The Snow Queen review: A compassionate fairy tale heating up the cold-hearted

BrokenCrow's audio play adaptation delivers Hans Christian Andersen's bright-coloured characters while staying devoted to a sweet but shaken childhood friendship. Photo of Deirdre Dwyer by Enrique Carnicero

Musings in Intermissions at 10: Where is the master playwright?

The past 10 years have been a struggle against an anxiety over who the next number one playwright is going to be. Photo: Anton Chekhov's summerhouse in  Gurzuf, Yalta

2020: the best theatre of the year

My favourite theatre moments of the year: Hansel and Gretel, Our New Girl, The Lieutenant of Inishmore and Will I See You There.

What Happened to Lucrece review: A catastrophe of an opera experiment

Based on Shakespeare's tragic poem The Rape of Lucrece, each performance of Wexford Festival Opera's eccentric opera features a different ending. Photo: Padraig Grant

Embargo review: A play dressed like a War of Independence thriller

A train driver must decide between assisting the IRA or helping a vulnerable woman in Deirdre Kinahan's new play. Photo: Anthony Woods

The Party to End All Parties review: Plot and character disappear into a spectacularly beautiful cityscape

Taking place against the 1949 celebrations of Ireland becoming a Republic, ANU and Dublin Theatre Festival's streamed play is about unfulfilled promises and lives falling apart. Photo: ANU 

To Be a Machine (Version 1.0) review: The first major streamed play is here

An adaptation of writer Mark O'Connell's book about encountering members of the transhumanism movement brings classic illusion to streamed theatre. Photo: Ben Kidd / Dead Centre

DruidGregory review: An uneven blend of razor-sharp comedy and muffled song

Druid's cycle of plays by Lady Gregory is set in an early-century version of Galway, where communities are splintered by divisions and persuasive songs are in the air. Photo: Matthew Thompson

Transmission review: Crucial moments captured beautifully in the passing light

Caitríona Ní Mhurchú tries to live in the present in her new play, but her family's history holds fascinating surprises.  Photo: Jason Byrne 

Before You Say Anything review: Multiple stories forced into an elegant flawed play

Three seemingly unrelated stories about people unsafe from the police merge in Malaprop's new play. Photo: Simon Lazewksi