Why London Cannot Keep Its Fools At Home
Uncovers the history of Smock Alley over three centuries, from the archaeological discovery in 2010 of the original theatre’s walls and roof, the struggle to bring the ruins back to life, and a return to staging performances. Built in 1662 the Smock Alley theatre soon established itself as one of these island’s most important theatres, regularly attracting fashionable patrons from as far afield as London. Managed by the legendary Thomas Sheridan, it was also where Katherine Philips became the world’s first female dramatist to stage her work, and where legends such as Garrick and Farquhar took their bows before the Empire’s fops, toffs and swells. When the theatre fell out of favour, the building became an equally storied church, the first Catholic church to ring its bells after 300 years of religious suppression. Why London Cannot Keep Its Fools At Home at last tells the story of the many, many lives of Smock Alley.
Presenter/Writer: Regan Hutchins.
A Soundsdoable Production for RTÉ lyric fm made with the support of the Sound & Vision Broadcasting Funding Scheme, a Broadcasting Authority of Ireland initiative.
(First tx Feb 2013)
RTÉ lyric fm, Sunday 30th January, 6pm-7pm