The Weir

A PERFORMANCE ON SCREEN

Written by Conor McPherson
Directed by Ciarán O’Reilly

Starring Dan Butler, Sean Gormley, John Keating, Amanda Quaid, and Tim Ruddy

In a remote country pub in Ireland, newcomer Valerie arrives and becomes spellbound by an evening of ghostly stories told by the local bachelors who drink there. With a whiff of sexual tension in the air and the wind whistling outside, what starts out as blarney soon darkens as the tales drift into the realm of the supernatural. Then, Valerie reveals a startling story of her own…

Conor McPherson’s The Weir is a haunting evocative evening you will never forget. This new production was filmed remotely from quarantine and designed for a digital experience as part of Irish Rep’s Summer Online Season in July of 2020; it is the third Irish Rep production of The Weir. The 2013 Irish Rep production of The Weir was nominated for a Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Revival. Due to audience demand, The Weir was revived again in Irish Rep’s 2015 season.

Read the Performance Program Now!

“by far the most impressive socially distanced theater webcast I have seen… Irish Rep is now way out in front of every other company in America when it comes to marrying technical innovation with artistic quality.” – Terry Teachout, The Wall Street Journal

“as close to theatrical experience as one can hope for these days. It doesn’t hurt that the play is one of the best that Irish theater – and by extension world theater- has produced in 25 years.” – Joe Westerfield, Newsweek

Press from our past productions of The Weir:

“The Weir…invites us to re-examine the theater, and to ask ourselves what we seek from stories and those who tell them.” – The New York Times

“an elegant, funny, moving distillation and celebration of the uniquely Irish way with words” –The New Yorker

Special Thanks:

We would like Conor McPherson and his agent Nick Marston at Curtis Brown Agency for their support of this special event. Thanks to Laura Knight Keating, Richard Waterhouse, and Janice Gormley for their invaluable contribution to the filming of The Weir.

The Weir is produced under the SAG -AFTRA New Media Agreement.

Theatre @ Home Kit – The Weir

Round out your Performance on Screen theatre experience with our Theatre @ Home Kits will provide you with reading material, podcasts, articles, music, recipes, cocktail recommendations and more, all around the theme of the performance!

Use before, during, or after your performance to further the experience!

NEW: Read our Performance on Screen Reviews!

The Weir is “by far the most impressive socially distanced theater webcast I have seen… Irish Rep is now way out in front of every other company in America when it comes to marrying technical innovation with artistic quality.” – Terry Teachout, The Wall Street Journal

READ FULL REVIEW

With The Weir, Irish Rep “makes a big leap…The result is as close to theatrical experience as one can hope for these days. It doesn’t hurt that the play is one of the best that Irish theater – and by extension world theater- has produced in 25 years.” – Joe Westerfield, Newsweek

READ FULL REVIEW

What to Watch:

Playwright of The Weir, Conor McPherson, is the subject of one of our Meet the Makers episodes! Conor speaks with Irish Rep Artistic Director Charlotte Moore and Producing Director Ciarán O’Reilly about playwriting, creativity, coronavirus, and more.

WATCH HERE

Company Member and Cast Member of The Weir Sean Gormley recited part of his monologue from past productions as Finbar, as part of our online series, The Show Must Go Online!

WATCH HERE

What to Read:

Read reviews from our previous productions of The Weir from The New York Times (2013) and The Wall Street Journal (2015)!

READ NYT REVIEW

READ WSJ REVIEW

Read this Q&A from 2017 by the NewStatesman with playwright Conor McPherson on the beginning of his artistry.

READ HERE

What to Listen to:

Conor McPherson’s The Weir is a haunting evocative evening you will never forget – so get in the mood with this eerie podcast by Richard MacLean Smith. He tells the story of the Cooneen ghost house of Ireland. Listeners – beware!

LISTEN ON SPOTIFY

Set in a pub, The Weir incorporates many things that Irish are known for – pints of Guinness, storytelling, tales of the supernatural, and a great sense of humor. Play some traditional Irish pub tunes to help recreate an Irish pub in your own living room!

LISTEN HERE

What to Eat and Drink:

A very traditional old Irish dish is the coddle – served hot and deviously in pubs across Ireland. This hearty stew-like dish made from bacon, sausages, and potatoes is a perfect meal to accompany The Weir.

This Dublin recipe by renowned Irish chef Donal Skehan, be sure to tag us on social media so we can see your creations!

FIND THE RECIPE HERE

Nothing more tasty and perfect to settle you into the Irish pub atmosphere than a pack of Tayto chips! These Cheese and Onion flavored chips- known as crisps in Ireland – are available at any and every pub across Ireland! Delicious with a pint of Guinness, lager, or nice cold glass of cola!

BUY HERE

Settle yourself in for the evening with a full pint of Ireland’s most popular export, Guinness. No explanation needed!

LEARN MORE

Learn how to make the perfect Irish coffee in time for The Weir! Only four ingredients needed: coffee, sugar, cream, and whiskey!

FIND THE RECIPE HERE

At Irish Repertory Theatre, we believe that everyone deserves access to high-quality theatre that is affordable and accessible.

We are proud to offer free and deeply discounted access to all virtual programming, particularly during the Covid-19 shutdown, when so many people are experiencing financial hardship.

We ask that if you are in a position to support us, you might consider making a tax-deductible donation in conjunction with this digital event. Your contribution will ensure that we can continue to offer top-quality digital events at low prices, create new jobs for artists and actors, and maintain our operations as we face an uncertain future.

DONATE HERE

Want to watch on your TV?

We’ve made a step-by-step guide that may help: read the SmartTV Guide here.

Learn more about The Weir: A Performance on Screen.

The Weir Glossary

Carrick

Carrick, the anglicization of “carrig” means ‘rock’ in the Irish language.

Cheltenham

Cheltenham FC is a football club based in Cheltenham, near Gloucester in England.

Codding

“Codding” or “to cod” is to play a trick or joke on someone. For example, “Ah, I’m only codding ya!”

Craic

Fun, banter, entertainment; to have a good time. For example, “What’s the craic?” (What’s up?); “We had great craic last night!” (We had a great time last night!) Pronounced “krak.”

DCU

Dublin City University, a university based in the northside of Dublin.

Dote

A term of endearment, meaning cute, sweet, or adorable.

Eejit

Another word for “idiot,” for example, “Stop being an eejit and help me clean up!”

Few bob

A small amount of money

Fib

Lies; “liar” can also be a “fibber.” For example, “I saw you eat all that chocolate – don’t be a fibber!”

Harp

A brand of lager brewed in Dublin.

Holliers

A colloquial word for “holiday” or “vacation.”

Jaysus

A colloquial word used instead of “Jesus”; used to express frustration, anger, exhaustion.

Knacker

A derogatory term used once in Ireland to describe travellers; now used to describe those of a lower social class.

Leaba

The Irish word for “bed.” Pronounced la-baa

Loo-lah

A colloquial word for crazy, delirious.

Naggin

A 230ml bottle of vodka.

Ouija board

A ouija board is also known as a spirit board. It is a flat board marked with the letters, numbers, the words “yes”, “no”, used to contact spirits.

Poitín

Poitín is a traditional Irish distilled beverage that dates back to the 6th century, with 40% – 60% ABV.

Quid

A colloquial term for money. For example, “I have no money for the toll – do you have a few quid on you?”

Sambos

A colloquial nickname for sandwhiches.

Silk Cut

A brand of cigerettes.

Sligo

A county in the west of Ireland between Mayo and Leitrim.

Small One

A “small one” is a term for a small glass of straight whiskey.

Spar

A common convenience store throughout Ireland and the United Kingdom.

Telly

A casual word for “television.”

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