This book examines the dramatic rewritings that emerged in the period 1970-2007, during which stage adaptations flourished in Ireland. The year 1970 marked the beginning of a significant theatrical renaissance in Ireland, recalling that which occurred in the early twentieth century. This renewal was characterized by the prominence of major playwrights such as Brian Friel, Tom Murphy and Thomas Kilroy. The essays collected in this volume seek to provide new perspectives on theatre adaptation in Ireland, while shedding light on the particular features of the contemporary Irish theatre landscape. Far from being an exhaustive history of theatre adaptation, these articles, using differing methodologies, investigate the many ways in which adaptation has left its imprint on Irish theatre since the 1970s.
Appended to this book is a DVD that offers excerpts from a staged reading of Enda Walsh’s Pondlife Angels. This DVD also includes the recording of a roundtable discussion, in which two Irish directors express their views on contemporary Irish theatre.