Dan Butler, Sean Gormley, Johnny Hopkins, and Sarah Street in "The Weir." [Photo by Carol Rosegg]

Theatre is the place to be

Incoming report from The Weather Girls; humidity is rising and the barometer's getting low. According to all sources, the theatre is the place to go. Whether you’re searching for an air-conditioned haven or looking for activities to pass the time as the days get longer, seeing a play is a great way to beat the heat. New York theatre’s summer season has officially thawed and there’s plenty of shows on the horizon and beyond to look out for. The Echo got the chance to chat with The Irish Repertory Theatre’s Ciaran O’Reilly about one of these shows in particular, their latest production of “The Weir.”

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“The Weir”, through Jul. 9

Conor McPherson’s atmospheric play “The Weir,” originally produced in London in 1997 on the United State’s very own day of independence, follows five strangers holed up in a Leitrim-set pub to share stories of both self and of myth over one fateful night. This latest production will mark The Irish Repertory Theatre’s fourth presentation of the play, with co-founder Ciarán O’Reilly once again returning to direct. 

“The first [production] was in 2013, the last during the months of the pandemic where it was a virtual experience,” O’Reilly told The Echo. Speaking with O’Reilly, I was curious to know his approach when it comes to restaging such a beloved story. “I don’t necessarily return to this material to find different ways to present it,” he said. “It is more like returning to a special village where you once found happiness and spiritual fulfillment and allowing yourself to be freshly immersed in its community.”

“The Weir” sees Dublin-outsider Valerie navigate the rurality of 1990s Northern Ireland within the four walls of a small town bar. Through its setting, humour, and themes, it is an intrinsically Irish story. “In some ways it provides a lens into an Ireland that no longer exists”, O’Reilly said. “Within a few short years, the Celtic Tiger would take hold and how people communicate with each other will be changed forever.” 

“The Weir” showcases a style of communication as old as Ireland itself, that of fables and ghost stories. It represents a time in Ireland that has become somewhat lost in modern days. “This play allows you to witness the rich tradition of Irish storytelling—uninterrupted by the outside world”, O’Reilly said. “There are no flat-screen TV screens with 24 hours news, no Instagram feeds, just five people in a pub relating and actually hearing each other. How novel!” (For more information, go to irishrep.org).

“Or,”, Sep. 12-28

Jumping a couple of months ahead, Irish Classical Theatre Company will similarly be staging a singular-night set story with Liz Duffy Adams’ play “Or,”. Originally premiering Off Broadway at WP Theater in 2009, “Or,” follows a night in the life of poet - and spy - Aphra Behn during The Restoration Period in London. 

Fleeing a debtor’s prison in the middle of the night, Aphra must juggle romance, the law, and a murder plot, all whilst finishing her play in time to showcase it to a theatre company by morning. With a war-torn backdrop, “Or,” offers an insight into both political tensions and literature in 1660s England. Anyone in the mood for a high-stakes history lesson should spy on this upcoming production. (For more information, go to irishclassical.com) company 

“Endgame,” through Oct. 22

Even as the weather begins to cool, the New York theatre scene will still be piping hot. The Irish Arts Center is a testament to this with their approaching presentation of Samuel Beckett’s 1957 one-act play “Endgame.” The production will be directed by Tony-award winner Garry Hynes, who won the award for Direction in 1998 for her work on “The Beauty Queen of Leenane” and became the first female recipient to do so. 

Set in a post-apocalyptic world, “Endgame” tells the absurdist story of a blind, wheelchair-bound elderly man named Hamm and his gripes with his bleak circumstances and the few people around him as he grows old at the very end of the world. A tale of existential dread and mundanity, this production marks the 50th year anniversary of Irish theatre company Druid as well as their return to New York. 


Collaborating with The Irish Arts Centers to retell this play, Druid’s latest presentation of the Samuel Beckett classic highlights the necessary celebration of Ireland’s long-standing space in literature and theatre. So, whether you’re looking for an eerie look into Irish storytelling in a rural pub, an English romp of romance and espionage, or an exploration of mortality during the apocalypse, there’s something for everyone this summer and beyond. (For more information, go to irishartscenter.org).


 



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