by Saoirse Anton

July is upon us, and the summer is well underway. You might be packing your bags to head to far-flung places, pitching a tent somewhere in the sunny South East or along the Wild Atlantic Way, or maybe you are just hoping that the weekend will be sunny so you can escape to your nearest beach or lake for an afternoon’s mini holiday. Whatever your summer escape looks like, we all need one sometimes, so why not find an evening’s escape in your local theatre. Leave real life at the door and enjoy an evening being transported to another world by the actors on stage.

As your friendly theatrical travel agent, here are my recommendations for stagey escapes this July.

Beckett sa Chreig: Guth na mBan

I am an unabashed Beckett nerd. I love his writing and when I saw that the excellent Company SJ and An Taibhdhearc were teaming up to produce Beckett sa Chreig: Guth na mBan/The Woman’s Voice, I was very excited. This show brings together four short Beckett works – Not I, Rockaby, Footfalls and Fizzle 4 – performed in a new immersive Irish language production, inspired by the language and landscape of Inis Oírr. With English audio access for anyone who does not understand Irish, this production is one not to be missed, whether you are an English speaker or a Gaelgeoir.

Beckett sa Chreig: Guth na mBan runs at An Taibhdhearc from 14-19th July, with previews on the 11th and 12th July

MOSH

Returning after an award-winning run at Dublin Fringe Festival 2023, Rachel Ní Bhraonáin’s MOSH blends raucous dance, live music, interviews with real mosh pit devotees, and new writing in a celebration of a much-misunderstood cultural phenomenon, the Mosh Pit.

MOSH promises to be an exhilarating and entertaining production, described by the Irish Times as a show that “explode[s] onto the stage in a flurry of bodies, potent bursts of energy and passionate releases.”

MOSH is at An Grianán Theatre on the 5th July

The Genesis

Heading back to Galway for another very physical show, we meet Copenhagen Collective’s The Genesis, playing at the Black Box Theatre Galway as part of Galway International Arts Festival. Described as a show that is a “powerful sensory journey,” The Genesis features an ensemble of 17 acrobats from 14 countries in their first production as a collective. I have only had the opportunity to see video clips of their work so far, but from those I suspect Copenhagen Collective are a company to watch!

The Genesis runs at the Black Box Theatre Galway from the 22nd-26th July

The Cave

Staying with the Galway International Arts Festival programme, we move from newcomers to the stage to some longstanding names in Irish Theatre. Written by Kevin Barry and directed by Catríona McLoughlin, The Cave is a brand new play premiering at the Townhall Theatre Galway this month. With a star cast of Aaron Monaghan, Judith Roddy and Tommy Tiernan, this black comedy set in a cave in the mountains of Sligo looks set to be a captivating new work from the pen of Kevin Barry.

The Cave runs at the Townhall Theatre Galway from the 22nd-26th July.

The Beacon

From black comedy in Sligo to a murder mystery in Cork, there is no shortage of thrilling plays available on our stages this month. The Everyman Cork is staging a revival of Nancy Harris’ The Beacon. Following the story of Beiv, a celebrated artist whose husband died in mysterious circumstances a decade ago, and her son Colm, who has returned to Ireland seeking answers, The Beacon asks can we ever really know the truth of a thing – a person, a place or a work of art? And if we could, would we want to?

The Beacon runs at The Everyman Cork from the 4th – 19th July

The Tunnel

Another Irish premiere is on the horizon this month with The Tunnel at the Lyric Theatre Belfast. Written and directed by Academy Award winner Terry George, The Tunnel, tells the story of a breakout plan set at Long Kesh prison camp in 1976. With each potential escapee plotting for their own reasons – fighting, flight or survival – The Tunnel is sure to raise interesting questions in an exhilarating theatrical story.

The Tunnel runs at the Lyric Theatre Belfast from 31st July to the 16th August

The Liberties Festival

Those of you in the East of the country may be feeling I’ve neglected you somewhat in these listings, but never fear. Dublin-dwellers have a whole host of events to enjoy at the Liberties Festival. From walking tours to workshops and bee-keeping to the Blue Rinse Ball, there’s something for everyone in the programme, so dive in and take a look!

The Liberties Festival runs at various venues in Dublin from the 21st – 27th July