The Weir

Why see The Weir?

ONE OF THE BIGGEST PLAYS OF THE YEAR!

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.

WHAT IS IT ABOUT?

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.

DID YOU KNOW?

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.

Key Information

Audience

The Weir is suitable for audiences aged 14 and upwards

Run Time

One hour and 45 minutes with no interval

Dates

Finished 19 Apr 2014

Cast

Risteárd Cooper as Finbar
Brian Cox as Jack
Dervla Kirwan as Valerie
Peter McDonald as Brendan
Ardal O'Hanlon as Jim

Creative

Directed by Josie Rouke
Design by Tom Scott
Lighting by Neil Austin
Sound by Ian Dickinson
Written by Conor McPherson

Reviews

Customer reviews

8 reviews, average rating: (4.0 Stars)

Anonymous

Master Class in Acting

My apologies to the cast for not standing and cheering at their mesmerising performances in this totally absorbing play. I saw it today at a matinee and would go so far as to say that it is the best play I have ever seen in the West End and as I am nearly 68 that is quite a compliment.. The brilliantly observed charcters were not exaggerated as I have seenthem myself in a small village pub when I was a girl. I cannot praise the whole cast enough. If anyone was considering acting for a career then go and watch this play and see how it should be done. ... Read more

Nicci

Good fun, and good solid performances.

Good fun, and good solid performances by Brian Cox, Risteard Cooper and Ardal O'Hanlon. Set in the tried and tested setting of a provisional southern Irish bar, the show plods along and deliveries the characteristic gags you may expect. However it doesn't disappoint with a few twist and turns of a few tales. ... Read more

Anonymous

Engulfing if a little slow moving at times

I wasn't sure what to expect when I heard there was just one scene and no interval - part of me thought 'How are they going to keep that interesting?'. But to the credit of the writers and the actors, for the vast majority of the play they managed it expertly. If you're looking for an all-action evening, then this isn't for you. But if you want a play that allows you to connect to the characters and test the boundaries of your imagination, then you can't get any better than The Weir. ... Read more
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