‘The State of Us’: Challenging State-Led Narratives through Performance during Ireland’s ‘Decade of Centenaries’

Ireland is currently at the mid-point of what has been termed The Decade of Centenaries, where citizens, artists, the Irish diaspora, and the tourist industry are encouraged to come together and reflect on the Ireland of one hundred years ago. The years 1912–1922 reflect some of the most significant moments in Ireland’s history, the centerpiece of which is considered to be the 1916 Easter Rising. State-led commemorations of these events have thus far been dominated by narratives around patriotism, nationalism, republicanism, and neoliberalism. There has been little to no state interest in interrogating any significant challenging of the historical events themselves, or indeed any significant exploration of any progress, changes, or diversification that may have emerged since these events. Much of the available state funding in the arts sector has been earmarked for artists to engage specifically with the commemorative schedule, thus restricting the theme of artistic output. This essay analyses how two participatory performances, which took place during the 2016 Dublin Theatre Festival, problematised the state-led narratives and illuminated divergent histories surrounding the 1916 Easter Rising: These Rooms by ANU Productions and CoisCéim Dance Theatre, and It’s Not Over by THEATREclub.