YOUtopia

A performance intervention, a moment to take hold of the urgent housing needs, a chance to go on the Abbey Stage and say it as it is, as well as an invite to the Abbey to come and play “The Plough and The Stars” in Dublin 8.

YOUtopia is developed in collaboration with and supported by 4 re-generation communities in Dublin 8 and Dublin 2 (St. Teresa's Gardens, Fatima, Dolphin House and Charlemont Regeneration Boards), Dublin Simon Community and part of our 3 year residency with the Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital (CWIUH), supported by Professor Chris Fitzpatrick.

YOUtopia is a collaborative theatre project in response to the housing crisis, coming from a long-term enquiry by OT Platform into social housing in Ireland in Dublin. Sharing the stage with The Abbey's centenary production of The Plough and the Stars begs the question what O'Casey and the 1916 revolutionaries would think of our current housing crisis.

In YOUtopia Queen Maeve, an Irish Celtic warrior queen, is confronted with the present day housing crisis. A lost woman is displaced and searches for the curb with the crack, five feet away from the wall that used to hold her inside. Private and Public meet and engage in a flirtation to figure out if they can form another Perfect Public, Private, Partnership. Hipsters refuse to protest and homeless people dance. Through choreographed chaos this cast of nine searches for our communal YOUtopia.  

Outlandish Theatre took over the Abbey Theatre stage on Friday afternoon (13 May, 2015) to present YOUtopia, a startling new performance responding to the urgent housing need. YOUtopia was written and developed in collaboration with four regeneration communities directly affected by the housing crisis (St. Teresa’s Gardens, Fatima, Dolphin House and Charlemont).

The play was followed by an emotional post-show discussion led by a high-profile panel of cross-community thinkers and activists including Senator Lynn Ruane, Sam McGuinness (Dublin Simon Community), Dr. Lorcan Sirr (DIT), Professor Chris Fitzpatrick (Coombe Hospital), Paul (Client of Dublin Simon Community), Maud Hendricks (Artistic Director of Outlandish Theatre).

The post-show discussion “thoughts on the housing crisis beyond the desire to protest” was framed as a chance to brainstorm and imagine new solutions to the housing and homeless crisis. Professor Chris Fitzpatrick called for a new creative imagination while Senator Lynn Ruane spoke strongly about the need for electoral protest.

The diverse audience included residents from the five regeneration communities, clients from the Dublin Simon Community, Outlandish Theatre’s established followers, and a wide cross-section of the public.

“Huge anger and passion” could be heard in the testimonies of those directly affected by homelessness which predominated the post-show discussion and highlighted the desperate need for urgent change. Poetician John Cummins closed out the event with his reflections on the crisis with three poems.

The performance was made in exchange with Abbey Theatre's Outreach and Education Department and is supported by DCC​​​​ and community partners.

Outlandish Theatre develops their work as part of an artist residency at the Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital in Dublin 8.