Weir Returns to Royal Court for Third Time

Conor McPherson's critically acclaimed play, The Weir, returns to the Royal Court for a third engagement this autumn. From 8 October 1998, The Weir will play in the Theatre Downstairs at the Duke of York's. The commercial run, scheduled for a minimum of three months, will remain open-ended with the production staying, according to popular demand, at the Duke of York's on St Martin's Lane after the Royal Court returns to its refurbished Sloane Square home in 1999.

Set in a rural Irish pub, The Weir focuses on a group of local bachelors as they compete to charm Valerie, a pretty young newcomer from Dublin. The discussion round the bar wends its way through friendly jibes, local history lessons and bashful flirtations before turning spooky, as each recalls their favourite ghost stories.

Two of the original cast return for the new run - Kieran Ahern and Jim Norton as gambling regulars 'Jimmy' and 'Jack'.

McPherson's previous plays include This Lime Tree Bower and St Nicholas. He also wrote the film script for I Went Down, released earlier this year.

The Weir is McPherson's third play and the first that allows him to flex his dialogue - versus monologue - muscles. It was originally commissioned by the Royal Court for a run in the 60-seat Stage Space in the Theatre Upstairs. It transferred to the 600-seat Theatre Downstairs at the Duke of York's for a sell-out run earlier this year before enjoying a long run in the author's native Dublin. The Weir is expected to transfer to Broadway in 1999, following the same path as another Irish play which opened in the Royal Court's Theatre Upstairs, Martin McDonagh's The Beauty Queen of Leenane.

Royal Court artistic director Ian Rickson directs again - as he has for all of The Weir's casts, locations and manifestations. Rickson has directed several of the Royal Court's recent successes including Some Voices, Pale Horse, The Lights and Mojo, now a major film release. He made his Royal National Theatre directorial debut earlier this year with Kevin Elyot's The Day I Stood Still.

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