THE GATE IN A FIGHT TO SURVIVE

Since its foundation in 1928 by Micheál Mac Liammóir and Hilton Edwards, the Gate has had a distinctive international flavour through its promotion of European and American plays. But it has always struggled to stay in business, and like all other theatres it’s facing big problems. Ticket sales, now zero, are 65 per cent of its income. Of the rest, 10 per cent comes from fundraising, and the remaining 25 per cent from the Arts Council.

The Gate has never had the label of national cultural standardbearer bestowed on The Abbey, which under the chairmanship of Ernest Blythe even printed the names of the Abbey players in Irish in the programmes. The Gate was always a bit suspect in nationalist circles, despite the fact that Edward ‘Lord Longford’ Pakenham, who ran Longford Productions there, learned Irish, translated works from Irish, and was a fervent nationalist. He once complained: ‘I have given whatever talent I possess to the Irish language, Irish literature and especially the Irish theatre, but I’m still regarded as a West Briton.’

Longford first came to the rescue in 1930, when he bought £1,200 worth of shares in the theatre, and over the years he poured his own money into keeping it alive. But in 1952 he was forced to write to the Arts Council for a grant, ‘as our losses have been so heavy we shall not be able to continue our work. A grant of £1,000 would be a help, but £2,500 would be a veritable godsend.’

He made the case that, ‘we do not trespass on The Abbey’s territory, but attempt to make our work complementary to theirs … filling the gaps they necessarily leave.’ He was willing to present any programme required, ‘so long as it is possible to do so … in a worthy manner’. He was also ready to reorganise the company ‘on a technically non-profit-making basis,’ and wanted to continue touring his productions throughout the country. An important point was that many of his actors

FOUNDER: Micheál Mac Liammóir were employed on a long-term basis to give them security, and were paid weekly.

The Arts Council was impressed by his financial accounts and his record, and awarded him a grant of £2,000, on condition that the organisation be made a nonprofit-making entity.

At one stage in the 1950s when he was running the Gate, Longford often stood outside with a box collecting donations. In my rare visits, I always felt guilty passing him without donating, since I could only afford one of the seats specially provided in the two back rows for just a shilling.

In a recent statement, Selina Cartmell, the Gate’s CEO and director, has said the realities of Covid-19 have compounded an already difficult financial position. She added that they would be extremely grateful to any patrons in a position to donate their pre-paid tickets back to the theatre. It’s also possible to support them by buying a voucher to be used for any future show, and they’re trying to get Government support to lessen the blow to staff and freelance artists.