Dublin’s powerhouse Abbey Theatre is having a dreadful year. “Last week the incredulous staff were told that one third would have to go, the axe falling hardest on those engaged in bringing on new writers, which they felt was particularly unfortunate in an institution known worldwide as a “writers’ theatre”. The theatre’s studio space, the Peacock, may be closed and its director sacked. To top it all there was an organisational foul-up about the dates for an ambitious run of “18 plays in 14 days” during the Dublin theatre festival later this month.”