The Dead by James Joyce

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The dead 2026-2027

The production will return for a third record-breaking year
to the Museum of Literature Ireland
from 20 November 2026 - 31 January 2027
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Click here to book your tickets to The Dead 2026-27 today.

'A must-see Christmas gem' - The Irish Times‍

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Special Performance for the Feast of the Epiphany
We have added a very special performance for the Feast of the Epiphany on 6th of January 2026, the day The Dead is set.
Tuesday, 6th January 2026 at 8:30pm
Tickets are €125
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Included in the ticket is a pre-show reception at The Common’s Café starting at 7:30pm where there will be mulled wine and mince pies to enjoy as well as a souvenir show programme before moving upstairs to begin the performance.
Click here to book your tickets for this unmissable festive offering.
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The production is currently enjoying its second sold-out run until 1 Feb 2026.
‍A limited number of tickets may occasionally become available
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HOW TO GET TICKETS

‍1. Join the waiting list. Visit the MoLI website here to join the waiting list. You will be notified if any tickets become available for your selected date.
2. Check the MoLI website. Some tickets may be released daily each morning.
3. Queue for returns. Some tickets may be available on the door at MoLI before each performance. We cannot guarantee tickets will be available but you are welcome to queue 15 minutes before each performance.

James Joyce's The Dead is one of the greatest short stories ever written. Thousands of people from Ireland and overseas joined us last year for the inaugural production at UCD Newman House for what critics described as a ‘sublime piece of immersive theatre’ ★★★★★ The Stage, ‘a perfect adaptation’ ★★★★★ The Arts Desk and ‘joyous … infectiously festive’ ★★★★★ Financial Times.

WHAT THE PRESS SAID
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‍★★★★★ ‘a sublime piece of immersive theatre’ The Stage
★★★★★ 'a perfect adaptation of a literary masterpiece' The Arts Desk
★★★★★ 'joyous ... infectiously festive' Financial Times
★★★★★ 'exquisitely beautiful' Irish Mail on Sunday
★★★★★ 'a flawless ensemble' The Arts Review
★★★★★ 'hums with theatrical life' Financial Times
★★★★ 'a singular achievement ... hugely engaging' The Irish Times

Read our FAQs to find out more.

For priority access to future performances, please register your interest below.

Join The Dead Mailing List

MoLI [Museum of Literature Ireland]
UCD Newman House, 85 St. Stephen’s Green
Running Time: 75 minutes (no interval)
Tickets: from €30 (conc) - €75*
*Each ticket is subject to a 3% heritage building upkeep levy

Age guidance: 12+
All ticket sales are final. Tickets are non-transferable and non-refundable
Concessions apply to under 18s, students, senior citizens and the unwaged - proof of eligibility required.

For questions regarding venue accessibility, please read our FAQs here prior to buying your ticket.

Pre-Sale Tickets

James Joyce’s The Dead is one of the greatest short stories ever written.
Experience it like you never have before in this thrilling immersive theatre experience.

Pre-sale is now live from 9am Tuesday 25 June.

Sign-up for the pre-sale booking link up to 6pm today. A maximum of 6 tickets per person applies. Numbers for this event are limited so early booking is strongly advised. Pre-sale ends at 9am on Wednesday 26 June when general booking opens.

For available dates and times see here.

General booking opens 9am Wednesday, 26 June.

Gallery

2025 Production Gallery

Photographer Patrick Redmond

2025 Rehearsals

Photographer Ste Murray

2025 Cast

John Cronin
Freddie Malins

Maeve Fitzgerald
Gretta Conroy

Oliver Flitcroft
Bartell Darcy

Jonathan Forbes
Gabriel Conroy

Anna Healy
Mrs Malins

Pattie Maguire
Lily

Margaret Mc Auliffe
Molly Ivors

Lise-Ann McLaughlin
Aunt Julia

Marie Mullen
Aunt Julia

Bairbre Ní Chaoimh
Aunt Kate

Roseanna Purcell
Mary Jane

Jonathan White
Mr Browne

Matthew Williamson
Mr Kerrigan

Previous cast listing

About the Production

Two of Ireland’s leading theatre companies - ANU and Landmark - come together, in association with MoLI, the Museum of Literature Ireland, to present a thrilling immersive theatre experience of The Dead, in the rich historical interior and unseen rooms of UCD Newman House, 85 St Stephen’s Green from 21 November 2025 - 1 February 2026.

The Misses Morkan’s annual dance was always a great affair. The evening will start as audiences arrive in the hallway of 85 St Stephen’s Green, to be greeted by the maid Lily – who is literally run off her feet – before taking the journey up the opulent staircase, to embark on an evening of laughter, music and dance – ending in an epiphany like no other.

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Please Note: The Dead is a promenade performance. This means that the audience will move with and around the actors through a number of historic rooms in 85 St. Stephen’s Green. While this is not a seated performance, there will be moments of rest during the performance and some seating will be available in each of the performance spaces but cannot be reserved in advance.

This unique production will take place across the Christmas period. Beloved both by readers, and by viewers of John Huston’s iconic film The Dead, this promises to be an unforgettable evening, and a uniquely intimate way for small audience groups to experience Joyce’s masterpiece.

Adapted and directed by Louise Lowe, the creative team also includes scenographer Owen Boss, costume designer Joan O’Clery, lighting designer Ciarán Bagnall, sound designer and composer Carl Kennedy, choreographer Matthew Williamson and Musical Director Danny Forde. The producing team includes Lynnette Moran and Matthew Smyth (ANU) and Anne Clarke (Landmark).

Snow was general all over Ireland. It was falling on every part of the dark central plain, on the treeless hills, falling softly upon the Bog of Allen and, farther westward, softly falling into the dark mutinous Shannon waves … his soul swooned slowly as he heard the snow falling faintly through the universe and faintly falling, like the descent of their last end, upon all the living and the dead.

An immersive theatre experience
MoLI, Dublin