Theatre returns to Cork: Young Offenders star to appear in Brian Friel classic
Alex Murphy pictured recently at the Irish premier of Black Widow. Picture: Andres Poveda
Alex Murphy may be best known as Conor in The Young Offenders, but the Cork actor is set to tread the boards in his native city as one of Donegal's most famous fictional characters.
Murphy, 23, will take on the role of principal protagonist Gar O'Donnell in Philadelphia, Here I Come!, by Brian Friel.
The play at Cork Opera House is likely to be the first major indoor theatre production on Leeside since Covid forced the closure of venues back in March 2020.
Opening on October 5, Philadelphia, Here I Come! centres on a young man about to emigrate to America, and provides plenty lighthearted moments during its exploration of complicated family dynamics. The play was a huge success for Friel in the mid-1960s, garnering several Tony nominations following a run on Broadway.
While Murphy's role as a famous TV rascal has taken up much of his time in recent years, the Douglas man has also gained plenty theatre experience since graduating from the Lir Academy.
The new production, which received a grant of €333,440 from the Government's Live Performance Support Scheme, comes from the stable of theatre stalwart Pat Talbot, former director of the Everyman in Cork.
Not surprisingly, Talbot is delighted to be back in action with a live show. “It is exhilarating to get back into full production after such a lengthy period of nothing. To do so with a Brian Friel play is a privilege,” he said.
Philadelphia will be directed by Geoff Gould – the man behind the annual West Cork Fit-Up Festival – and will provide welcome employment in the hard-hit sector for dozens of other cast and crew.
Eibhlín Gleeson, chief executive of Cork Opera House, is also looking forward to finally being able to open the venue's doors again. “At a very difficult time for the arts, it's wonderful to be in a position to welcome a local production onto our stage. We look forward to once again welcome the people of Cork, and beyond, into our theatre,” said Gleeson.
While the Government has said it won't publish its roadmap for the return of the live performance sector until the end of August, some events have been taking place in outdoor or semi-enclosed settings.
Galway International Arts Festival (Aug 28 – Sept 18) and Dublin Theatre Festival (Sept 30-Oct 17) are two upcoming events also offering indoor theatre to limited audiences.
- Tickets for Philadelphia, Here I Come! are now on sale via www.corkoperahouse.ie
