Donmar Warehouse Announces Cast for THE WEIR, Other McPherson's Plays

Today the Donmar Warehouse announces the cast for The Weir, which will be followed by the world premiere of a new play also by Conor McPherson this June. The casts for both shows represent a gathering of some of the finest exponents of McPherson's work and the back to back productions will allow audiences to see his latest work alongside his recognised masterpiece. Risteárd Cooper, Brian Cox, Dervla Kirwan, Peter McDonald and Ardal O'Hanlon will star in The Weir, directed by Josie Rourke from 18 April to 08 June 2013. Following this, The Night Alive will make its world premiere on 13 June, directed by McPherson himself. The cast for The Night Alive are Caoilfhionn Dunne, Brian Gleeson, Ciarán Hinds, Michael McElhatton and Jim Norton.

On Monday 08 April the first batch of Barclays Front Row tickets for The Weir will go on sale at 10am. With Barclays Front Row, every Monday at 10am over 300 tickets in the front row of the stalls and circle of the Donmar are put on sale at just £10 for performances two weeks later. Tickets can be purchased online by going to www.donmarwarehouse.com/barclaysfrontrow , in person at the box office or on the telephone.

THE WEIR

By Conor McPherson

18 April - 08 June 2013
Press night: Thursday 25 April 2013

Director: Josie Rourke
Designer: Tom Scutt
Lighting Designer: Neil Austin
Sound Designer: Ian Dickinson

"There's no dark like a winter night in the country. And there was a wind like this one tonight, howling and whistling in off the sea... It was this type of night now. Am I setting the scene for you?"

In Brendan's pub, isolated above the town, the men are gathering for their daily pint. The arrival of a stranger in their midst - a woman - spurs them to impress her with stories. They are stories of souls past and of spirits very much present. But one story is more chilling and more real than any of the men could have foreseen.

The Weir won the Evening Standard, Critics' Circle and Olivier Award for Best New Play in 1999, establishing McPherson as one of our greatest living playwrights. Josie Rourke's production marks the first major British revival of this undoubted modern classic.

Josie Rourke (Director) became Artistic Director of the Donmar Warehouse in 2012. Since her appointment she has directed Berenice, The Physicists and The Recruiting Officer. Rourke trained at the Donmar, under Sam Mendes, through the theatre's annual Resident Assistant Director scheme. Prior to the Donmar, she was Artistic Director at the Bush Theatre, London, from 2007 to 2011. Her 2010 production of Men Should Weep by Ena Lamont Stewart ran in the Lyttelton at The National Theatre. In 2011 her production of Much Ado About Nothing, starring David Tennant and Catherine Tate, ran in the West End at Wyndham's Theatre and received an Olivier Award nomination for Best Revival.

Risteárd Cooper's (playing Finbar) theatre credits include Juno and the Paycock (National Theatre) and Pygmalion (National Theatre of Ireland). He also appeared in the feature film Batman Begins.

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