
The Everyman presented a rehearsed reading of The Seafarer, by Conor McPherson, as part of Play It by Ear, a programme of shows for The Everyman stage and available by live audio broadcast.
The play centres on James ‘Sharky’ Harkin, who has returned home to look after his irascible, ageing brother Richard, recently blinded in a drunken accident. It’s Christmas Eve and as Sharky attempts to stay off the bottle during the holidays, he contends with the hard-drinking, irritable Richard and his own haunted conscience. The drinks are flowing as old friends Ivan and Nicky convene for an annual game of poker… but with the arrival of a stranger from the distant past, the stakes are raised to eternal consequences. Sharky may be playing for his very soul.
This was a play about darkness and light in the most unlikely of places.
Written by Irish playwright Conor McPherson (The Weir, Shining City), The Seafarer premiered at London’s Royal National Theatre in 2006 and was nominated for an Olivier Award for Best Play. It premiered on Broadway in December of 2007, where it was nominated for four 2008 Tony Awards, including Best Play.
Written by Conor McPherson
Directed by John McCarthy
Sharky Dominic Moore
Lockhart Gary Murphy
Richard Damian Punch
Nicky Éadaoin O’Donoghue
Ivan Katie Holly
Stage Directions Amber Deasy
Sound Designer Fiona Sheil
Sound Engineer Joe Cusack
Running time 105 MINS