IRISH star Brendan Gleeson will make his West End debut in Conor McPherson’s The Weir this year.
The award-winning actor, who has starred in the likes of The Banshees of Inisherin and Paddington 2, will lead a revival of McPherson’s 1997 play, which runs at the 3Olympia Theatre in Dublin before making its way to the Harold Pinter theatre in London.
“Conor McPherson’s The Weir is one of the rarest plays around,” Gleeson said this week.
“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.”
Brendan Gleeson stars in Conor McPherson's The Weir this yearFor the first time, McPherson will direct the production of his tale, which centres on four local men who have gathered in a rural Irish pub.
All is very ordinary until their lives are disrupted by the arrival of a woman called Valerie.
“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,” McPherson said.
“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 runs at the 3Olympia Theatre in Dublin from August 8 to September 6, before transferring to the the Harold Pinter Theatre in London’s West End from September 12 to December 6.
