Theatre and Space: Druid\u27s Productions of Tom Murphy\u27s Plays, 1984-1987

This study analyses the relationship between the theatre company Druid and Irish playwright Tom Murphy to discern how Druid successfully toured Murphy\u27s plays abroad despite the perception that his work is viewed as popular only in Ireland. This research also considers how the relationship assisted Druid\u27s development as an international touring company. Druid\u27s productions of Tom Murphy\u27s plays between 1984 and 1987 tell us important things about both parties. Therefore, this study allows for a reconsideration of key aspects of the recent history of theatre in Ireland, which have multiple applications, not just in Ireland but elsewhere. To achieve those goals, this study shows how the company and the writer undertook a shared investigation of the spatial relationships manifested both through migration, as represented in Murphy\u27s plays, and mobility, as enacted by Druid\u27s touring productions of Murphy\u27s plays. This suggestion raises the possibility that Druid\u27s original stagings of Tom Murphy\u27s plays, and any subsequent tours of those plays, provide key examples of the interaction of geographic, societal, and theatrical spatial relationships. These interconnections include relationships between the nation and the outside world, between rural and urban spaces within the nation, between onstage and offstage spaces, between the performance space\u27s physical location and its community, and between public relations material (which constructs the play in a particular way to potential audience members) and the audience. By providing textual and production analysis of each of the Murphy plays that Druid produced, this research provides a framework for the analysis of the interrelationship between company, playwright, and audience.2017-02-2

<b>Druid theatre's economics: the first decade</b><br>

This article considers the relationship between Druid Theatre's productions and its administration during the company's first decade by investigating the links between three features:  the company's fundraising practices; Druid's infrastructure development in terms of personnel and physical space; and the organisation's programming choices.  Druid's artistic partnership with Irish playwright Tom Murphy is also examined as it assisted in launching Druid's international touring when Murphy's Conversations on a Homecoming was the first Druid production to travel outside of the United States/United Kingdom festival circuit

Theatre and Space: Druid's Productions of Tom Murphy's Plays, 1984-1987

This study analyses the relationship between the theatre company Druid and Irish playwright Tom Murphy to discern how Druid successfully toured Murphy's plays abroad despite the perception that his work is viewed as popular only in Ireland. This research also considers how the relationship assisted Druid's development as an international touring company. Druid's productions of Tom Murphy's plays between 1984 and 1987 tell us important things about both parties. Therefore, this study allows for a reconsideration of key aspects of the recent history of theatre in Ireland, which have multiple applications, not just in Ireland but elsewhere. To achieve those goals, this study shows how the company and the writer undertook a shared investigation of the spatial relationships manifested both through migration, as represented in Murphy's plays, and mobility, as enacted by Druid's touring productions of Murphy's plays. This suggestion raises the possibility that Druid's original stagings of Tom Murphy's plays, and any subsequent tours of those plays, provide key examples of the interaction of geographic, societal, and theatrical spatial relationships. These interconnections include relationships between the nation and the outside world, between rural and urban spaces within the nation, between onstage and offstage spaces, between the performance space's physical location and its community, and between public relations material (which constructs the play in a particular way to potential audience members) and the audience. By providing textual and production analysis of each of the Murphy plays that Druid produced, this research provides a framework for the analysis of the interrelationship between company, playwright, and audience.2017-02-2