The elder statesman of the capital’s cafes had a close brush with extinction a few years back. Mercifully, it was rescued through the efforts of the Campbell family and restaurateur Jay Bourke. Saved also, as a result, was Bewley’s Café Theatre, Ireland’s only permanent venue for lunchtime drama, located in the former Oriental Room. Doors open at 12.50pm and the €15 fee includes a light lunch. Performances last under an hour, and there is a particular emphasis on new Irish writing, comedy and lesser-known works by established authors.
To mark the 200th anniversary of the birth of Gothic genius Edgar Allan Poe, the theatre is playing host (until next Saturday) to Poe Show, a theatrical celebration of his work, featuring The Tell-Tale Heart, The Raven, Annabel Lee, The Bellsand The Cask of Amontillado. Next up, on April 28th, is Life After Love, a musical comedy directed by Alan Stanford. After dark, the space is given over to jazz, comedy and cabaret. See www.bewleyscafetheatre.com; tel: 086-8784001.