The House Keeper

Busy times for Rough Magic, what with Neil Simon’s Plaza Suite at the Gaiety in February, Arthur Riordan’s Improbable Frequency at the same venue in March, and now the world premiere of The House Keeper, a new play by Morna Regan which previews at Project from 19 April and opens on Tue 24. Light-hearted comedy is put on the back burner in this psychological thriller, a darkly humorous drama exploring the nature of possession, entitlement and inheritance. Directed by Lynne Parker and featuring Cathy Belton, Ingrid Craigie and Robert O’Mahoney, it follows the plight of a desperate young woman who, threatened with homelessness, breaks into the house of a wealthy woman, but before long realises that she has disturbed a hornet’s nest of unimagined proportions. Runs til 12 May. www.roughmagic.ie www.projectartscentre.ie

The Importance of Being Earnest

Rough Magic at the Gaiety – it might seem an unusual venue for the magicians but they’ve actually been there before, and with another play by Oscar Wilde – Lady Windermere’s Fan, a very stylish black and white affair, back in 1994. What’s unusual about their latest production, The Importance of Being Earnest, is the sprinkling of Hollywood stardust in the shape of Stockard Channing, Tony and Emmy award winner and probably best known for her performances in The West Wing and Grease. Channing takes on the role of the formidable Lady Bracknell, and everyone will no doubt be waiting with bated breath for her utterance of those two memorable words: “A Handbag?” Joining her on stage will be a cast of Rough Magic regulars including Rory Keenan, Rory Nolan, Aoife Duffin, Gemma Reeves, Peter Daly, Darragh Kelly, Eleanor Methven and Arthur Riordan. Lynne Parker directs. Previews from Wed 2 June and opens on Tue 8. www.roughmagic.ie

Sodome, my love

A new show from Rough Magic is always worth waiting for, and this latest production looks particularly interesting. It’s the world premiere of Sodome, my love by French playwright Laurent Gaude, the first time his work has been performed in Ireland, and it features the excellent Olwen Fouere, an actor known for her vibrancy and integrity, not to mention her ability to take on challenging roles. She plays the last daughter of the notorious city of Sodome, a place once synonymous with freedom and sensuality (or evil and debauchery depending on your viewpoint) before it was cruelly destroyed. Now centuries later a downpour awakens the sole survivor, who emerges salt-caked and defiant to unravel the myth. Fouere doubles up as both performer and translator, with a top notch creative team headed up by director Lynne Parker, with design by Monica Frawley, lighting by John Comiskey and sound by Denis Clohessy. Laurent Gaude was awarded France’s most prestigious literary honour the Prix Goncourt for his epic novel Le Soleil des Scorta, published in the UK and US as ‘The House of Scorta’. Sodome, my love previews at Project from Fri 12 March and opens on Tues 16. Gaude will give a talk (also @Project) on Sat 20 as part of the second annual Journées de la Francophonie. www.projectartscentre.ie, www.rough-magic.com