| The Ferryman | |
|---|---|
 Official production artwork | |
| Written by | Jez Butterworth |
| Date premiered | 24 April 2017 |
| Place premiered | Royal Court Theatre |
| Original language | English |
| Genre | Drama |
| Setting | Rural County Armagh, 1981 |
The Ferryman is a 2017 play by Jez Butterworth. Set during The Troubles, it tells the story of the family of a former IRA terrorist, living in their farmhouse in rural County Armagh, Northern Ireland in 1981. [1]
The Ferryman had its world premiere at the Royal Court Theatre on 24 April 2017 running to 20 May, directed by Sam Mendes. [2] It was the fastest-selling play in Royal Court Theatre history. [3] The cast included Paddy Considine, Laura Donnelly (the disappearance of her real-life uncle, Eugene Simons, was the inspiration for Butterworth's plot), [4] Genevieve O'Reilly, Bríd Brennan, Fra Fee, John Hodgkinson, Stuart Graham, Gerard Horan, Carla Langley, Des McAleer, Conor MacNeill, Rob Malone, Dearbhla Molloy, Eugene O'Hare and Niall Wright. [5]
The production transferred to the Gielgud Theatre, opening on 29 June 2017, following previews from 20 June. [3] After a first cast change on 9 October 2017 with William Houston (Quinn Carney), Sarah Greene (Caitlin Carney), Ivan Kaye (Tom Kettle) and others joining the company, [6] a second cast change took place on 8 January 2018, featuring Rosalie Craig (as Caitlin Carney), Owen McDonnell (as Quinn Carney), Laurie Kynaston (as Oisin Carney), Saoirse-Monica Jackson (as Shena Carney) Sean Delaney (as Michael Carney), Kevin Creedon (as JJ Carney), Francis Mezza (as Shane Corcoran), Terence Keeley (as Diarmaid Corcoran), and Justin Edwards. [7] The production closed on 19 May 2018.
The production transferred to the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre on Broadway, beginning previews on 2 October 2018. The play, which went on to win four Tony Awards, closed on 7 July 2019. [8] [9]
| Role | Off-West End | West End | Broadway |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 2018 | ||
| Aunt Maggie Far Away | Brid Brennan | Fionnula Flanagan | |
| Lawrence Malone | Turlough Convery | Glenn Speers | |
| Michael Carney | Fra Fee | ||
| Muldoon | Stuart Graham | ||
| Tom Kettle | John Hodgkinson | Justin Edwards | |
| Shena Carney | Carla Langley | ||
| Diarmaid Corcoran | Conor MacNeill | ||
| Aunt Pat | Dearbhla Molloy | ||
| Mary Carney | Genevieve O'Reilly | ||
| Quinn Carney | Paddy Considine | ||
| Caitlin Carney | Laura Donnelly | ||
| Shane Corcoran | Tom Glynn-Carney | ||
| Father Horrigan | Gerard Horan | Charles Dale | |
| Uncle Pat | Des McAleer | Mark Lambert | |
| Oisin Carney | Rob Malone | Rob Malone | |
| Frank Magennis | Eugene O'Hare | Dean Ashton | |
| JJ Carney | Niall Wright | ||
| Mercy Carney | Elise Alexandre Darcey Conway Darcy Jacobs Scarlett Nunes Scarlett Jolly | Willow McCarthy | |
| Honor Carney | Sophia Ally Grace Doherty | Matilda Lawler | |
| Nunu Carney | Clara Murphy Angel O'Callaghan Isla Griffiths | Brooklyn Shuck | |
| Declan Corcoran | Michael McCarthy Xavier Moras Spencer Jack Nuttall | Michael Quinton McArthur | |
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Evening Standard Theatre Award [11] [12] | Best Play | Jez Butterworth | Won |
| Best Actress | Laura Donnelly | Nominated | ||
| Best Director | Sam Mendes | Won | ||
| Emerging Talent | Tom Glynn-Carney | Won | ||
| Critics’ Circle Theatre Award [13] | Best New Play | Jez Butterworth | Won | |
| 2018 | Laurence Olivier Award [14] | Best New Play | Won | |
| Best Actor | Paddy Considine | Nominated | ||
| Best Actress | Laura Donnelly | Won | ||
| Best Actor in a Supporting Role | John Hodgkinson | Nominated | ||
| Best Actress in a Supporting Role | Bríd Brennan | Nominated | ||
| Dearbhla Molloy | Nominated | |||
| Best Director | Sam Mendes | Won | ||
| Best Set Design | Rob Howell | Nominated | ||
| WhatsOnStage Award [15] | Best New Play | Won | ||
| Best Supporting Actor in a Play | Fra Fee | Won | ||
| Best Director | Sam Mendes | Won | ||
Sir Samuel Alexander Mendes is a British film and stage director, producer, and screenwriter. In 2000, Mendes was appointed a CBE for his services to drama, and he was knighted in the 2020 New Years Honours List.
Patrick George Considine is an English actor, director, and screenwriter. He has received two British Academy Film Awards, three Evening Standard British Film Awards, British Independent Film Awards and a Silver Lion for Best Short Film at the 2007 Venice Film Festival.
Fionnghuala Manon "Fionnula" Flanagan is an Irish stage, television, and film actress. Flanagan is known for her roles in the films James Joyce's Women (1985), Some Mother's Son (1996), Waking Ned (1998), The Others (2001), Four Brothers (2005), Yes Man (2008), The Guard (2011) and Song of the Sea (2014). She is also known for her recurring role as Eloise Hawking in the series Lost (2007–2010). Notable stage productions she has performed in include Ulysses in Nighttown and The Ferryman, both of which earned her Tony Award nominations for Best Featured Actress in a Play.
Jeremy "Jez" Butterworth is an English playwright, screenwriter, and film director. He has written screenplays in collaboration with his brothers, John-Henry and Tom.
Sonia Friedman is a British West End and Broadway theatre producer. On 27 January 2017, Friedman was named Producer of the Year for the third year running at The Stage Awards, becoming the first person to win the award three times. In 2018, Friedman was featured in "TIME100", Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People of 2018 and was named Broadway Briefing's Show Person of the Year. In 2019, Sonia Friedman Productions was ranked The Stage 's most influential theatre producer in The Stage 100.
Laura Donnelly is a Northern Irish actress. She is the recipient of a Laurence Olivier Award as well as a nomination for a Tony Award. On television, she is known for her roles in the Starz series Outlander (2014–2017), the ITV series Beowulf (2016), and the HBO series The Nevers (2021–2023).
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Fra Fee is an Irish actor and singer known for his role as Kazi in the Disney+ series Hawkeye, which is set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He portrayed Courfeyrac in Tom Hooper's 2012 film adaptation of Les Misérables. Fee also played the role of Michael Carney in Jez Butterworth's The Ferryman at the Royal Court Theatre, West End, and Broadway, directed by Sam Mendes. For his performance, he won the 2018 WhatsOnStage Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Play.
Niall Wright is a Northern Irish actor.
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