Brendan Gleeson will make his West End debut in Conor McPherson's chilling classic ‘The Weir'
One of the greatest character film actors of his generation, you'll know Brendan Gleeson for a million screen things, from Braveheart to the Harry Potter films, and most especially his two classic works with Martin McDonagh and Colin Farrell, In Bruges and The Banshees of Inisherin.
He started off as a stage actor in Dublin in the '80s and has periodically returned to the Irish theatre ever since, albeit sparingly. And indeed, he'll do so this summer as he stars in a revival of Conor McPherson's all-time classic chiller The Weir about a group of lost souls telling ghost stories in an isolated Irish pub. This new production will debut at Dublin's 3Olympia Theatre in August, and then move on the Harold Pinter Theatre in September for what will, astonishingly, be his West End debut.
It will be part of a remarkable year for McPherson: probably Ireland's most important living playwright, not a lot had been heard from him in recent years. But in 2025 he's back with an acclaimed new play at the Old Vic (The Brightening Air), a revival for his hit Dylan musical Girl from the North Country (also at the Old Vic), he's written the text for the much anticipated stage version of The Hunger Games, and not only is The Weir back but he's directing it this time (as he did with The Brightening Air and Girl from the North Country).
It's quite the year to be having and it has to be said there's a little something for everyone here, but if you want a stone cold spooky-but-lyrical classic with a towering famous actor at the start of it then The Weir could be the place for you to start.
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