2024
Gorgeous writing presented with a profound, poignant truth.
★★★★★ The Irish Times
Naoise Dunbar and Stephanie Dufresne turn in superb performances. A spectacularly successful and inventive concept.
Irish Independent
An absolute masterclass. Two stunningly crafted performances under one exceptionally gifted director. Tempesta proves deeply moving.
The Arts Review
As Dubliners bask in the long summer of 1936, the docklands echo with the sound of striking workers, while in Portobello’s Little Jerusalem rumours spread of coming wars in Europe. Based on true stories, Tempesta follows the swirling love affair of Louis Doyle and Ellie Rosen — two young Dubliners whose passions lead them from burgeoning love to the heat of war.
From the jazz clubs of Dublin to the battlefields of Catalonia, Deirdre Kinahan’s play is a warning shot against complacency in the face of rising fascism, and a reminder of how quickly a society can come to accept the unthinkable.
Played in the round by two actors and featuring a live score by Steve Wickham of The Waterboys, Tempesta is a site-responsive production that has played in cafés, bars and a renovated 1920s cinema. The action happens in and around the audience and across a custom-built table filled with theatrical surprises, allowing the location to change in an instant. A nimble and highly tourable production, sold out at Cork Midsummer Festival.
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