Theatre: Gate Theatre, Dublin 1

Reliable access in a protected building, it's possible

Gate Theatre
gatetheatre.ie
Cavendish Row, Parnell Square, Dublin 1

Standing outside the main entrance of the Gate, my pals and I confessed that none of us were actually familiar with the story of Brian Friel’s Dancing at Lughnasa. “Dancing?” “Shawls?” “Women?” were the possible themes we had to work with. The suggestion that things could be a little An Triail-y was also thrown out there. All we knew was: Ireland in the past; misery. And it might also be said that perhaps our English syllabus in secondary school could have enlightened us all a little more.

Indeed, Ireland’s past (and present) is drip, drip, dripping in misery, but Dancing at Lughnasa tells us, or warns us, what happens when we avoid, embrace and then reject joy. Sometimes the odds are stacked up against us, and there’s very little that can be done, but to treat joy as the enemy, a cardinal sin, will only back us further into the corner. Just a light life lesson for us all to think upon.

And while there were no shawls, there were women, and there was dancing. Set in 1936, the concerns of the Mundy women - money, love, employment, domestic labour, sibling tensions - are evergreen. So if the moment comes and you need to smile, laugh, dance or sing, take it. When so much is out of our control, the small and large moments of happiness are to be taken wherever possible.

The show runs until September 21, and it is in high demand, so nab that joy and book a ticket.