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Irish director opens up about former Gate theatre director's lewd behaviour

GRACE DYAS, Irish activist, writer and performer has spoken of the alleged sexual harassment she was a victim of while working in the theatre industry.

Irish performer and one-half of the brains behind exhibition Not At Home Ireland has shared claims in which Michael Colgan, former director of the Gate Theatre in Dublin, made lewd comments to her last year.

Grace recalled the beginning of her friendship with Colgan, first choosing to ignore his inappropriate behaviour and annoying comments.

"We had stimulating conversations about art, Irish politics and the international contemporary performing arts scene. We also talked a lot about how little make-up I wore. He commented on the outfits I wore to his openings. He suggested I wear dresses. He asked me why I didn’t, “Make more of myself” appearance wise. I got on with Michael. I turned a blind eye to his comments.

Though feeling uneasy about Colgan's reported behaviour, she told of extremely offensive comments she received in a public space, from the former director.

"After the Dublin Theatre Festival launch last year, the crowd retired to The Oak Bar on Dame St. Where I met Michael. He seemed quite drunk, which was not unusual. Michael was often the ‘drunk uncle at a wedding’ at these theatre gatherings. He had even grabbed my friend’s baby earlier in the night and we’d had to politely retrieve the baby for fear he would drop him.

He offered to buy me a drink and I said yes. He started looking me up and down. He said “Have you lost weight?” I said “Yeah, I lost weight for my wedding. I just got married”. He said “You’ve lost so much weight, I’d almost have sex with you” I was taken aback, but not surprised. I said “Michael! You can’t say that to me!” He replied “What! I didn’t say I would fuck you. You haven’t lost that much weight”.

Grace, having received so many comments in the past, decided to confront Colgan while in the presence of a friend, picking him up on his reported comments at the bar.

"I felt he was wrong to say that to me, and I felt I was wrong to let him. I started to think about confronting him. I bided my time. He was sitting too close to me. I asked my friend Jason Byrne to join us. I didn’t feel safe with Michael. I wanted a witness if I was going to confront him.

The conversation moved on to Waking The Feminists. Michael called someone a misogynist. I took my chance. I said “Michael, you can’t call him a misogynist. You are the biggest misogynist in Irish Theatre. All I need to say Michael, is to repeat what you said to me at the bar there 5 minutes ago, when you stated that you would have had sex with me, had I lost more weight. That is not appropriate Michael. It’s not an appropriate thing for a man in his sixties, a cultural leader, to say to a young female director at a professional occasion…” ...My friend Jason asked “So hang on Michael, are you admitting that you said that?” He said “Yes I said it, but it was a joke.” I repeated that it was not appropriate.

Faced with confrontation from Grace and her friend Jason Byrne, the former director reportedly exploded in an angry outburst.

"Before I could finish talking Michael was up on his feet, roaring at me. He turned on a coin. He was now saying he never said any such thing. I gave as good as I got. He called me a liar. “I hate you, I hate you, I hate you. I never want to breathe the same air as you” he said. My friend Doireann asked him to calm down. “She’s a pig, she’s a pig, I’d never ever, ever want to have sex with her” he said.

"He was very angry. He screamed and shouted more. “I wouldn’t say that about that woman she’s a big woman I would never say that about a big woman.” Even in his denial, he was managing to insult me and shame me further. His defense? Of course I didn’t sexually harass her! I mean come on look at her. She’s fat.

As part of the post, Grace shared texts she received from Colgan later that night.