Olympia Theatre

Olympia Theatre, Dublin, one of the oldest surviving theatres in Dublin, situated off Dame Street. A music-hall opened on the site in 1855, which became Dan Lowrey's Star of Erin Music Hall in 1879. All the famous English performers of the time were seen here, and it was enormously successful. In 1897 it was completely rebuilt, providing substantially the building that survives today. It was known as the Empire Palace of Varieties until 1922, when it was renamed the Olympia. For many years legitimate drama was part of the repertoire, especially after 1940, when the Second World War prevented the engagement of visiting performers and Irish plays were performed regularly. From 1951 to 1964 the theatre had its own company, but also saw the return of English touring companies. In 1964 it was sold, but was leased by a group of theatre managers dedicated to preserving it, and up to 1974 successfully blended traditional variety with legitimate theatre, often in association with the Dublin Theatre Festival. In 1974 a serious structural collapse closed the theatre, but after generous financial support from both public and private sources it reopened in 1977 with Willy Russell's musical about the Beatles, John, Paul, George, Ringo … and Bert. Brian Friel's Translations had a notable production there in 1980. The theatre continues to present a mixture of musicals, variety, and straight drama.