San Francisco International Arts Festival will present the United States premiere of In the Name of the Son from 30 April to 2 May in partnership with Irish Culture Bay Area.
The production is a captivating solo play starring Shaun Blaney that chronicles the extraordinary life of Gerry Conlon of the Guildford Four following his release from prison in 1989, where he had been unjustly held by the British Government for 15 years. The Guildford Four was a group wrongly convicted of an IRA bombing in England.
Presented by Belfast-based Green Shoot Productions, In the Name of the Son explores Conlon’s post-prison life, the roller-coaster of newfound freedom—receiving a major financial settlement--mingling with show business celebrities such as Johnny Depp and Daniel Day Lewis, while battling addiction and a sense of guilt for the death of his father Guiseppe in prison.
Through raw storytelling and a commanding performance by Belfast actor Blaney, the play portrays Conlon’s ultimate redemption as a global advocate against the miscarriage of justice. In the Name of the Son won a coveted Belfast Aisling Award in 2023.
It is an unforgettable theatrical experience that shines a light on one man’s unlikely journey and the enduring legacy of British imperialism.
Tickets for the show run from 30 April to 2 May are available from the San Francisco International Arts Festival website.
