An epic story of families, wars and the making of nations
DruidShakespeare is an epic theatre event that condenses four action-packed plays – Richard II, Henry IV (Parts 1 & 2), and Henry V – into one thrilling drama played out over six hours.
Richard II’s story is the loss of innocence. A king since he was a child, when he finds his throne under threat he must consider how a king can become a man and ask himself how such a man can live.
Henry IV’s story is the price of arrogance. Having plucked the crown from his cousin’s head, he divides houses, enrages nobility and jeopardises the loyalty of his own supporters until he has only his family to turn to.
Henry V’s story is a coming-of-age. He squanders his youth with scoundrels and mistresses, but he must face up to his fate as heir to the throne and mend his ways in order to win the hearts and minds of the nobility and unite his country.
Shakespeare’s tales of ambition, destruction, responsibility and rebellion are performed with an exceptional cast, live music, thrilling dramatic moments and a rousing parade of characters including one of Shakespeare’s greatest comic creations, Falstaff.
Exactly how many hours of theatre can you expect from DruidShakespeare? To answer this, we have broken down the duration of each play so you can see how long you will be seated and how often you can expect an interval.
For the Galway performance, there will be a pop-up bar, and catering from Yum Tree Kitchen available in the beautiful courtyard of Hall of the Red Earl. We will provide outdoor seating and cover in case of rain. You can pre-order your food and drinks to maximize your interval time and you will have access to the courtyard and facilities after each performance.
Many of our touring venues will also have on-site facilities and we advise checking their respective websites for more information (see links below)
DruidShakespeare duration:
Richard II: 1hr 35mins
Followed by a brief interval
Henry IV, Part 1: 1hr 28mins
Followed by the main interval
Henry IV, Part 2: 1hr
Followed by a brief interval
Henry V: 1hr 22mins
Note: All times are approximate
All in all, we recommend you leave at least six and a half hours (including intervals) aside for your DruidShakespeare experience.
Touring venue websites:
An Grianán | Hawk’s Well Theatre | The Royal | Lime Tree Theatre |
Lincoln Centre Festival, NYC | Kilkenny Arts Festival
No website available for Skibbereen Town Hall but tickets can be booked here.
For tour dates and information, please click here
Richard II
Marty Rea King Richard II
Bosco Hogan John of Gaunt, Glendower, Bishop of Carlisle, Gardener
Gavin Drea Aumerle
Rory Nolan Bagot
Derbhle Crotty Bolingbroke
Aaron Monaghan Mowbray, Worcester, Exton
Karen McCartney Scroop
John Olohan York
Charlotte McCurry Queen Isabel
Garrett Lombard Hotspur
Marie Mullen Northumberland
Clare Barrett Servant to the Gardener, Keeper
Henry IV part one
Derbhle Crotty King Henry IV
Bosco Hogan Westmoreland
Rory Nolan Falstaff
Gavin Drea Poins, Vernon
Marie Mullen Northumberland, the Lord Chief Justice
Aaron Monaghan Worcester
Garrett Lombard Hotspur
Clare Barrett Bardolph
John Olohan Mistress Quickly, Douglas
Karen McCartney John of Lancaster
Marty Rea Francois
Aisling O’Sullivan Hal
Charlotte McCurry Blunt, Peto
Henry IV part two
Marie Mullen Northumberland, the Lord Chief Justice, Silence
Gavin Drea Poins, Gloucester
Rory Nolan Falstaff
Karen McCartney Boy, John of Lancaster
Charlotte McCurry Doll Tearsheet, Clarence
Marty Rea Francois
Clare Barrett Bardolph
Aisling O’Sullivan Hal / King Henry V
John Olohan Mistress Quickly, Warwick
Aaron Monaghan Pistol
Bosco Hogan Shallow
Derbhle Crotty King Henry IV
Garrett Lombard Bullcalf
Henry V
Aaron Monaghan Chorus, Pistol, Dauphin
Aisling O’Sullivan King Henry V
Marie Mullen Exeter
Bosco Hogan Westmoreland, Charles VI
Marty Rea Archbishop of Canterbury, Constable of France
Garrett Lombard Fluellen, Grandpré
Charlotte McCurry Nym, Monsieur Le Fer
Clare Barrett Bardolph
John Olohan Mistress Quickly, Governor of Harfleur
Karen McCartney Boy, Bates, Salisbury
Rory Nolan Cambridge, Gower, Orleans
Gavin Drea Gloucester, Rambures, Williams
Derbhle Crotty Montjoy
Servants, Grooms, Travellers, Messengers and Heralds are played by members of the company
‘ripping entertainment’
Ben Brantley, The New York Times
Read the full review on the New York Times web site
‘Staggering … Nothing can quell the extraordinary vitality of Hynes’s production’
Michael Billington, The Guardian
read the full review on the Guardian web site
‘Brazenly Irish … a huge achievement’
Sophie Gorman, The Irish Independent
read the full review on the Irish Independent web site
‘Remarkable … epic’
Peter Crawley, The Irish Times
read the full review on the Irish Times web site
‘A mad dynamic pageant of fire, blood, guts and spunk’
Padraic Killeen, The Irish Examiner
read the full review on the Irish Examiner web site
'An overwhelming experience . . . Not to be missed'
Fiona Charleton, Sunday Times
'Enthralling'
Emer O'Kelly, Sunday Independent
‘An exhilarating production’
Charlie McBride, The Galway Advertiser
read the full review on the Galway Advertiser web site
'A wonderful achievement'
Judy Murphy, Galway City
read the full review on the City Tribune web site
'A rare combination of fabulous variety and absolute coherence . . . full of theatrical individuality . . . pure exhilarating theatre' Fintan O'Toole, The Irish Times
read the full review on the Irish Time web site
What the press say about DruidShakespeare performances
‘In the extraordinary form of Marty Rea … [a] magnificently measured performance.’
Irish Times
‘Beautiful, brutal, battleground choreography from David Bolger’
The Irish Times
‘A lean and propulsive telling by Mark O’Rowe’
The Irish Times
‘O’Connor’s costumes, co-designed with Doreen McKenna, are a marvelous conspiracy of woollen cowls and studded leathers’
The Irish Times
‘O’Sullivan is compellingly strange’
The Irish Times
‘Druid’s excellent ensemble’
The Irish Times
‘Francis O’Connor’s deceptively simple pared back set’
The Irish Independent
‘ … visceral … alive’
The Irish Independent
‘Derbhle Crotty … a bloodstained steely King Henry IV’
The Irish Independent
‘Aisling O’Sullivan . . . powerhouse performance of this very tight ensemble’
The Irish Independent
‘Marty Rea starts the day with an astonishing Richard II’
The Guardian
‘Aaron Monaghan especially impressive’
The Guardian
‘Rory Nolan plays . . . with wit and vigour’
The Guardian
‘This brilliant Druid ensemble’
The Irish Examiner
‘There is some mighty comedy in Aaron Monaghan’s Ancient Pistol and Rory Nolan’s Falstaff’
The Irish Examiner
‘The performances throughout are wonderful’
The Galway Advertiser
'Bosco Hogan excellent . . . particularly as old John of Gaunt.'
Sunday Independent
'Splendidly-layered Flastaff from Rory Nolan, with Garrett Lombard an impetuous and impressive Hotspur'
Sunday Independent
'Both [Crotty and O'Sullivan] give tremendous performances and are utterly convincing'
Sunday Times
'Marty Rea is outstanding'
Sunday Times
'The evocative lighting design by James Ingalls and ominous yet haunting sound design by Gregory Clarke are crucial.'
Sunday Times
'Hynes and her team have created an extraordinarily atmospheric space, and their eye for detail and impeccable pacing ensures that this marathon show never flags'
Sunday Times
'Rory Nolan gives us a wonderful Falstaff by playing him not as a clown but as a lord of misrule whose command is disintegrating.
The Irish Times
'Marty Rea’s breathtaking Richard is like nothing on earth'
The Irish Times
'It is full of theatrical individuality yet is utterly an ensemble piece.'
The Irish Times
'John Olohan’s curiously affecting Mistress Quickly and Clare Barrett’s superb Bardolph'
The Irish Times
