The Music Hall and Theatre History Website

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The Gate Theatre is situated on Parnell Square, Dublin and was built as an annex to the Rotunda Assembly Rooms both of which are part of the Rotunda Maternity Hospital complex. The Theatre has about 500 seats and the building itself has been standing since the late 18th century.

The building was converted into a Theatre by Hilton Edwards and Michael MacLiammoir and opened as The Gate Theatre in 1928 presenting a repertoire of European and American theatre and also classic theatre. It was here that Orson Welles, James Mason and Michael Gambon began their careers.

Above - The Auditorium of the Gate Theatre, Dublin - From the old Strand Electric house magazine; "Tabs", in June 1971 - Courtesy Alan Chudley

Edwards and MacLiamoir operated their theatre company on a shoestring but despite that the citizens of Dublin had the opportunity of enjoying the most wonderful evenings in the Theatre for many years. They also found time and sponsorship to tour America and Egypt and received a wonderful welcome in both countries.

Eventually there was a split with their main sponsor, Lord Longford, and it was decided that Lord Longford would set up his own company. It was named Longford Productions and Edwards & MacLiammoir continued with their company named Gate Productions. Each company took the Theatre for approximately 6 months each year. This enabled Gate Productions to tour for each of the 6 months. An ideal compromise.

Eventually Edwards & MacLiammoir and Lord Longford passed on and the baton was taken up by new people with a great love of the Theatre. The Gate Theatre has continued to this day and has been under the artistic directorship of Michael Colgan for the past 25 years.

A new wing was opened in 2008 at a cost of €6 million and this has considerably eased the shortage of space which was always a problem down through the years.

The Gate Theatre is a not-for-profit organisation administered by the Edwards/MacLiammoir Trust and funded in part by the Irish Arts Council.

Above text and image kindly sent in by Des Kerins.

You may like to visit the Gate Theatre's own Website here.

If you have any more information or images for this Theatre that you are willing to share please Contact me.