Waking the Nation, the Abbey Theatre's programme for the 1916 Centenary Programme will run from January to September 2016.
To commemorate and acknowledge the major historical events of 1916, the Abbey Theatre is extending an invitation to artists and audiences to reflect on the past and to embark on a new round of reflection about the Ireland of today and of the future. Waking the Nation features an exciting roll-call of new Irish voices and major revivals of some of the great plays from the Abbey Theatre repertoire.
On the 24th of April 1916 actors and staff of the Abbey Theatre took to the streets to fight in the Easter Rising. They believed culture was a driving force for change and revival in society and that theatre was a political act. One hundred years on The Abbey still believe this to be true.
The Abbey Rebels were: Sean Connolly, a member of the Irish Citizen Army, he was the first rebel fatality; Máire nic Shiubhlaigh, member of Cumann na mBan; Helena Molony, a trade union and a Citizen Army leader; Ellen Bushell, an usher; Barney Murphy, a stage hand and Irish Volunteer; Arthur Shields, an Irish Volunteer who later found fame as a Hollywood actor and Peadar Kearney, prop-man and author of the Irish national anthem The Soldier’s Song.
The Abbey Theatre will unveil a new and updated plaque to honour the Abbey Rebels during 2016 to take account of more names that should be acknowledged and remembered.
Beidh ‘Waking the Nation’, clár Amharclann na Mainistreach do Chlár Comórtha Céad Bliain, 1916, ar siúl idir Eanáir agus Meán Fómhair 2016.
Chun comóradh a dhéanamh ar mhór-imeachtaí stairiúla 1916 agus chun iad a aithint, tá cuireadh á thabhairt ag Amharclann na Mainistreach d’ealaíontóirí agus do lucht féachana a machnamh a dhéanamh ar an am atá thart agus tosú amach ar bhabhta nua machnaimh maidir le hÉirinn na linne seo agus amach anseo. Tá clár iontach i gceist le Waking the Nation ar a bhfuil tallann nua ó Éirinn agus léirithe nua de roinnt de na drámaí den scoth a cuireadh ar stáitse na hamharclainne roimhe seo.
Ar an 24 Aibreán 1916, thug aisteoirí agus foireann Amharclann na Mainistreach faoi na sráideanna chun dul i mbun troda in Éirí Amach na Cásca. Chreid siad go raibh an cultúr ina cheann feadhna ar an athrú agus ar an athbheochan sa tsochaí agus gur ghníomh polaitiúil a bhí sa téatar. Céad bliain ina dhiaidh sin, creideann Amharclann na Mainistreach gur amhlaidh atá.
Ba iad seo a leanas Reibiliúnaigh Amharclann na Mainistreach: Seán Connolly a bhí in Arm Cathartha na hÉireann, ba é an chéad reibiliúnach a maraíodh; Máire Nic Shiubhlaigh, a bhí páirteach i gCumann na mBan; Helena Molony a bhí ina ceannaire i gceardchumann agus san Arm Cathartha; Ellen Bushell, uiséir; Barney Murphy, giolla stáitse agus duine d’Óglaigh na hÉireann; Arthur Shields, duine d’Óglaigh na hÉireann a bhain cáil amach ina dhiaidh sin mar aisteoir in Hollywood; agus Peadar Kearney, fear frapaí arbh é a scríobh Amhrán na bhFiann.
Nochtfaidh Amharclann na Mainistreach plaic úrnua, nua-shonraithe in onóir Reibiliúnaigh Amharclann na Mainistreach i rith 2016. Áireofar ainmneacha breise ar an bplaic ar cheart iad a chomóradh agus cuimhneamh orthu.