Lyceum’s Spring Season Kicks Off with Modern Irish Classic

Chosen as one of the Hundred Plays of the Century in a National Theatre poll, The Weir by Conor McPherson has won a host of playwriting awards including the Evening Standard Award, George Devine Award, Critics Circle Award and Laurence Olivier Award.

The show is directed by the Lyceum Theatre Associate Artist Amanda Gaughan who says, "It's just people talking," said Conor McPherson of his 1997 play, The Weir, which has been hailed as a modern-day classic and I am delighted to be directing this for our 50th anniversary year. Set in a rural Irish pub; the men meet for their usual pint together but this night is different when a stranger, Valerie comes amongst them and then, the real stories begin…

Storytelling is at the core of this funny yet emotionally visceral and haunting play. Through Irish myths and ghost stories, ‘The Weir’ examines how the ghosts of our past – both personal and universal - can affect the fragility of our own present and asks if or how we can move forward from personal tragedy.”

Gaughan, whose previous Lyceum works are Hedda Gabler and Hidden) , has assembled a cast of accomplished Irish actors, namely Brian Gleeson as Brendan, Frank McKusker as Finbar, Gary Lydon as Jack, Darragh Kelly as Jim and Lucianne McEvoy as Valerie, to take the stage.

In The Weir, you are invited to an evening at Brendan’s Bar in rural Ireland, a cosy hostelry for a dark night. So pull up a bar stool, grab a pint of your usual, warm yourself by the fire and hear the local fellas spin their tall tales. It’s all just good craic as the lads try to outdo each other with their ghost stories, but then newcomer Valerie shares a haunting tale of her own…

With a stellar creative team made up of designer Francis O’Connor, lighting designer Simon Wilkinson and composer and sound designer Michael John McCarthy this looks like a grand way to spend an evening at this dark time of year.

15 January – 6 February 2016 Evenings (7.30pm) Matinees (2pm)
£13- £29.50 For tickets phone 0131 248 4848 or book online at www.lyceum.org.uk

Accessible Performances:
Touch Tours for visually impaired
Thursday 28th January at 6.15pm
Saturday 30th January at 12.45pm
Audio-described Performances
Thursday 28th January 7.30pm
Saturday 30th January at 2pm
BSL Interpreted Performance
Wednesday 3rd February at 7.30pm
Captioned Performance
Saturday 6 February at 2pm

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