Abbey Theatre, Dublin Previews to Feb 16 18/20 Opens Feb 17-Mar 14 7.30pm 22-35 Sat mats 2pm 18-22 01-8787222Marina Carr's first plays, written in her 20s, were frankly awful – conceived as theatre of the absurd, they were more precisely described as absurd theatre. Following these, the author clearly took a deep breath, and in 1991 came up with The Mai, a highly creative and absorbing work that propelled her to the forefront of her contemporaries.

Since then Carr has never vacated her place among Irish dramatists, writing plays that often penetrate the darkness of human nature and sexuality to a disturbing but wholly legitimate extent. Portia Coughlanand On Raftery's Hillare explorations into the psyche of incest like no others in the canon of modern Irish drama.

With Marble, the Abbey will have produced no less than seven Carr premieres, a recognition by the National Theatre of her unique talents and international reputation. Marble is set in a world where life and dreams begin to merge and two couples begin to unravel, and is steered by prominent UK director Jeremy Herrin.

Can’t see that? Catch this: The Third Policeman, Project Arts Centre, Dublin