The Stage

Abbey’s artistic director to quit

Published Monday 12 July 2004 at 16:50 by Anthony Garvey

Abbey Theatre artistic director, Ben Barnes, is to step down in 2005 after six years in his post, to take up international theatre offers, including work in America.

Barnes took over at the Abbey in 2000 from Patrick Mason, one of the venue’s most successful artistic directors. His contract, which was due to run out at the end of this year, has now been extended for another 12 months. The possibility of a second term “didn’t arise”, he said, adding: “It was mutually agreed that six years was a good innings. It is important in a career to move on.”

His tenure at the theatre has been turbulent, both on and off the stage. With the Abbey board he backed a proposal that the theatre move from its traditional city centre venue, which is cramped and restrictive, to be redeveloped on a greenfield site being offered free in Dublin’s docklands. But the move was immediately vetoed by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and his then arts minister, Sile de Valera, which led to a general souring of relations between the national theatre and government.

Three years later, the government has still to decide whether the promised new Abbey will be built on the existing site, which will involve the extra cost and complication of acquiring adjoining properties, or at an alternative location. Arts minister John O’Donoghue has told parliament he will announce a decision before the end of what is the Abbey’s centenary year.

The onstage efforts of Barnes, an award-winning director, have also generated controversy. There were protests and walkouts over a production of Barbaric Comedies, a collaboration between the Abbey and Spanish director Calixo Bieito, which had provoked a strong reaction at the Edinburgh International Festival.

Equally controversial was Hinterland, the Sebastian Barry play based on the life and times of former Taoiseach Charles Haughey, which angered family members and provoked threats of legal action, while being panned by the critics. Barnes hit back by accusing the newspapers of sending their political correspondents to write the reviews.