News

Professor N. Dharmarajan, Translating Ideas Across Cultures

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Prof. N. Dharmarajan
Prof. N. Dharmarajan. Photo: R. Ashok

Professor N. Dharmarajan has worked for 56 years translating over 170 works from various languages into Tamil. In an article in The Hindu we have learned that his very first work of translation was Sean O’ Casey’s The Worker Blows the Bugle appearing as Uzhaippaliyin Sanganatham in Janasakthi in 1958.

Professor Dharmarajan’s work includes translating many works into Tamil including all the works of Tolstoy (excluding War and Peace).  The work of a translator in bridging works and ideas across cultures is not an easy one and Professor Dharmarajan is responsible with introducing several new coinages into Tamil.

We are very proud indeed that Professor Dharmarajan’s wonderful journey began with a step hand in hand with Sean.

News

Gabrielle Reidy, Irish Actor, 1960 – 2014

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Gabrielle Reidy as Bessie Burgess
Gabrielle Reidy as Bessie Burgess in the Abbey Theatre’s production of The Plough and the Stars by Sean O’Casey. Photograph: Ros Kavanagh

It is deeply saddening to learn that  Gabrielle Reidy has died. Her career was bookended by roles in plays by Sean O’Casey at the Abbey Theatre. Starting as a child actor in The  Shadow of a Gunman in 1971 and with her last role her acclaimed performance as Bessie Burgess in The Plough and the Stars 2012.

In the intervening years she graced many productions on stage, television and film. More information is contained in her obituaries in The Guardian and The Irish Times.

Condolences to her family and friends.

Publications

Sean O’Casey’s Autobiographies Back in Print

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Sean O’Casey’s six part autobiography is back in print in three volumes as part of Faber and Faber’s Faber Finds series.

covers of Sean O'Casey's autobiographies published by Faber Finds
Sean O’Casey’s Autobiographies in three volumes by Faber Finds

They are available on Amazon in both the UK and US, or direct from Faber and Faber.

History

Sean O’Casey Features in the Abbey Theatre’s 110 Moments

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To celebrate its 110th anniversary the Abbey Theatre has produced a pictorial timeline of 110 important moments in its history from Éamon de Valera’s performance in A Christmas Hamper in 1905 to their writers salons nurturing the next generation of irish playwrights. Sean O’Casey features in two of these first as a listing in the submission logbook for Plough and the Stars and then in a stark image of the Abbey damaged terribly by fire in 1951 during a production of that same play. Remarkably the cast and crew managed to perform the play at the Peacock the next night.

Productions

Juno and the Paycock at the Playhouse Liverpool

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The acclaimed production of Juno and the Paycock staring Niamh Cusack and Des McAleer is currently on at the Playhouse in Liverpool after a run at the Bristol Old Vic.

Juno and the Paycock at the Playhouse Liverpool
Sean O’Casey’s Juno and the Paycock at the Playhouse Liverpool staring Niamh Cusack and Des McAleer

Directed by Gemma Bodinetz this production has won glowing reviews.

  • “it is a joyful and moving night out”
    The Daily Mail
  • “This powerful production with Niamh Cusack is a stark portrait of a divided house and country”
    The Guardian
  • “Gemma Bodinetz’s superlative revival”
    The Telegraph
  • “two splendid leads”
    The Independent
  • “A fine revival of O’Casey’s masterpiece”
    The Stage

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