The Weir
Josie Rourke's beautifully acted revival - a deeply humane play
Josie Rourke's beautifully acted revival - a deeply humane play
The Independent
Josie Rourke's beautifully acted revival - a deeply humane play
Josie Rourke's beautifully acted revival - a deeply humane play
This revival of The Weir enjoyed a stormingly successful run at the Donmar Warehouse, and attracted even more rave reviews and accolades upon its move to the Wyndham's Theatre. Originally premiering in 1997, The Weir won the coveted trinity of theatre awards; the Evening Standard, Critics' Circle and Olivier Awards for Best New Play.
Josie O'Rourke's celebrated revival saw a cast filled to the brim with the best of British and Irish talent, with Brian Cox, Dervla Kirwan and Ardal O'Hanlon making up the bulk of the talented cast.
A quiet country pub in Ireland sees a handful of its male regulars come in for their daily pick-me ups. All joshing and banter, until one of them brings in a newcomer - a woman. Suspicious of her background, they ply her with drink and questions, until they hear her tragic reasons for leaving her native Dublin.
As her audience grows more sympathetic and the alcohol flows morw freely, proceedings take a darker turn, as the men try to outdo each other with ghost stories that chill your bones, interspersed with dry humour. As Jack, the lonely, mechanic finally tells his own tale, we hear a story not of ghosts, but of lost love, which haunts him all the same.
The title of the play may cause confusion as to its meaning for the uninitiated - after all, the weir is in fact just a local landmark in the play, as mentioned by one of the characters. But the title itself actually refers to the metaphorical flow of stories from one character to another.
Risteárd Cooper as Finbar
Brian Cox as Jack
Dervla Kirwan as Valerie
Peter McDonald as Brendan
Ardal O'Hanlon as Jim
Anonymous
Master Class in Acting
Nicci
Good fun, and good solid performances.
Anonymous
Engulfing if a little slow moving at times