Dating back to 1904, Ireland's National Theatre was reopened by President Eamon De Valera at its current site over six decades later. It's remit has always been to promote Irish culture and plays alongside international works, and indeed one of its founders was WB Yeats. Many more acclaimed Irish playwrights have been involved with the theatre over the years, including George Bernard Shaw, JM Synge (whose work The Playboy of the Western World invoked nationalistic riots in 1907), O'Casey, Wilde, Friel and Heaney. The theatre's fortunes have ebbed and flowed over the years, but a recent revamp and state subsidy have ensured its continued presence at the heart of Dublin's theatreland. The eclectic 2008 programme will straddle the centuries, with plays from Shakespeare to Shepherd, as well as works by emerging Irish writers. With two auditoriums and a studio space (The Peacock Theatre), the Abbey is four stories high and seats 492 theatregoers. The Peacock has a seating capacity of 157 and is dedicated to the presentation of new plays and contemporary classic drama.