Jimmy's Hall

Today we went to Dublin's Abbey Theatre to see Jimmy's Hall.  It is the musical adaptation of the 2014 film.  It is the true story of Jimmy Gralton who is the only Irishman to have been deported from his own country because he was deemed a threat to national security.  The rural dancehall, where he encouraged the local community to dream of a better life, was in conflict with the local parish priest and so the conflict begins.

The show was awesome!  Great music and dancing but it's incredible is that it was based on actual events.  It's hard to believe the influence held by the Catholic Church in Ireland in the 1930s (and beyond).

The Abbey Theatre, also known as the National Theatre of Ireland, first opened in 1904.  It's a small venue with seating for just under 500 people.  After a fire, the theatre was rebuilt at its current location in 1966.  In 1925 it received an annual subsidy from the Irish Free State making it the world's first English-speaking, state-subsidised theatre.  There are plans to built a new, larger theatre at the Liffey quays but there's no sign of when construction will begin.

Here's the promotion video for Jimmy's Hall that I found out on YouTube.

©Abbey Theatre