4 reasons GIAF co-production Death at Intervals is a MUST-see at Dublin Theatre Festival

‘Death At Intervals’ is a surreal story about facing mortality featuring the Grim Reaper and a musician. It premiered at GIAF16 to critical acclaim, and now it’s opening at the Dublin Theatre Festival. Here’s why you can’t miss it.

1 The creative minds behind it

‘Death at Intervals’ is a GIAF co-production with renowned director and actor Kellie Hughes, who was inspired by Nobel Prize winner Jose Saramago’s darkly humorous novel exploring the theory that people in the modern world run away from the idea of death. It premiered at GIAF16 in July and the play combines theatre, music and original song lyrics. It’s all brought together by an exciting creative team which includes lighting designer Michael Cummins, master carpenter Cillian Ó Súilleabháin and costume designer Niamh Lunny.

2 It will make you think

It’s about life and death, a theme that resonates with everyone in some way. It probes us to question - what happens if death suddenly wasn’t part of life? Can we face up to our own mortality? Death (Fouéré) takes a holiday, so that people will realise just how necessary it actually is, and a young musician (Scannell) comes face to face with his mortality. The GIAF audience had a very personal reaction to the play, calling it “beautiful” and “sublime.”

3 The two-hander cast is phenomenal

The play stars renowned actors Olwen Fouéré and Raymond Scannell. Fouéré is a regular GIAF artist, having previously performed the critically acclaimed ‘Lessness’ and ‘riverrun’, which are both GIAF co-productions. ‘riverrun’ premiered at GIAF in 2013 before touring worldwide to London, Edinburgh, New York and Sydney, most recently, performing at the Kennedy Centre in Washington. Award-winning actor Scannell has toured internationally with Druid’s ‘The Walworth Farce’ by Enda Walsh and played ‘Barney Bagnal’ in Druid’s Production of ‘The Silver Tassie’ in New York.

Fouéré and Scannell in 'Death at Intervals'

4 The critics adored it

Fouéré’s performance was hailed by critics. Exuent Magazine described it as “a heartening display, a fresh realisation of femininity as Death stands by, listening to a song just for her."

The Dublin Theatre Festival is eighteen days of world-class theatre in a plethora of iconic venues across Dublin, from the cobblestoned streets of Temple Bar, to hallowed halls of Trinity College. ‘Death At Intervals’ runs from 4 - 8 October at Smock Alley Theatre. Tickets are available from Dublin Theatre Festival.

Galway International Arts Festival has a rich tradition of producing, and our co-productions tour around the world. Find out more here.