In the spring of 2024, Druid will tour Ireland with Seán O’Casey’s classic play The Shadow of a Gunman.
Set against the backdrop of the Irish War of Independence, and by turns tragic and comic, O’Casey’s The Shadow of a Gunman is the tale of an ambitious young woman who dreams of a life beyond her Dublin tenement with the mysterious neighbour downstairs.
Directed by Garry Hynes, The Shadow of a Gunman features Druid Ensemble members Rory Nolan and Marty Rea, alongside Gabriel Adewusi, Clare Barrett, Caitríona Ennis, Bosco Hogan, Sean Kearns, Robbie O’Connor and Catherine Walsh.
This five-star production was first produced in 2023 as part of DruidO’Casey, Druid’s play cycle of Seán O’Casey’s Dublin Trilogy, which also includes The Plough and the Stars and Juno and the Paycock.
DruidO’Casey broke box office records when it was announced in early 2023 and sold out weeks in advance, so early booking is strongly recommended for this national tour of The Shadow of a Gunman.
WINNER – Garry Hynes, Best Director, UK Theatre Awards
Recommended by The New York Times, The New Yorker, New York Magazine, Time Out New York
★★★★★ “a revelation … magnificent” – The Observer
★★★★★ “Druid triumphs yet again … spectacular” – Irish Mail on Sunday
★★★★★ “Druid Theatre’s staging unearths unexpected dimensions in the three plays” – Financial Times
★★★★★ “[an] irresistible combination of dazzling stagecraft and visionary theatrical daring” – The Stage
★★★★★ “a thrilling experiment in epic theatre” – New York Stage Review
★★★★★ “brilliant … astonishing … perfection” – Front Row Center
“the season’s most exciting international visit” – The New Yorker
“astonishing” – The Wall Street Journal
“incredibly funny, relentlessly tragic … a rare thrill” – New York Magazine
“a treasure hall of shocking tableaux and stirring poetry, not a second wasted” – Observer (New York)
“magnificent … a monumental undertaking … a truly memorable experience” – Sunday Independent (Emer O’Kelly)
“superb … immense” – Sunday Independent (Colin Murphy)
“Druid’s big guns deliver a delicious barrage of O’Casey” – Irish Independent
★★★★ “a brilliant ensemble cast brings Garry Hynes’ vision to life” – The Irish Times (Sara Keating)
“Druid’s magnificent new staging of the O’Casey trilogy should be a source of national pride … a unique national epic” – The Irish Times (Fintan O’Toole)
“a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity … engaging and thought-provoking” – Exeunt NYC
★★★★ “a significant achievement by Hynes and her superb ensemble … magnificent” – Irish Examiner
★★★★ “the theatrical event of the year … crucial, contemporary and relevant” – The Arts Review
“magnificent production breathes new life into O’Casey’s plays” – Connacht Tribune
“worth moving heaven and earth to try to get a ticket” – Irish Farmers Journal
★★★★ “a poignant epic about Dublin residents living on the edges of the revolutionary period” – Feeling Good
“the performances … are nothing short of exceptional” – Interludes
“a masterful undertaking … a triumph” – Theater Pizzazz
“Galway’s renowned Druid Theatre Company reorders Seán O’Casey’s Dublin Trilogy to stunning effect” – TheaterScene
“glorious … sublime … the quality of the acting and direction is second to none” – Alan in Belfast
Written by Seán O’Casey
Directed by Garry Hynes
Performed by Gabriel Adewusi, Clare Barrett, Caitríona Ennis, Bosco Hogan, Sean Kearns, Rory Nolan, Robbie O’Connor, Marty Rea and Catherine Walsh.
Ticket from €11 Running time 90 MIN | NO INTERVAL
Age recommendation: 12A
Trigger Warnings: Please note that this production features depictions of violence and war, with gunshots and loud noises.
Post Show Talk