menu
 DruidShakespeare – Richard II, Henry IV & Henry V by William Shakespeare in a new adaptation by Mark O’Rowe directed by Garry Hynes in a co-production with Lincoln Center Festival

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

Cast

Clare Barrett

Derbhle Crotty

Gavin Drea

Bosco Hogan

Garrett Lombard

Karen McCartney

Charlotte McCurry

Aaron Monaghan

Marie Mullen

Rory Nolan

John Olohan

Aisling O’Sullivan

Marty Rea

Director
Garry Hynes

Associate Director – Design
Francis O’Connor

Associate Director – Movement
David Bolger

Co-Costume Designer
Doreen McKenna

Lighting Design
James F. Ingalls

Sound Design
Gregory Clarke

Music
Conor Linehan

Dramaturg
Thomas Conway

Voice Coach
Andrew Wade

Fight Director
Donal O'Farrell

General Manager
Sarah Lynch

Production Associate
Craig Flaherty

Production Manager
Eamonn Fox

Technical Manager
Barry O’Brien

Company Stage Manager
Paula Tierney

Stage Manager
Clare Howe

Assistant Stage Manager
Richie O’Sullivan

Assistant Stage Manager (Intern)
Aidan Doheny

Wardrobe Mistress
Amanda Donovan

Wardrobe Assistant
Jingyi Zhang

Wigs and Make Up
Val Sherlock

Master Carpenter
Gus Dewar

Chief Electrician
Shannon Light

Production Sound Engineer
Mike Nestor

Set Construction
TPS / Rynn Engineering / Druid

Scenic Painter
Dymphna Tate

Tour Carpenter
Pete Nelson

Crew
Frank Commins, Gerry Mallon, Keith Newman, Paul O’Connor, Alan Cuddy

Transport
Trevor Price

Specialist Props
Bill Wright, Marcus Molloy, Matthew Guinane

Publicist
Kate Bowe

Graphic Design
Bite! Associates

Publicity Image Photography
Matthew Thompson

Cast Portrait Photography
Reg Gordon

Online Video Content
Bold.ie

Mick Lally Theatre, Galway:
Venue Manager
Aoife Qualter

Box Office
Andrea Healy

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

Sign up to the Druid Mailing List

Also join the Events at The Mick Lally Theatre mailing list:
(Check this box if you would like to also receive news of events at The Mick Lally Theatre, Druid Lane, Galway)

×