Winner of the 1997 Olivier Award for Best New Play, Conor McPherson’s chilling modern classic The Weir comes to Theatr Clwyd in Mold next month as part of a UK tour to mark its 20th anniversary.

In a small Irish town, the locals exchange stories round the crackling fire of Brendan’s pub to while away the hours one stormy night.

As the beer and whisky flows, the arrival of a young stranger, haunted by a secret from her past, turns the tales of folklore into something more unsettling. One story, however, is more chilling and more real than any of them could have ever imagined.

A shadowy tale delving into the dark corners of human lives, The Weir is a co-production between English Touring Theatre and Mercury Theatre Colchester directed by Adele Thomas.

Conor McPherson is a playwright and screenwriter. He has won several awards including the George Devine Award, Stewart Parker Award and an Olivier Award.

His credits for theatre include The Veil (National Theatre), The Dance of Death (Trafalgar Studios), The Night Alive (Donmar Warehouse, Atlantic Theater, New York) and The Girl from the North Country (Old Vic).

Natalie Radmall-Quirke plays Valerie in The Weir at Theatr Clwyd in Mold
Natalie Radmall-Quirke plays Valerie in The Weir at Theatr Clwyd in Mold

For film, his credits include The Eclipse and Strangers and his television work includes Paula. He is currently working on the screenplay Double Cross.

Louis Dempsey plays Finbar. His theatre credits include Stones in His Pockets (Vienna’s English Theatre), The Taming of the Shrew (Shakespeare’s Globe), Juno and the Paycock (Liverpool Everyman/Bristol Old Vic Co-Production), The Seafarer (Perth Theatre and Lyric Belfast), Some Voices (Young Vic), Wing And A Prayer (BAC), Last Apache Reunion (The Tobacco Factory) and Brothers Of The Brush (Liverpool Everyman).

Television credits include Dream Team, Sea Of Souls, Omagh and The Bench. For film, his credits include Us and Them, Legend, Cloud Atlas, Grabbers, Six Bullets, Revolver, The Last Drop, Spivs, Troy and Shooters.

Sean Murray plays Jack. His credits for theatre include A Tale of Two Cities (Royal and Derngate, Northampton and UK tour), The Hook (Royal and Derngate, Northampton), The Armour (Defibrillator at the Langham Hotel), Holy Warriors (Shakespeare’s Globe), The Double and The Tempest (Theatre Royal, Bath), Romeo and Juliet and The Importance of Being Earnest (Royal Lyceum, Edinburgh), A Woman Killed with Kindness, The Phoenician Women, Romeo and Juliet and Two Gentlemen of Verona, The Cherry Orchard (RSC).

Television credits include Robin Hood, Dunkirk, Without Motive and Berkeley Square. Film credits include Hamlet, A Rather English Marriage and Finding Mallory.

John O’Dowd plays Jim. His theatre credits include Common (National Theatre), Stonebreaker (Lyric Theatre Hammersmith), The Head of Red O Brien (Truewest), For The Birds (New York Fringe).

Television credits include Moone Boy 1,2 and 3, Don’t You Know Who I Am, Capturing Santa, The Rahilly, Single Handed, Maru and Mobs Mheiricea. Film credits include Jimmy’s Hall and Don’t You Know Who I Am.

Sam O’Mahony plays Brendan. His theatre credits include Pride and Prejudice and The Mariner (Gate Theatre, Dublin), The Silver Tassie (National Theatre), Oh What A Lovely War (Northern Stage), The Good Soul Of Szechuan (Young Vic), Monged (Belgrade Coventry), King John, Much Ado About Nothing and Romeo and Juliet (RSC). Television credits include Guilt and X Company.

Natalie Radmall-Quirke plays Valerie. Her theatre credits include The Winter’s Tale (Cheek by Jowl), Martyr (Actors Touring Company), The Playboy of the Western World (Southwark Playhouse), Romeo and Juliet, Celebration and Jane Eyre (Gate Theatre, Dublin), Twelfth Night, No Romance, The Plough and the Stars, The Comedy of Errors, An Ideal Husband (Abbey Theatre, Dublin), Steel Magnolias (Gaiety Theatre, Dublin), Mud (Gate Theatre, London), I Witness (Finborough Theatre), Footfalls (Players Theatre) and Crave (Samuel Beckett Centre and Studiobühne, Cologne). Film credits include Davin and The Canal.

Adele Thomas, originally from Port Talbot, directs. Her previous directing credits include Thomas Tallis, The Oresteia and The Knight of the Burning Pestle (Shakespeare’s Globe), Unusual Unions (Royal Court), The Bloody Ballad of Mary Maid (Soho Theatre, UK tour), Apparitions of Spirits – With The Forsyte Sisters (Gagglebabble, Theatr Iolo), Write Here (Traverse Theatre), My People (National Theatre of Wales), The Blue Lenses and Under Milk Wood (Royal and Derngate, Northampton), Cityscape: Deluge/No Vacancies, The Push and the Pull and An Enemy For The People (Sherman Cymru). Her opera work includes Cosi Fan Tutte (Northern Ireland Opera) and Senendd (Welsh National Opera).

The Weir can be seen in the Anthony Hopkins Theatre at Theatr Clwyd from February 13-17. Tickets from £10. Call 01352 701521 or visit www.theatrclwyd.com.