Brendan Gleeson is heading to the West End for the first time in his 40-year career to star in The Weir.
The play is starting its run at Olympia Theatre in Dublin before it transfers to London’s Harold Pinter theatre from 12th September to 6th December. Conor McPherson, the playwright behind The Weir will also be directing the show for the first time.
It’s not the first time Gleeson performed at The Olympia Theatre, having played alongside his sons Brian and Domhnall in 2015.
Gleeson is one of the UK and Ireland’s most well-known actors, having starred in Paddington 2, The Banshees of Inisherin, Harry Potter, In Bruges, and Braveheart to name a few.
The Weir unfolds in a remote Irish pub where four local men share spooky stories to impress a young woman from Dublin, Valerie. As the drinks flow more stories unfold, and Valerie shares her own tale, which makes the evening take a turn. The play touches on community, loneliness, and the power of stories to connect people.
Gleeson described The Weir “one of the rarest plays around”. It debuted in 1997 at the Royal Court Theatre Upstairs in London and won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Play of 1997-8. The original cast included Dermot Crowley as Finbar, Brendan Coyle as Brendan, Michelle Fairley as Valerie, and Kieran Ahern as Jim.
Speaking about the role, Gleeson said: “I can’t wait to be back there [the Olympia], and then to play in the West End for the first time, at the beautiful Pinter theatre.” Gleeson’s last theatre role was back in 2015, in a production of The Walworth Face.
“I can hardly believe it’s 30 years since I wrote The Weir – and about 30 years since I first met the wonderful Brendan Gleeson,” said McPherson. “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.”
The Weir’s co-producer Kate Horton described it as “a beautiful play about human connection, the endurance of hope and the essential power of storytelling”.
Further casting and creatives are yet to be announced, but given the play’s legacy we wouldn’t be surprised if Gleeson is joined by some fellow Irish acting legends soon. Tickets for the London run are now on sale.
Main Image Credit: Kate Horton Productions and Landmark Productions