12 Oct–24 Nov
The Brightening Air
Directed by Conor McPherson. Written by Erica Murray
- Tickets from €30
- Under 30s, Seniors and Group booking offers available.
- Duration
- Approx. 1hr 30minutes (No interval)
- Show times
- Evening: Doors at 7:00pm. Show at 7:30pm–9:00pm Matinee: Doors at 1:30pm. Show at 2:00pm
- Age
- 12+ years old
- Audience advisory
- This production contains haze and bright lighting
You can’t choose your family, but how you deal with them shapes the scope of this exciting new play from rising talent Erica Murray.
On a farm in the west of Ireland, two siblings who never left and two who did are brought back together by a family crisis.
A play about the people we were and the people we became, full of music, humour and the ache of a family trying to start again.
What people are saying
★★★★★You can’t choose your family, but how you deal with them shapes the scope of this exciting new play from rising talent Erica Murray.
★★★★★In a world where secrets and lies intertwine, this compelling drama explores the fragility of trust and the resilience of love.
★★★★★A poignant narrative that challenges societal norms and invites audiences to reflect on their own relationships.
Credits
Cast
Aisling Kearney
Maura
Declan Furlong
Tom
Róisín Hegarty
Brid
Peadar Nolan
Colm
Clodagh Ryan
Ellen
Fiachra Boyle
Seán
Martina Quigley
Nora
Eoin Delaney
Fergal
Creatives
Niamh Gallagher
Director
Ciarán Doyle
Writer
Orla Brennan
Set & Costume Designer
Rory McHale
Lighting Designer
Saoirse Conlon
Composer & Sound Designer
Dara Whelan
Movement Director
Gráinne Tobin
Casting Director
Ultan Mooney
Stage Manager
About the director
Niamh Gallagher
Niamh is a Dublin-based director whose work has toured across Ireland and the UK. She trained at The Lir Academy and was Resident Director at the Gate in 2023. Her recent productions include new plays and reimagined classics, with a particular love for stories rooted in rural Ireland.
About the writer
Ciarán Doyle
Ciarán grew up on a farm in County Mayo and began writing for his local drama group. His plays have been produced in Dublin, Galway and Edinburgh, and he was a writer-in-residence at the Gate. The Brightening Air is his fourth full-length play.
Booking information
- Previews
- Friday 25 September
- Age
- 12+ years old
- Opening night
- Wednesday 30 September
- Audience advisory
- This production contains haze and bright lighting
- Closing night
- Sunday 1 November
- Accessibility
- In advance of booking, we kindly ask that patrons with accessibility requirements contact the Box Office.
- ISL-interpreted performance
- Saturday 10 October at 2pm.
Behind the scenes
Our workshop rebuilt a working farmhouse kitchen for this production, down to the range and the dresser. The cast spent their first week of rehearsals learning the songs the play is built around, gathered around an old upright piano in our rehearsal room.
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What to expect
First time at the Gate?
No dress code, a café and bar that open an hour before the show, and step-free access to the auditorium. Here’s everything you need to know before your first visit.
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