The Seafarer (play)

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The Seafarer is a play by Conor McPherson set on Christmas Eve in Baldoyle, a coastal settlement north of Dublin city. The play centers on James "Sharkey" Harkin, an alcoholic who has recently returned to live with his blind, aging brother, Richard Harkin. As Sharkey attempts to stay off the bottle during the holidays, he contends with the hard-drinking, irascible Richard and his own haunted conscience.

[edit] Production History

The play was first performed in September 2006 at the Cottesloe auditorium of London's National Theatre. It received an Olivier Award nomination for Best Play, and Jim Norton won an Olivier for his performance.[1] The Cottesloe cast was as follows[2]


The Broadway production opened December 6, 2007 at the Booth Theatre and ran through March 30, 2008. The Broadway cast was as follows:[3]

This production garnered multiple Tony Award nominations in 2008, for Best Play, two for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play (Conleth Hill; Jim Norton), and Best Director of a Play (Conor McPherson).[4]


The play was first performed in Ireland at the Abbey Theatre in Dublin in May 2008.[5] The Dublin cast was as follows:

  • Mr Lockhart: George Costigan
  • Ivan Curry: Don Wycherley
  • James 'Sharky' Harkin: Liam Carney
  • Nicky Giblin: Phelim Drew
  • Richard Harkin: Maelíosa Stafford

[edit] References

  1. ^ Olivier Award:
  2. ^ National Theatre site
  3. ^ Playbill article
  4. ^ 2008 Tony Award Nominations. The New York Times, May 13, 2008.
  5. ^ Abbey Theatre
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