Also in Dublin…

Come from Away, Abbey Theatre until January 19

This new musical has been wowing audiences in North America for the last year and won The New York Times’ Critics’ Pick prize. This Abbey show is its European premiere. It tells the incredible tale of 7,000 air passengers who were stranded in Canada after 9/11, where a remote Newfoundland community invited them into their lives. A perfect life-affirming seasonal show; watch friendships grow with stories told through song.

The Great Gatsby, The Gate Theatre until February 16

Adapted and directed by Alexander Wright from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s story, this Gate ‘page to stage’ show returns on the back of a sell-out run last year. The theatre is transformed into the Gatsby Mansion with all its decadent opulence and atmosphere. The seats are removed and the audience will have access to the stage and backstage areas, the Green Room, hospitality room and the Studio space, allowing them to experience one of Gatsby’s unique and legendary parties, with a bar in full swing. 1920s style is encouraged and dancing shoes are mandatory! There is also a New Year’s Eve performance at 7.30pm, but the theatre will close at 10.45pm, so you will have to ring in the new year elsewhere.

Intimacy, Science Gallery at Trinity College, until February 24

One of the most fascinating of the Science Gallery’s shows in recent years, Intimacy examines connections between humans, bringing together neuroscience, behaviour, belief and trust. How does brain chemistry change when your parents first see your face? Does absence really make the heart grow fonder? Can our bodies begin to match when we spend a lot of time together? We find closeness in surprising places – intimacy can emerge between enemies and across time. In the era of electronic communication, how does this new interconnectedness disrupt traditional notions of togetherness? Do smartphones and social media create new avenues for connection, or do they kill off intimacy altogether?