EDITORIAL: ‘Wilde Stages’, Dublin’s Queer Theatre Festival, Lands Soon – Here’s What to Expect in Week 1, from Capitalism to Boybands, and Spaceships to Sligo

In it’s first edition under a its new name, Wilde Stages will arrive in Dublin from Monday 4th, billing itself as ‘Dublin’s Queer Theatre Festival’. Formerly the International Dublin Gay Theatre Festival, attendees will be able to experience a renewed programme exploring all aspects of LGBTQIA+ life both in Ireland and from far beyond. Keeping hold of the international theming, the festival also states clear aims to facilitate discussions, workshops, new writing, and youth participation in this year’s kaleidoscopic fortnight-long offering.

Under new artistic directorship led by stalwart international Fringe writer-director Sean Denyer, the first week will hold performances from Ireland, the USA, Canada, and the UK. Some of the shows also explore intercultural themes such as in Denyer’s self-penned piece Blindr (May 4-9, Theatre@36), which sees a Sligo man return home to care for his mother, aided by newly employed Ukrainian home helper Yuri. Meanwhile, Sombrero (May 4-9, Teachers Club) explores whether love ever really dies through the eyes of Danny, showing up at his ex’s house after abandoning his boyfriend Carlos at the airport.

Championing all identities within the LGBTQIA+ umbrella, the first week also sees a focus on trans-led work. UK-based American performer Dian Cathal brings Deadnamed (May 4-9, Teachers Club), a forty minute piece that looks to unpack and challenge narratives around the ‘loss’ associated with coming out as transgender. Meanwhile, Binge Fringe Queer Performers Award 2024 winners No Tits Theatre arrive at the festival with critically acclaimed ‘trans fleabag’ show F*ckboy (May 4-9, Theatre@36), performed by Freddie Haberfellner.

Dynamic and disruptive storytelling is also a major theme, with UK-based Binge Fringe writer Callie O’Brien performing her one-woman multimedia sci fi epic Shallowspace (May 4-9, Pearse Centre), exploring themes of legacy, bodily autonomy, and nostalgia through a trans perspective. Similarly unique in form, Irish Physical Theatre ensemble Quintessence Theatre examine and celebrate the lives of 3 LGBTQIA+ people born into different generations in The Bród, The Bold, & The Beautiful (May 7-9, Pearse Centre).

Among acclaimed names arriving at the festival, American physical theatre artist Bill Bowers will perform Beyond Words (May 4-9, Theatre@36), an on-going investigation into the silence surrounding matters of gender in culture today. Similarly examining modern culture, Deirdre Murphy’s Capitalism: The Musical calls itself a ‘counter brain-washing’, with a live band and physically dynamic staging. On the theme of music, Mark Powers’ The Land of Make Believe (May 4-9, Teachers Club) looks at the true story of joining the world’s first gay boyband, moving to Germany, and writing a musical.

Tickets for all of the mentioned shows & more can be purchased through the Wilde Stages: Dublin’s Queer Theatre Festival Website. Expect a roundup of what you can expect in the festival’s second week from Binge Fringe as we head live on the ground to Dublin from the end of next week.