President Michael D. Higgins and First Lady Sabina Higgins will attend a reception at the Focus Theatre at 7.30pm on Sunday 29th April to mark the closure of the Venue after 45 Years of performance and the training of actors in Stanislavski.

The reception will include invited guests from the O’Connell and Kelly Families as well as artists and friends from the theatre and business world.

A presentation will also be made to the out-going Chairman Kevin O’Brien who stands down after 24 years service to the Focus Theatre.

A private performance of Hollywood Valhalla by Aidan Harney will be performed to mark the end of productions at the venue.

Deirdre O Connell founded the organisation in 1963 with the venue opening in 1967. Her husband folk legend Luke Kelly was its first Patron. The founding Company members included Sabina Higgins along with Tom Hickey, Tim Mc Donnell, Johnny Murphy and Joan Bergin. The theatre was the first to introduce Irish audiences to the plays of Beckett, Sheppard, Ibsen and Strindberg as well new writers such as Malachi McKenna and Elizabeth Moynihan. It also presented world premieres by Irish writers including John Banville, Brian Mc Avera and Tom McEntyre.  Many major talents offstage and screen started their careers their including Brendan Coyle and Gabriel Byrne. The Focus Theatre produced over 300 plays between 1967 and 2012.

The Focus will continue to produce plays in other venues and will celebrate its 50th year in 2013.

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Focus Theatre is leaving its theatre premises at 6, Pembroke Place at the end of April. It has been resident in the theatre for 45 Years. In the absence of Arts Council support Focus is unable to pay the rent on its theatre premises.

Focus is also responding to the policy of The Arts Council which encourages arts organizations to be self supporting. Due to the small size of the building the Theatre cannot generate sufficient income from productions to make itself-sustaining. Mindful of this, the Board of Focus Theatre is looking for a new and more viable space which will meet the requirements of The Arts Council.

Deirdre O Connell and her husband Luke Kelly of The Dubliners located the building in 6 Pembroke Place originally and they along with their friends carried out renovations to the Theatre. That was the time when it was possible to be bohemian and effective without requiring inaccessible amounts of financial support. The world then was a more innocent place where a couple of 20 years old could find a little building and convert it into a Theatre space, something which would be impossible in today’s world. Deirdre O Connell then taught the Stanislavsky System and put on productions in the Theatre until her death.

Focus Theatre is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2013 and has number of important productions in the pipeline to mark their 50^th year. So, while there is a great sadness at having to leave what is the last of Dublin’s original pocket Theatres, The Board of Focus and its Artistic Director, Joe Devlin are committed to maintaining and growing Focus Theatre’s presence in the City of Dublin and serving Irish audiences across the country.

‘Before vanishing…Samuel Beckett Season’ (10th to 21stApril) is currently running at the Focus. ‘Hollywood Valhalla’ by Aidan Horney (24thto 26th April) will be the last ever public performance at 6Pembroke Place before going on tour to Conary Community Hall, Avoca (5thMay) and Viking Theatre 9th to 12th May).

The rest of its 2012 Season will be performed in other venues: ‘Griswold by Arnold Thomas Fanning will be performed at the Civic Theatre (12thto 23rd June) and at The New Theatre (15th to 21stJuly); ‘The Stronger’ by August Strindberg Ranelagh Arts Festival (September) and ‘Fathers and Children’ by Andy Hinds at the New Theatre (Winter 2012).

Details of our 50th Anniversary Season for 2013 will be announced later in the year.