Writer & Director: Conor McPherson
The curtains rise on Brendan’s bar. It was fashioned in a room of a 19th century house which is attached to a farm. Rae Smith’s design is an evocative and atmospheric homage to every traditional rural pub across Ireland. Bottles of spirits on shelves are close to hand for the ‘small ones’ and a couple of taps on the counter dispense the stout and harp. Lamps and a stove bring warmth on this stormy night. Black and white photographs on the wall include one of the local weir.
Brendan Gleeson as Jack is once again “the big fella”. He enters the empty bar and walks around the counter to serve himself. The Guinness tap isn’t working and he settles begrudgingly for a bottle. Brendan, the barman, played by Owen McDonnell, comes through the door with peat for the fire. The back and forth between the men, who are soon joined by Sean McGinley as Jim, is a sparkling repartee of banter, sarcasm and wit. McPherson perfectly encapsulates the comfort and kinship proffered in the pub which is often the lifeblood of bachelors in provincial townlands.
Local boy made good, Finbar, played by Tom Vaughan-Lawlor, arrives on the scene with Kate Phillips as Valerie, a young woman who has recently moved to the area from Dublin. Their appearance changes the dynamic in the room. The men puff up their feathers and vie with each other to best impress Valerie with themselves and their stories.
The players stay still under the dim lighting in the corners of the room as one by one, Jack, Jim and Finbar step into the spotlight of centre stage to tell their tale. They are, by turn, haunting, disturbing and otherworldly. The acting is sublime. Valerie, encouraged by the camaraderie, opens her heart and lays bare the tragic circumstances behind her relocation. McPhillips holds us in the palm of her hand so not only are the other characters deeply affected by her revelations but so too are the audience. Valerie’s reveal changes the mood in the bar and the vulnerabilities beneath the conviviality of the men are exposed.
McDonnell is thoroughly convincing as Brendan. He is the only person not to assume the limelight and spin a yarn. Remaining in the background, he is a consummate publican. While he engages fully with his customers and happily trades insults with the regulars, his role, along with the physical space, is to facilitate the kind of experience for his patrons that gives them shelter from the storm.
If there are any drama students or would-be theatre makers reading this, I urge you to go and see The Weir. It is a masterclass in performing for the stage. Gleeson is unequivocally the curmudgeonly, “contrary bollocks” and elder statesman of the locals but also sympathetic as a lonely man who regrets not leaving to follow his love years before. McGinley is the ultimate quiet man. He plays the part of Jim in the shy and understated manner required of his character and never once succumbs to overacting. Vaughan-Lawlor is superb as the hilariously exuberant and flashy businessman trying to fit in with the resentful old friends he had left behind.
Conor McPherson’s The Weir is a significant addendum in the annals of Irish theatre. Showcasing, as it does, the value of stories and folklore passed down through the generations, his play also serves to remind us of the importance of the pub, and the succour and companionship found therein, to rural communities. Ours is a rich and cultural history and the resonance of this play further binds us to it.
Runs Until 6th Sept 2025.
