21 - 27 January 2024
Written by Conor McPherson and directed by Julianne Mullen
A bar in a remote part of Ireland. The local lads are swapping spooky stories to impress a young woman recently moved to the area from Dublin. As the drink flows and the stories become increasingly frightening, it's clear that Valerie has something on her mind. She has a tale to tell that'll stop them all dead in their tracks.
The approximate running time is 1 hour 30 minutes with no interval. The bar will be open before and after the performance.
Content warning: This play contains strong language that some might find offensive. Age guidance 16+.
This amateur production of "The Weir" is presented by arrangement with Nick Hern Books.
Background to The Weir
Conor McPherson is one of Ireland’s most acclaimed playwrights and The Weir won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Play when it was first performed in 1997. It has subsequently been performed many times all over the word, and in a Royal National Theatre survey was voted among the 50 most significant plays of the 20th century.
Although the play centres around the telling of ‘spooky stories’, it is so much more than that. Through the richness and humour of the language, the characters gradually reveal things about their past – their vulnerabilities, insecurities, missed opportunities and regrets. Their lives are reflected in the history of Ireland itself, and in the warmth of a pub in a cold and windy landscape, they find companionship, comfort and perhaps even redemption.
Julianne Mullen, director of The Weir, talks about what she finds so appealing about the play and why she chose to direct it.
You can also watch the whole interview with Julianne Mullen here.
