Rough Magic Theatre Company: New Irish Plays and Adaptations - Play

In this review of Rough Magic Theatre Company: New Irish Plays and Adaptations, the book is presented as a focused anthology for readers and practitioners interested in contemporary Irish theatre. The bottom line: this collection is best for directors, actors, and students seeking a compact survey of new Irish playwriting from 2010 to 2018, and the single biggest reason to buy is its combination of original dramas and inventive adaptations that together showcase the company's adventurous programming and distinct voice. The review evaluates the plays' range, the contributors' variety, and the anthology's value as a snapshot of modern Irish stage work.

Key Features

• Anthology of five plays: Brings together work by both established and emerging playwrights to offer variety across styles and concerns.
• New adaptations of classics: Includes fresh adaptations of Peer Gynt and Phaedra that demonstrate how classics can be reimagined for contemporary Irish stages.
• Thematic range: Covers urgent contemporary topics such as sex and sexuality, emigration and climate change, giving the collection topical resonance for modern audiences.
• Contributions by notable writers: Features plays from Hilary Fannin, Ellen Cranitch, Arthur Riordan, Sonya Kelly, Morna Regan, and Shane Mac an Bhaird, offering a cross-section of voices.
• Foreword by Anne Enright: A foreword from a Booker Prize-winning novelist frames the collection and situates it within broader Irish letters.

Who It's For

This collection will be most useful to theatre practitioners - directors, actors and dramaturgs - who need contemporary scripts that speak to social issues and adaptable source material for new productions. It also suits students and teachers of playwriting who want to study how modern Irish playwrights negotiate adaptation alongside original storytelling.

Readers looking for a single-author collected plays volume or a comprehensive history of the company should look elsewhere; this is a curated snapshot rather than an exhaustive archive, and its focus is on fresh dramatic work rather than detailed institutional history.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Varied authorship offers a lively mix of perspectives and stylistic approaches across the five plays.
• Adaptations of classics provide useful models for reworking canonical texts into contemporary settings.
• The foreword by Anne Enright adds authoritative context and literary framing to the collection.

Cons

• As a short anthology, it may leave readers wanting more plays or deeper company history.

Specifications

Title	Rough Magic Theatre Company: New Irish Plays and Adaptations
Series	Methuen Drama Play Collections, 22
Contributors	Hilary Fannin; Arthur Riordan; Sonya Kelly; Shane Mac an Bhaird; Morna Regan; Ellen Cranitch; Patrick Lonergan
Foreword	Anne Enright
Content focus	Five plays including adaptations of Peer Gynt and Phaedra; themes: sex, sexuality, emigration, climate change
Period covered	2010-2018

Our Verdict

Rough Magic Theatre Company: New Irish Plays and Adaptations is a concise, well-curated snapshot of contemporary Irish playwriting that will repay directors, students and theatre readers who want material with topical urgency and inventive adaptations. It is good value as a primer on the company's daring programming and a sourcebook of scripts suitable for study or small-scale production.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many plays are in this collection?
The anthology gathers five plays, including two notable adaptations and several original dramas.

Who wrote the foreword?
The foreword is written by novelist Anne Enright, offering literary context for the plays.

Does the book include stage directions and production notes?
As a play collection it presents the plays for reading and potential production, but it is primarily a scripts anthology rather than a full production dossier.