Dublin’s Abbey Theatre Refuse Request For October 7th Play
Dublin’s Abbey Theatre refused to facilitate a play based on word-for-word testimony of the events of October 7th because the production did not “fit the remit” of its “programming aims and ambitions,” an Irish-born producer has claimed.
Phelim McAleer, alongside his wife, Ann McElhinney, wrote the play ‘Oct. 7: In Their Own Words,’ attracting worldwide coverage, including in The Daily Mail, The New York Post, and Fox News.
However, the producers faced obstacles in Ireland when Mr McAleer wrote to the Abbey Theatre to book the premises for private rental. The Abbey, which makes itself available for private as well as corporate hire, says on its website that it “provides a unique setting for events in the heart of Dublin city,” and tells visitors that “we look forward to welcoming you and your guests to the Abbey.”
“All spaces are available for daytime hire. Evening hires are also available, depending on the production schedule,” according to Ireland’s national theatre.
Mr McAleer, an Irish documentary filmmaker, told Gript that he reached out to the venue on August 27th 2024 detailing his request. In the correspondence, he asked if it would be possible to hire the Abbey Theatre for a staged reading of the play, adding that it would be “a private event for the Jewish community in Ireland and those who wish to learn more about the day and its significance.”
Those emails have been seen by Gript.
Mr McAleer explained that the play is “100 per cent verbatim,” consisting completely of eyewitness accounts of people who survived October 7th in Israel. Attaching media coveeage of the play, he also told the Abbey that it had completed an off-Broadway run in New York. The request was made that the play be staged around October 7th for the first anniversary (however Mr McAleer noted that another show was running at that time, so suggested another Sunday, October 27th 2024).
Having asked for a list of available dates to book the Abbey for a private event along with prices, an event co-ordinator for the 220-seat venue responded by informing the producer that the Abbey had been fully booked for an event on October 27th and “have been for a number of months now.”
In a further email, a staff member said that the venue had hit its quota for Sunday bookings for the season, and so would not be in a position to provide the space or the staff.
The dramatist received an email in September 2024 saying that the Abbey’s Events co-ordinator could speak to “senior staff and artistic management about this booking” because all hires, private or public “are subject to their approval and the suitability of such within our artistic programme.”
In November, Mr McAleer emailed again and asked whether the calendar for 2025 had opened up, and whether there would be any availability in January.
On November 15th, he was informed in an email that all co-productions and presentations on the Abbey Stages “are at the initiation of the Artistic Director.”
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