Philadelphia!

Impresario Noel Pearson is back in town with a new production of Brian Friel’s early masterpiece Philadelphia, Here I Come!, which was first staged way back in 1964 at the Gaiety Theatre. In a nice touch of serendipity, this latest production is also at the Gaiety, where it’s currently in preview and opens on Mon 15 March. It’s a timely revival of the play that made Friel’s name on the international stage, with the notion of emigration once again rearing its thorny head, as young Gar O’Donnell – ingeniously portrayed by two actors as Gar Public and Gar Private – is torn between the pros and cons of making the break. Rich in humour and nuance, at its core is the heartbreaking inability to communicate that has stifled generations of young and old. The director is Dominic Dromgoole (what a great name), artistic director of the Globe Theatre, who was head of London’s Bush Theatre during the ‘90s when the likes of Billy Roche, Conor McPherson and Sebastian Barry were finding their feet there. He has put together a fascinating cast including Brid Brennan, Alan Devlin, Gerry McSorley, Barry McGovern, Marion O’Dwyer, Tom Vaughan Lawlor and Andrew Bennett among others. www.gaietytheatre.com