Decameron Tales

The year is 1353, and the setting, an opulent Italian villa. Giovanni Boccaccio’s young men and women of The Decameron distract themselves from the encroaching plague and stave off the boredom of quarantine by weaving tales of terror, triumph and titillation. 

A mere 700 years later the Gaiety School of Acting class of 2020, distracting themselves from the encroaching plague and staving off the boredom of quarantine, bring you a reworked, revamped radio version of some of these 14th Century novellas - Decameron Tales. 

This podcast will whisk you into its flamboyant tales of love and subterfuge, before landing you gently in its poetic pillows of heartbreak. 

Rewritten and adapted by the GSA class of 2020 and Clare Maguire who also directs and Sound Design, Recording & Mixing by Thomas Donoghue, Decameron Tales is the rollicking riot of colour, fun and escapism that you’re in desperate need of this winter.

Cast and Credits

Video & Photography Thom McDermott

Costume Design   Dearbhla O'Beirne

Lighting Design   Shane Gill

Production Manager and Covid Compliance Officer Sinead Purcell

Stage Manager   Ciara Gallagher

Voice Coach   Russell Smith

Movement and Choreography Libby Seward

Dramaturg Maureen White

Lauretta   Dara Keegan

Valentina   Gwenaëlle Gillet

Emilia   Fiona Bergin

Elisa   Dympna Heffernan 

Stefano   Christopher O’Sullivan

Filostrato   Matt Lenehan

Filomena   Emma Parsons

Panfilo   Darragh Gilhooly

Lisabetta   Sidonie Welton

Neifile   Grace Keelin

Dioneo   Goja Gojevic

Fiammetta   Lisa Murphy

Pampinea   Eimear Mullen-Frew

Federigo   Aidan Stevens

Lorenzo   David Peic

Giovanni   Louis Kehoe

We wish to thank all the tutors and staff who have informed the graduating students' two years of training.

The Gaiety School of Acting – The National Theatre School of Ireland provides the space, tools and expertise to empower creative journeys inclusive of all ages and backgrounds.

From professional training to individual growth, reaching across community and culture, we strive to deliver excellence through innovative approaches to the dramatic arts.

GSA is a Not for Profit organisation founded in 1986 by the internationally renowned theatre director Joe Dowling, in response to the lack of full time actor training programmes in Ireland at that time. The School is now widely regarded as the country’s premier training facility for actors.

Our policy is to train actors for theatre, film and television. The School has a broad offering; ranging from its Two Year Full-time Professional Actor Training, adult One Year Part-Time training, adult 10 week courses and weekend workshops, to its successful Young Gaiety Drama classes for under 18’s.

The School also hosts a range of Study Abroad courses for international students delivered both in conjunction with US partner organisations and available for solo applicants from all over the world. Its broad community and outreach scheme includes a highly successful Shakespeare in Schools programme for Leaving Cert students.

In addition, the School provides a robust Corporate training facility with programmes specialising in Communication Skills, Leadership, Team Building and Brand Management.

The School has been providing professional actor training for over 30 years and include Colin Farrell, Olivia Wilde, Colin O’Donoghue, Aidan Turner (Best Male Newcomer, Jameson Empire Awards 2014), Eva Birthistle (Best Actress Lead Television Award, IFTA 2014) Charlie Murphy (Best Actress, The Irish Times Awards 2013) and Sarah Greene (Tony Award Nominee 2014) as alumni of distinction.

The full time actor-training programme boasts unprecedented graduate success with our actors appearing in all of Ireland’s theatres, in film and television nationally and internationally.

Writers the School is proud to have commissioned include Marina Carr, Gavin Kostick, Alex Johnston, Ken Bourke, Sean McLaughlin, Mary Elizabeth Burke Kennedy, Lisa Harding, Roger Gregg, Michele Reid, Lally Katz, Lisa Tierney Keogh, Lally Katz, Michelle Read and Gary Duggan.

Through a committed and dedicated staff, the School has developed and expanded to its current position where almost 5,000 students pass through our doors annually. The School is based in the centre of Dublin city’s cultural quarter, Temple Bar. Young Gaiety classes also take place in satellite schools both in Bray and Malahide. Nationally and Internationally, The Gaiety School of Acting is proud to be The National Theatre School of Ireland.