Brendan Gleeson returns to the stage after 10 years to perform at Dublin's Olympia theatre

Irish Independent

06-05-2025

The show will run from Friday, August 8, to Saturday, September 6, this year at the Olympia Theatre.
Gleeson will also make his West End debut when the play hits the stage at the Harold Pinter Theatre in London from September 12 to December 6.
The Dublin actor began his career in the late 70s with the Passion Machine in Dublin's Project Arts Centre.
He has gone on to star in numerous movies, including The Banshees of Inisherin, the Harry Potter series, Paddington 2, and Braveheart.
'Conor McPherson's The Weir is one of the rarest plays around,' the 70-year-old said.
'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.'
Conor McPherson added: '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.
'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 centres around the stories shared by four local men who meet a woman in an isolated pub in rural Ireland on a stormy night.
It won an Olivier Award when it premiered at the Royal Court in London and has been performed all over the world, including at the Abbey Theatre in Dublin in 2022.
'Along with a multitude of theatregoers, I was spellbound by The Weir when it first premiered at the Royal Court,' Theatrical producer, Kate Horton said.
'I've since been granted three wishes; to have Conor agree to direct his own masterpiece for the first time, for the magnificent Brendan Gleeson to agree to lead the cast, and for the brilliant Anne Clarke to join me as co-producer.
'The Weir is a beautiful play about human connection, the endurance of hope and the essential power of storytelling. It will be a joy to share this production with audiences.'
Anne Clarke added: 'I remember where I was when Kate called to tell me she had been working with Conor McPherson on a new production of The Weir, and that Brendan Gleeson had agreed to play Jack.
'I had been lucky enough to work with Brendan before, when he played Dinny in The Walworth Farce at the 3Olympia Theatre alongside his sons Brian and Domhnall, and the thought of working with him on Conor's sublime play was a thrill.
'It promises to be hugely special, and I can't wait for audiences in both Dublin and London to see it.'