London, UK – Brendan Gleeson West End debut in Conor McPherson’s The Weir opens in Dublin this August before moving to London’s Harold Pinter Theatre in September.
Acclaimed Irish actor Brendan Gleeson is set to make his highly anticipated West End debut later this year in The Weir, the hauntingly evocative play by Conor McPherson.
The production, a revival of McPherson’s 1997 masterpiece, will first grace the stage of Dublin’s 3Olympia Theatre this summer, before transferring to London’s Harold Pinter Theatre for an autumn run.
Gleeson, best known for standout performances in The Banshees of Inisherin and Paddington 2, is returning to his theatrical roots for the first time in a decade.
“Conor McPherson’s The Weir is one of the rarest plays around. The last time I appeared on stage was ten years ago, at the Olympia Theatre in Dublin, where I started my career.
I can’t wait to be back there, and then to play in the West End for the first time, at the beautiful Pinter Theatre – and to work with Conor on his profoundly moving, inspiring and ultimately hopeful play,” Gleeson shared.
McPherson, widely recognised as one of Ireland’s leading playwrights, will be directing The Weir for the first time himself, three decades after he penned the piece.
The play centres around four men who gather at a rural Irish pub, swapping stories and sipping pints. Their quiet world is upended with the unexpected arrival of Valerie, a woman who carries stories of her own.
“I can hardly believe it’s thirty years since I wrote The Weir – and about thirty years since I first met the wonderful Brendan Gleeson. It’s an absolute honour to bring this play to life again with one of the great titans of Irish acting.
I’m hugely looking forward to directing my play for the very first time and sharing this production with audiences in Dublin and in London very soon, ” McPherson reflected.
The play will run at Dublin’s 3Olympia Theatre from 8 August to 6 September, before transferring to the Harold Pinter Theatre in London from 12 September to 6 December.
Gleeson’s return to the stage and McPherson’s directorial debut of his own work mark a powerful moment in Irish theatre. With anticipation building across both sides of the Irish Sea, The Weir promises to be a moving and memorable production this season.
