Theatre – Dublin

Bord Gáis Energy Theatre Priscilla Queen of the Desert Iconic musical Priscilla Queen of the Desert – adapted from the acclaimed 1994 film - comes to the Bord Gáis as part of its tour of the UK and Ireland. Starring Strictly Come Dancing winner Joe McFadden (Holby City, Casualty, Heartbeat), Priscilla is the adventure of three friends who hop aboard a battered old bus bound for the Outback to put on the show of a lifetime. With more glitter than ever before, this smash-hit show features a dazzling array of stunning costumes, fabulous feathers and a non-stop parade of dance-floor classics including ‘Hot Stuff ’, ‘I Will Survive’, ‘I Love the Nightlife’ and ‘Finally’.

Dates: Feb 3 - 8 Tel: 01 677 7999 or visit www.bordgaisenergytheatre.ie

Also at the Bord Gais this month: Swan Lake Feb 10 - 15, The Sleeping Beauty Feb 12, The Nutcracker Feb 13, Blood Brothers Feb 18 - 29

The Abbey Theatre Hansel and Gretel The lure of a gingerbread house, the frightening hocus pocus of the predatory witch and the smarts of the children who triumph in the end … all are wrapped up in the delicious sounds of Engelbert Humperdinck’s operatic masterpiece. One of the greatest operas about children, Hansel and Gretel is sweet and beguiling, combining childlike simplicity with heartaching beauty. Irish National Opera, Theatre Lovett and the Abbey Theatre collaborate on this compelling production, reimagined in a mysterious modern setting. Don’t be fooled. This is a story of greed and starvation, mouthwateringly sugar-coated.

Dates: Feb 8 – 15 Tel: 01 887 2200 or visit www.abbeytheatre.ie

Also at the Abbey this month: What I (Don’t) Know About Autism Feb 1 – 8, The Fall of the Second Republic Feb 24 – Mar 14

The Gate Theatre Our New Girl

psychological drama. Focusing on an upmarket London family, a plastic surgeon has embarked on his latest charitable mission, leaving his wife alone with their troubled 8-year-old son. An Irish nanny arrives on the scene with her own agenda, leading to a climactic ending where tensions boil over.

Dates: Feb 27 – Mar 21 Tel 01 874 4045 or visit www.gatetheatre.ie

Also at the Gate this month: Medea Jan 30 – Feb 22

The Olympia Theatre David McSavage / The Night Joe Dolan’s Car Broke Down

As part of the Olympia’s packed February programme, Irish comedian David McSavage (The Savage Eye) is back with his brand new stand up show Poor Me and the Bastards. Focusing on topics like online dating, poor life choices and self-improvement, it sees McSavage at his most brilliantly funny while walking happily towards his inevitable doom. Meanwhile, hit music and comedy show The Night Joe Dolan’s Car Broke Down is returning to the venue. It tells the story of a rural pub in Cavan that unexpectedly receives a knock on its door from legendary Irish singer Joe Dolan, bringing the night’s entertainment to a whole new level.

Dates: Feb 13 / Feb 18 - 23 Tel: 01 679 3323 or visit www.olympia.ie

Also at the Olympia this month: Billionaire Boy Feb 5 – 9, Keith Barry – Insanity Mar 5 - 7

The Gaiety Theatre The Lieutenant of Inishmore

On a lonely road on the island of Inishmore, someone killed Mad Padraic’s cat. He’ll want to know who when he gets back from a stint of torture and chip-shop bombing in Northern Ireland. He loves his cat more than life itself, and someone is going to pay. Set in the 1990s, The Lieutenant of Inishmore is a clever satire on terrorism, the beautification of violence in contemporary culture and a hilarious farce in true Martin McDonagh (In Bruges; Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri) fashion. For more information, see page 10.

Dates: Jan 27 – Mar 14 Tel: 0818 719 388 or visit www.gaietytheatre.ie

Smock Alley Theatre Scene + Heard Festival Scene + Heard is a Dublin 8 based festival that showcases the best tasters of never before seen theatre, comedy and music from all over Ireland. Programming a variety of wild and wonderful performances within an hour at very happy prices, the public then chooses which they like best and are able to give feedback in a myriad of ways.

Dates: Feb 12 - 29 Tel 01 677 0014 or visit www.smockalley.com

Also at Smock Alley this month: Zandra, Queen of Jazz Feb 2 – 3, Grimm Tales Feb 5 – 8,

Dlr Mill Theatre Eclipsed Eclipsed by Patricia Burke Brogan is set in a Magdalene laundry during the 1960’s, one inspired by the playwright’s own experience as a young novitiate. The show highlights the plight of four women who struggle to bear the austerity of their existence and desire to break the shackles of this landmark of societal repression. Described as poignant, funny, moving and sad, the play is said to starkly remind audiences of the brutal intolerance of ‘female deviance’ in our country’s not so distant past, while also detailing a journey of friendship, love, hope and survival.

Dates: Feb 4 - 8 Tel 01 296 9340 or visit www.milltheatre.ie

Also at the Mill Theatre this month: All My Sons Feb 11 – 15, Alone it Stands Feb 19 – 22, Romeo and Juliet Feb 27 – Mar 13, The Complete Works of Shakespeare (Abridged) Feb 27 – 29, Schmidt Happens Feb 27 - 28, Baz Ashmawy’s Family Matters Feb 29 – Mar 1.