O’Reilly Theatre

I came here during the Dublin Theatre Fest to see Camille O’Sullivan performing The Rape of Lucrece. It was on a Friday evening, and we rushed from work to get there on time. When we got there we were just on time but we couldn’t find the entrance!
Another lost theatre-​goer joined us in our quest to find this mythical entrance. Eventually we found a security guard outside the car park entrance and after assuring him all the gates around the building were closed he was nice enough to let us in through a backdoor.
We had booked our tickets online so they had our tickets ready and waiting for us on a nice envelope, that went pretty smoothly.
The auditorium is comfortable and even sitting on the end of the row we had a good view of the stage. The acoustics are great which was brilliant for this specific play, it enhanced beautifully the piano and voice.
I’ll be checking their programme to come back ;)
BTW, the play was absolute genius, I can’t recommend it enough if you ever get the chance to catch it somewhere else. Remember, Camille O’Sullivan performing ‘The Rape of Lucrece’ by the Royal Shakespeare Company. Full five stars to that!

The Dublin Theatre Festival invited New York’s Wooster Group to perform their version of Hamlet here, so off I traipsed, never even having heard of the O’Reilly theatre before. The entrance to the theatre is located in the courtyard of Belvedere College which is itself interesting. One feels that one is stepping into an Enid Blyton book (and feels compelled to speak in the third person). Anyway it’s a nice venue, the seats are tiered so you get a good view no matter where you are. I slipped into the second row and had a perfect view. The coffee shop is overpriced but sure it’s only to be expected. Belvedere’s history and philosophy of education is plastered all over the walls of the corridors and are probably worth a trip here in themselves. A really interesting place to visit.

For my birthday my wonderful friend treated me to probably one of the most amazing performances that I have ever seen. I had chills coupled with pumping adrenalin watching it. But I’ll get back to that later.
The venue itself looks unremarkable from the outside; I didn’t even realise that we have a Great Denmark street in Dublin. The venue has a large coffee and tea area, which is always good.
We arrived for the performance exactly on time but they would not allow us in, there was a crowd of us. All hell broke loose, it was really ridiculous because the show had not even started and all the commotion ended up disturbing the performers more. The manager came out at the interval and after the show to apologise profusely for some of her over zealous staff. Good PR points there.
The production company was DV8, and the production was, ‘To be straight with you.’ I beg you please, please, please try to see if this show is coming to a place near you — you simply must see it!
The venue did an amazing job with the art direction, the stage was revolutionised. The performers; did the most physically demanding dancing and acting that I have ever seen. Shocking violence of true stories of gay people being persecuted in third world countries coupled with pure comedy and all through dance.
It received a standing ovation. Afterwards a few of the audience got to go to the Q&A with the director and a panel of other important folks. It was broadcast on national radio. Most of the participants asked intelligent questions about religion & sexuality. I just wanted to know how the hell the genius director (Lloyd Newson) came up with the dance routines… OK I am gushing now, but it is that good — really.
Kudos to the venue too for hosting this production and doing such a great job. I will be back!

The O’Reilly Theatre presents a premium, varied and innovative programme within its auditorium with an emphasis on multi as well as inter cultural presentations with both Irish and International artists performing. The space comprises of one sizeable theatre space. I recently went to see a Christmas pantomime in the auditorium and got to witness first hand the considerable seating capacity, outstanding acoustics and high-​tech art staging and lighting apparatus, all working to ensure no production fails to disappoint.
With fully retractable raked seating and a mechanical stage platform, the auditorium is an exceedingly malleable space and boasts one of the widest stages in Dublin that can accommodate 590 people seated or 1000 people standing. However for more intimate presentations, the motorised stage platform raises from the ground to any preferable height up to stage level, creating a more enclosed stage area, with the bigger stage curtained-​off.
Moreover, the O’Reilly Theatre boasts broad backstage amenities and dressing rooms, meeting rooms, a bar/​refreshment area and a lecture theatre. Situated in the foyer, adjoined to the theatre is the bar that is appropriate for any conference registration, refreshments or drinks reception. Seating can be set in an abundance of ways to suit your requirements from theatre to boardroom style or possibly in a more unceremonious, candlelit nightclub style.

This is an excellent theatre venue hidden in a college on Dublin’s north side. The place obviously has a school feel to it, but the actual stage is great.
I have seen a couple of things here and they seem to focus on alternative productions and host plays as part of the Dublin Theatre Festival or the Fringe. It is a bit hard to find, the map from their own website doesn’t help you much as the street names are all wrong — so look it up before you head there.