OP Archive

Further Information

Schedule:
Sat 18: DruidMurphy cycle*
Mon 20: Famine
Tue 21: A Whistle in the Dark
Wed 22: Conversations on a Homecoming
Thu 23: Famine
Thu 23: A Whistle in the Dark
Fri 24: Conversations on a Homecoming
Sat 25: DruidMurphy cycle*

* The cycle starts at 1.30pm and finishes at approximately 10.45pm. It includes one 30 minute tea-break and one 90 minute dinner break between shows.

Book the DruidMurphy cycle on Saturday 18 and Saturday 25 August online or at the ticket office. To experience the cycle midweek call the Ticket Office on 01865 305305 to book three performances as a cycle ticket for £45.

Presented by Druid in a co-production with Quinnipiac University Connecticut, NUI Galway, Lincoln Center Festival and Galway Arts Festival.

The productions will be designed by Francis O’Connor, with movement by David Bolger, costumes by Joan O’Clery, lighting by Chris Davey and sounds by Gregory Clarke.

The cast includes:

Niall Buggy
Edward Clayton
Beth Cooke
Brian Doherty
Gavin Drea
Garrett Lombard
Aaron Monaghan
Marie Mullen
Michael Glenn Murphy
Treasa Ní Mhiolláin
Rory Nolan
John Olohan
Frank O’Sullivan
Marty Rea
Eileen Walsh
Joseph Ward

Click here to read the full review from The Guardian

Click here to read the full review from What's On Stage

Click here to read the full review from The Daily Telegraph

Click here to read the full review from The Financial Times
 

DruidMurphy

The London 2012 Festival

Tony Award-winning Druid presents DruidMurphy – a major celebration of the work of Tom Murphy, one of Ireland’s most respected dramatists.

Part of the London 2012 Festival – the finale of the Cultural Olympiad – DruidMurphy is an epic tale of Irish emigration. Crossing oceans and spanning decades, DruidMurphy covers the period from The Great Hunger of the 19th century to the ‘new’ Ireland of the 70s, exploring what we mean when we call a place home. Told over three plays, experienced over three evenings or in an entire cycle on one day, DruidMurphy promises to be one of the theatrical events of the year.

The plays are three of the greatest by Tom Murphy: Famine, set in 1846 as the people of County Mayo face the prospect of deep starvation; A Whistle in the Dark, where Irish emigrants adapt aggressively to life in Coventry in the 1960s; and Conversations on a Homecoming, following Michael’s return home to Galway from New York after a 10-year absence.

Directed by Garry Hynes, described by the New York Times as “probably the foremost interpreter of Irish drama in the world today,” the cast includes Aaron Monaghan who had lead roles in Druid’s The Cripple of Inishmaan and The Playboy of the Western World in Oxford.

Direct from London and New York, Oxford Playhouse is the only UK venue outside London presenting DruidMurphy. Don’t miss this astounding international theatre event here on your doorstep.

Viewed in its entirety, DruidMurphy is truly epic, broad of scope, its insight profound, its clear-sightedness both cruel and compassionate. Remarkable. **** Times
I emerged astonished both by Murphy's historical awareness and Druid's ensemble vigour. **** Guardian
...a high-five Hibernian highlight of the year so far, a fantastic tear-sodden blast of the very best in Irish theatre. Garry Hynes leads her Galway-based Druid company in triumph and despair, twin impostors of the Celtic dream and nightmare. ***** What's On Stage
attendance should be obligatory… thanks to productions so faultless they’re no effort to sit through – even in one marathon day. ***** Daily Telegraph
Murphy is, I suspect, the greatest dramatist writing in English. ***** Financial Times
There is no weak moment, no weak line, no weak movement. Sunday Independent

Venue: Main Stage  |  Category: Drama





Enjoy!

Save money on your tickets and be the first to know what’s happening at the Playhouse.

For just £40 a year you can receive generous discounts on tickets for yourself and a friend (two tickets maximum per show). Join Enjoy! ( formerly Stagecard) and receive the following benefits:

  • Half price tickets for two people to many shows
  • Guaranteed early mailing of Oxford Playhouse brochure
  • Priority booking for productions in Oxford Playhouse’s season
  • Online booking for Enjoy! discounts
  • Two free house programmes per year
  • Special offers and invitations from local arts

Please contact the Box Office on 01865 305305 for more details and to purchase.

Audio Description

Audio description is a service for people with visual impairments. It is a live verbal commentary delivered during a performance, capturing the key visual elements such as actions and movements, gestures and facial expressions, sets, props and costumes. The description is relayed to the audience member through a lightweight headset which is supplied by the venue.

Touch Tours

At some performances a touch tour will be available before a performance. This means that before the performance the describer will visit the set with the service users, describe elements of the design and encourage them to touch surfaces, costumes and props so that they can understand the geography and nuances of the performance. Please phone Box Office to book free tickets for the touch tours.

Captioning

Is a service for people with hearing impairments of all kinds. The captioner uses a special stage text software. They convert the spoken word into text, which is displayed on a caption unit situated on or next to the stage. As the words are spoken or sung the captioner sends the specially formatted script to the display unit.

As well as dialogue, the captions also include the name of the character who is speaking or singing and descriptions of any sound effects. The difference between this and surtitling (for performances in another language) is that it is essential that all of the audible elements of the performance are communicated and the aim is that it be done with the same pace and style as the performances given as part of the production as a whole.

Captioning is also a useful tools for audience members who speak or are learning English as a second language.

'The captions helped me to understand some of the accents and was good practice for my reading skills'
Italian audience member

Pre-Show Talk

A talk held roughly 1 hr before the performance (please check for exact times) in the Top room at Oxford Playhouse. Usually given by one or more members of the creative team involved in a production (Director, Writer, Designer) or by an expert in a related field or in the work of that company itself. The event is £2 to a ticket holder for the performance but it is best to book in advance as there are only 65 seats available by calling 01865 305305. Please note the Top Room is not accessible to wheelchair users.

Post-Show Talk

This is a chance for you to share your thoughts about a production and ask any questions that you may have. Moreover it is an opportunity for you to get more out of your visit from the playhouse, for free. We hold a post show talk for most of out week long shows, usually on a Wednesday.

The talk will be led by a member of the Oxford Playhouse Learning Team and some or all of the cast. Sometimes the director is also available. A few questions will be asked on stage and then it's your turn - all questions welcome.

BSL Signed Perfomance

This service is for Deaf or deafened people with at least an intermediate level of British Sign Language. During a BSL signed performance a trained performance signer will be placed somewhere on the stage to the left or right of the bulk of the action. The Signer will interpret the spoken work and essentially translate it into BSL.

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