from May 1st to 7th
Chaired by Seamus Dooley of the NUJ it will feature a distinguished panel of academics and writers who will explore the Rising from different perspectives.
This free event is open to all but please register online to guarantee a place.
Sunday May 1st at The Teachers Club (Main Hall): 12-3pm.
 This exciting new addition to the programme looks at one of Ireland’s most controversial revolutionary figures and famous gay icons – Roger Casement.
Drawing on his own journals, letters and writings – as well as the infamous ‘Black Diaries’ this play has been described by critics as ‘powerful’, ‘thought-provoking’ with ‘an impressive and assured performance’.
May 2 – 7 @ 7:30pm; Matinees May 2 & 7 @ 2:30pm;
(Replaces ‘Beautiful Friends’ advertised in the brochure)
Eirebrushed looks at the LGBT revolutionaries who fought for personal and Irish freedom and asks what they would think of the modern Ireland that was born from their struggles?
Named after courageous Nurse Elizabeth O’Farrell who was literally airbrushed from historical images of the Rising, this play also looks at Padraig Pearse, Roger Casement and Eva Gore-Booth the revolutionary sister of Countess Markievicz.
May 2 – 7 @ 7:30pm; Matinees May 2 & 7 @ 2:30pm.
May 2 – 7 @ 7:30pm.
New Festival Venue and New Book
Appropriately for our 1916 Centenary Programme we introduce a new Festival venue for 2016 – ‘The Pearse Centre’ on Pearse Street opposite Trinity College. Check our 2016 Venue Map for more.
 The plays ‘Eirebrushed’ and ‘Wretched Little Brat’ by Brian Merriman have been published in a single volume priced at €15 online including postage.
Also available for a limited period for just €10 direct from Festival venues and our soon to open Festival pop-up shop.
Learn new perspectives on the personalities surrounding 1916 and the lovers of Oscar Wilde.
Due to circumstances outside of our control, all performances of ‘Beautiful Friends’ and ‘To Kill A Machine’ have regrettably been cancelled. We apologise for any inconvenience caused. For any queries contact boxoffice@gaytheatre.ie
The good news is that we have added four new productions into the 2016 programme – more history makers, more comedy and more music!
‘McKenna’s Fort’ – the story of Roger Casement (see above)
 ‘A Sacrilegious Lesbian and Homosexual Parade’ – a straight drummer accidentally becomes a gay rights activist in the fight for LGBT inclusion the New York St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Don’t miss this witty and highly original take on the parade.
Wed 4, Thu 5, Sat 7 May @ 9pm; €10 matinee Sat May 7 @ 4pm.
‘Seriously. Camp. Cabaret’ – for one night only cabaret and burlesque favourites underCURRENT bring you drag, cabaret, burlesque and live music, from Broadway and pop hits to obscure gems.
Fri May 6 @ 9pm.
 ‘Dear Attracta’ – if you enjoyed the sell-out hit ‘Angela She Wrote: Lansbury the Musical’ in 2015 you’ll love this late-night drag and comedy show from GLAD Productions. Meet agony aunt Attracta Tension as she dishes out no nonsense replies – and songs – on life’s problems.
Fri May 13 & Sat May 14 @ 10:15pm.
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Festival Preview 2016 – May 2nd to 15th
Celebrate Heroes and History-Makers at IDGTF 2016!
IDGTF is the largest event of its kind in the world. It celebrates the contributions of the LGBT community through theatre and gives a valuable platform to talented and varied participants from Ireland and abroad.
Our programme is carefully curated by our Artistic Director from over 100 submissions to ensure high artistic standards. But most of all it is fun, exciting and open to all!
In 2016 we celebrate heroes and history makers. From ancient Greece to Oscar Wilde to 1916 and on to modern Ireland, Iran and Russia we explore where we have come from and where we now.
Our programme features revolutionaries, footballers, boxers, nuns, hedonists, feminists, geniuses, heroines, lovers, poets and more!
Here is a preview of the 2016 Festival Programme:
- A truly international line-up from Ireland, the UK, USA, Canada, Iran, Russia, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and Greece.
- Approximately 30 productions over 14 days and nights across 6 venues (over 180 performances of theatre in all)
- Drama, comedy, music, cabaret, dance, free events and more.
- Multiple World, European and Irish premieres.
- Exciting new collaborations with the leading LGBT theatre companies in the UK (King’s Head Theatre) as well as with the oldest LGBT theatre in the USA (TOSOS).
- A series of events related to the 1916 Rising – including full length and short plays and an academic seminar.
- New writing by female writers and directors in our ‘Feminists Awake’ programme.
- Irish Historical Short plays as well as International Shorts.
- A look at the 2015 Marriage Equality Referendum and its aftermath
- A nightly Festival Club where participants, audience, supporters and volunteers can socialise
- Saturday and Bank Holiday Monday daytime matinee performances at only €10
- Our closing ‘Gala and Awards Night’ where we celebrate excellence in the Festival with awards for acting, writing, aspects of production, intercultural-dialogue and contributions to LGBT theatre.
Julie Andrews, Alan Turing, Padraig Pearse, Oscar Wilde, Roger Casement and Helen of Troy will all be joining us for Festival 2016. We hope that you can join us too!
Musical Highlights 2014
2 actors, 8 characters and a whole host of fabulous costumes
From award winning Irish Director Mark Pollard, The Dressers is a bright new fun show, full of wonderful tunes, lots of laughs and of course real heart.
From ‘junkie’ to ‘functional’ with a little help from Madonna
‘Chicken- Fried Ciccone’ is an unapologetic comeback story about turning adversity into personal triumph. Starring last year’s GALA award winner J. Stephen Brantley.
An evening of music of legendary composer Stephen Sondheim
Starring Stella Bass, one of Ireland’s leading jazz singers, A Little (Jazz) Night Music features brand new jazz-inspired arrangements by acclaimed musician/arranger, Cian Boylan.
The decade of cheesy pop, too much eyeliner, and really big hair
Acceptable in the 80s – Lady K and Ruby Noir sing, play, perform and discuss the music of their favourite queer icons and artists of the camp 1980s, in this two-night-only prodcution.
David Turpin’s exclusive performance
Equal parts Laurie Anderson and Hans Christian Anderson, ‘The Late David Turpin’s’ meticulously curated electro-acoustic songs invites you into a beautifully unsettling otherworld.
Falling in love with a coke addicted rent boy…
Man Enough follows 18-year-old Chris loving life and conquering the world – one man at a time. But when he stumbles across Joey, love and sex will take on a whole new meaning.
A drag comedy musical extravaganza like no other!
Join Maggie in the 80’s as she gets lost in Soho on the eve of a vote to pass an anti-gay law. Catch the Irish Premiere of Margaret Thatcher Queen of Soho.
Comedy Highlights 2014
Is it possible to wear a strap-on without getting a wedgie?
Check out last year’s sell-out comedian, Breda Larkin, in her outrageous stand-up, Other Women’s Vaginas. You won’t want to miss this world premiere
comedy.
A drag comedy musical extravaganza like no other!
Join Maggie in the 80’s as she gets lost in Soho on the eve of a vote to pass an anti-gay law. Catch the Irish Premiere of Margaret Thatcher Queen of Soho.
Lesbian and Bi women bare all in hilarious storytelling play
In Lesbian Style we hear powerful warm tales from romance to role models, coming out to breaking up, bereavement to bejazzling in a revelation of honest heartfelt insight.
Savagely funny, relevant and moving.
Civil Parting is the unravelling of one of the first gay marraiges in South Africa , never straightforward, often hilarious, sometimes not…
Award-winning US comedy drama
Winner of Chicago’s best new LGBT writing award, At the Flash features the stories of five characters past & present. Both moving and funny and not to be missed.
Something for everyone in a packed ‘Shorts’ programme
The ever-popular programme of short plays returns, including a lesbian couple misremembering the night they first met and a handsome gay doctor who must confront his grandmother.
Their lives are about to go tits up…come watch!
The world of a couple who, seem to have it all, is about to unravel as they are forced to face the lies they have told each other, and themselves. See the premiere of Tits Up only at the IDGTF.
