The Darkest Corner - No Escape: Interpreted Play, Peacock Theatre

A series of presentations that shine a light into ‘the darkest corner of the history of the State’. 

In May of last year the high court judge Sean Ryan finally revealed the 2,600-page report of Ireland’s Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (commonly known as the Ryan Report). This report followed a nine year investigation into allegations of child sexual, physical and emotional abuse in Catholic Church-run institutions.

In responding to the report, Taoiseach Brian Cowen claimed it shone a powerful light into ‘the darkest corner of the history of the State’. Under the title, The Darkest Corner, we present a series of powerful work which both remembers the findings and reflects on the systemic abuse revealed within state-funded and regulated institutions.

The Darkest Corner series begins with No Escape a piece of documentary theatre based on the findings of the Ryan Report.

No Escape is compiled and edited by celebrated writer and journalist Mary Raftery and directed by Róisín McBrinn. Mary’s 1999 film States of Fear and follow up book Suffer the Little Children exposed the widespread abuse of children in institution run by the Church.

No Escape marks a major departure for us. It is the first time we have commissioned a piece of documentary theatre to investigate current or recent events in Irish society.

Please note: there will be a wheelchair accessible performance of No Escape on Tuesday 20 April at 8pm in the Liberty Hall Centre. Phone bookings only for this performance on 01 87 87 222.

The Darkest Corner continues with a reading of Richard Johnson’s courtroom drama The Evidence I Shall Give, which premiered at the Abbey in 1961 and concludes with Gerard Mannix Flynn’s play, James X, a Farcry productions presentation.

No Escape
Wednesday 14 – Saturday 24 April
Preview Tuesday 13 April
8pm, Saturday matinee 2.30pm
Tickets: €15 – €25

Wheelchair accessible performance: Tuesday 20 April at 8pm, Liberty Hall Centre NB change of venue for this performance

Sign language interpreted performance: Thursday, 22 April. For more information about our assisted performances, click here.