The company is named after an old theatre that used to be on Fishamble Street which was the first ever theatre to produce new Irish work. Similarly, our remit is to produce new and innovative work. We work with a lot of new writers - we have been responsible for the first plays of writers like Joe O'Connor and Pat Kinevane - and we also work with existing writers.
At any one time we would have about three to four plays under commission, and each would take about two years before it reaches the production stage. The Y2K Festival is unusual in that there are six plays, and we've a huge team working on it. Broadly, the theme of the festival is the new millennium - the ideas and issues obsessing people at the moment. All the writers were free to explore that in their own way. Some have dealt with New Year's Eve, other have loosely explored themes around renewal and entering into a new phase of life.
The six writers involved are Gina Moxley, Deirdre Hines, Gavin Kostick, Nicholas Kelly, Dermot Bolger and Jennifer Johnston. Over the past year I've met with the writers, I've been looking at drafts and we've had readings.
I'm going to direct the Dermot Bolger play, Consenting Adults, which is about a man and a woman who meet in a hotel room after the woman answers a small ad. As the play develops, things are not quite as they seem. The director's job is to decide literally what direction the play should go in. I have to work with the actors, the set designers, the stage manager and the writer, channelling everyone's energy into one focus so the play is coherent.
The director would also decide what sort of reaction we want from the audience and how to elicit that. You would also explore with the actors the characters in depth, their relationships and what's motivating them.
The director guides and facilitates, and is responsible for overseeing everything. On a creative level, I'm responsible for a team which is putting together an artistic piece of work. It is all about pushing the limits artistically.
I don't really have a typical day, but generally it would involve coming into the office and discussing issues like PR and day-to-day running of the company with the manager. During the day I would meet designers, production managers, have budget meetings - or we may have auditions for a play. If it was in rehearsal, we'd be rehearsing all day.
Towards the end of the day there would be readings or meetings. At the moment, I would be keeping everyone involved in the festival up to date on what's going on. Some evenings I also teach a drama class.
The hours per week vary. When I'm really busy, I might be in rehearsal all day and have to come into the office to do some administration in the evening or over the weekend. Some weekends I might be giving a workshop.
If I'm less busy I could work half days, have a bit more time off. But you have to be very flexible with your time.
I've always been interested in theatre and acting. I was in films and radio plays when I was younger, and when I left school I studied drama at Trinity.
I particularly enjoy directing because I've always liked having an involvement in all the aspects of theatre: music, costume, lighting, everything - I find it all fascinating.
When you are directing a play you have a lot of responsibility towards the writer, but it is a very creative job. I have a lot of scope to interpret in ways unique to me and to guide everyone else.
I don't really dislike anything about my job. The only thing I would find frustrating is that we get a lot more scripts than we have the resources to pursue. But I always feel I could be doing more.
In conversation with Jackie Bourke
