Dead Centre
Chekhov’s First Play
As part of Dublin Theatre Festival

September 24 – October 3

at Dublin Theatre Festival
Samuel Beckett Theatre
Trinity College Dublin
College Green, Dublin 2

“I’m having absolutely nothing to do with the theatre or the human race. They can all go to hell.”
– Anton Chekhov

During the turmoil of the Russian Revolution in 1917, Maria Chekhov, Anton’s sister, placed many of her late brother’s manuscripts and papers in a safety deposit box in Moscow.

In 1921 Soviet scholars opened the box, and discovered a play. The title page was missing. The play they found has too many characters, too many themes, too much action. All in all, it’s generally dismissed as unstageable. Like life.

Dead Centre, creators of the OBIE award-winning Lippy (also winner of a Fringe First and Herald Angel Award and the Irish Times Theatre Award for Best Production), return to do injustice to a great playwright.

Chekhov before he was Chekhov.

Directed by Bush Moukarzel and Ben Kidd

Starring: Liam Carney, Breffni Holohan, Rory Nolan, Rebecca O’Mara, Annie Ryan, Dylan Tighe, and WBO Middleweight Champion of the World, Andy Lee
Design Andrew Clancy and Grace O’Hara
Sound Design Jimmy Eadie
Lighting Design Stephen Dodd
Costume Design Saileóg O’Halloran

Running Time: 75 minutes

A Battersea Arts Centre and Irish Arts Center Commission 

Co-produced by Dublin Theatre Festival, Baltoscandal (Rakvere). Project co-produced by NXTSTP, with the support of the Culture Programme of the European Union. Supported by Irish Theatre Trust. Funded through an Arts Council Theatre Project Award.