Irish Theatre is back and better than ever with this weekend’s production of The Weir. When I asked my professor (and the play’s director) Siiri Scott about the show, she went on and on telling me about the close bonds of the cast, the attention to detail in each moment, and how the whole show moved as smoothly and effortlessly as a machine. The new-modern canon piece by Conor McPherson tells the story of a community of Irishmen and women converging one night at their favorite local bar. The play is said to perfectly capture the complex relationships and struggles of rural Irish life.
Need a little extra incentive to make your way to DPAC for the show this weekend? Here are my top five reasons why you should see Irish Theatre’s The Weir:
- It shows the power of Irish storytelling, with each cast member spinning a different tale about his outlandish encounters with faeries and the supernatural.
- In a poll by The Royal National Theatre of London, it was voted as one of the Top 100 most significant plays of the 20th century, in addition to snagging an Olivier Award and a few Jeff Awards. Don’t you want to be familiar with the theatrical canon?
- It sold out so quickly in its initial 2010 run that they remounted it for another touring season in 2017 with most of the original cast returning.
- It has a feminist twist! I won’t spoil the ending, but just when you think that all the men are simply making up stories to fight for the leading lady’s attention…
- To help capture the hospitality and aura of an Irish pub, a cash bar will be available to audience members so they can enjoy a pint (or two) as if they were part of the show.
