Finborough Theatre

THE LONDON PREMIERE OF THE DUBLIN AND EDINBURGH SUCCESS

“Thinking if it’s going to stop, thinking if it’s going to pass, but it’s not, can’t let it, that word and all laughter and sneering that goes with it, is going around and around me head, and it won’t let me rest, and it won’t let me sleep, and it won’t let me do anything but think about strangling him”

Occi Byrne thinks differently to the other boys. He’s sure it’s from an accident he had as a child, but maybe it’s for another reason…Frowned on by the church, isolated by relatives, Occi and his mum struggle to survive in a tough garrison town in 1960’s rural Ireland, Occi grows to adulthood in a dog-eat-dog world on a journey that takes him through murder and mayhem, love and death, returning ultimately to the beginning: a lost soul looking for recognition and a place to belong.

Produced by Benrae Productions founded by Conor McDermottroe and international award-winning playwright Frank McGuinness, Swansong has been a sell-out success in Dublin and Edinburgh and now receives its London premiere at the Finborough Theatre.

Writer and Performer Conor McDermottroe has worked as an actor for the Druid Theatre Company, at the Abbey Theatre, Dublin, the Gate, Dublin, and The Royal National Theatre. He spent 10 years in Australia, where he featured in numerous award winning TV and film productions. More recently, Conor has written a number of stage and screenplays including writing and directing three short films shortly to be screened in cinemas and on Channel 4.

The Press on Swansong

* * * * FOUR STARS WHAT'S ON IN LONDON. EDINBURGH METRO. THE SCOTSMAN

“THIS FIRST PLAY IS A SONG FILLED WITH PROMISE” SAM MARLOWE, THE TIMES

“A POWERFUL, CAPTIVATING ONE-MAN SHOW” KIRSTY BOYLAN, THE IRISH WORLD

“THIS SHORT SHARP SHOCK OF A PLAY IS A CAPTIVATING, MIND-ALTERING EXPERIENCE”
JULIA HICKMAN, THEATREWORLD INTERNET MAGAZINE

“HE CONTINUES THE TRADITION OF FINE IRISH WRITING WITH...THIS FIRST PLAY” CHERYL FREEDMAN, WHAT’S ON IN LONDON

“SOPHISTICATED WRITING THAT’S GENUINELY INVOLVING” CHERYL FREEDMAN, WHAT’S ON IN LONDON

"RAW, PUGILISTIC AND PROFANE…BUT WITH MCDERMOTTROE'S EXTRAORDINARY LYRICISM AND GALLOWS HUMOUR RUNNING THROUGH IT.”
JULIA HICKMAN, THEATREWORLD INTERNET MAGAZINE

“A VIVID AND BRUISING PICTURE OF LIFE IN THE WEST OF IRELAND IN THE 1960S” SAM MARLOWE, THE TIMES

“FEVERED AND INTENSE...COLOURFUL AND INVOLVING” SAM MARLOWE, THE TIMES

“RIVETING AND EMOTIONALLY CHARGED” KIRSTY BOYLAN, THE IRISH WORLD

“THE WRITER CONOR MCDERMOTTROE'S EXPLOSIVE PLAY SWANSONG IS A MASTERFUL CHARACTER STUDY” JULIA HICKMAN, THEATREWORLD INTERNET MAGAZINE

“…UTTERLY CONVINCING…” CHERYL FREEDMAN, WHAT’S ON IN LONDON

“MCDERMOTTROE INHABITS THIS CHARACTER FULLY, ADOPTING THE CASUAL SWAGGER AND STREET FIGHTING TALK OF ONE WHO’S HAD TO BATTLE FOR EVERYTHING. THE BODY LANGUAGE IS MARVELLOUS.” CHERYL FREEDMAN, WHAT’S ON IN LONDON

“MCDERMOTTROE MANAGES TO INFUSE HIS PERFORMANCE BOTH WITH A BULLISH BRAVURA AND A GENTLE CHARM, CREATING A CHARACTER OF REFRESHING INVENTIVENESS.” JONATHON DORY, ROGUES AND VAGABONDS

“EVEN AT OCCI MOST VIOLENT, MCDERMOTTROE DRAWS THE AUDIENCE IN SO THAT WE FEEL ALMOST COMPLICIT IN HIS ACTS OF RETRIBUTION.” KIRSTY BOYLAN, THE IRISH WORLD

“MCDERMOTTROE CAPTURES THE POIGNANT SENSE OF VIOLENCE SUBLIMATED BY DRUGS AND ROUTINE – AND, FOR ALL THAT HIS PAST DEEDS ARE DREADFUL, THEY MAKE FOR A SYMPATHETIC YARN.” KIERON QUIRKE, TIME OUT

“PRESENTED BY BENRAE PRODUCTIONS, A COMPANY FORMED BY MCDERMOTTROE WITH THE PLAYWRIGHT FRANK MCGUINNESS, THE STAGING IS STRIPPED BACK TO THE BONE. THERE’S NO SET OF ANY KIND — JUST THE DEFIANT, MANIC, SWEATY FIGURE OF MCDERMOTTROE AND HIS STREAM OF RAUCOUSLY IMPASSIONED LANGUAGE.” SAM MARLOWE, THE TIMES

“INCREDIBLY POWERFUL…BRILLIANT BRILLIANT ACTING”
TIM CORNWELL, THE SCOTSMAN

“SWANSONG HAS ALL OF THE IRISH LITERARY INHERITANCE ABOUT IT” TIM CORNWELL, THE SCOTSMAN

“CHARGED WITH EMOTIONAL INTENSITY … UTTERLY COMPELLING” DECLAN BURKE, SUNDAY TIMES (IRELAND)

"A HAUNTING PICTURE OF LIFE ON THE MARGINS.....A FINE PIECE OF WRITING AND PERFORMANCE...” EMER O'KELLY, SUNDAY INDEPENDENT

“THE PROSE HAS A GUTTURAL LYRICISM, THE SITUATION IS EXAMINED WITH INTELLECTUAL CLARITY, AND DELIVERED WITH A VIVID COMPASSION THAT MARKS REAL WRITING TALENT.” EMER O'KELLY, SUNDAY INDEPENDENT

“THE AUTHOR'S PERFORMANCE IS FULL OF CAGED ENERGY, AND THE PICTURES PAINTED OF LIFE ON THE MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL MARGINS ARE TRULY HAUNTING." EMER O'KELLY, SUNDAY INDEPENDENT

"WRITTEN AND WONDERFULLY PLAYED BY CONOR MCDERMOTTROE” ALAN CHADWICK, METRO

“SWANSONG CATCHES FLIGHT THROUGH A COMBINATION OF PUMP ACTION ACTING AND LINGUISTIC DRIVE THAT MAKES OCCI'S BUBBLING RAGE AND SURRENDER TO FATE BOTH A THING OF HORROR AND PITY". ALAN CHADWICK, METRO

“PUMP ACTION ACTING” ALAN CHADWICK, METRO

"THE STRONGLY TALENTED CONOR MCDERMOTTROE…BRINGS GENUINE MENACE TO THE GRITTY PERFORMANCE...” JAMES MULLIGHAN, THE SCOTSMAN

“SWANSONG IS HILARIOUS AND A HEARTBREAKING ROLLERCOASTER OF A RIDE” JAMES MULLIGHAN, THE SCOTSMAN

“…BRIMMING WITH IRISH IDIOM AND 1960'S PERIOD DETAIL…” JAMES MULLIGHAN, THE SCOTSMAN

“SHARP AND BRAVE. AN EVOCATIVE PORTRAIT OF IRELAND AT A CERTAIN TIME AND PLACE” ELIZABETH MCGUANE, SUNDAY BUSINESS POST