August 1798. Charismatic rebel Henry Joy McCracken is on the run and asking himself how it happened. In Stewart Parker’s elegant, witty and moving play, a lunatic sense of invention is harnessed to a virtuoso Rough Magic ensemble for a freewheeling journey, from the sublime to the ridiculous, through Irish political and theatrical history. Read more …
Northern Star is based on the intriguing story of Belfast-born United Irishman Henry Joy McCracken, as he dissects the reasons for the failure of the 1798 rebellion, and its attempt to forge a new nation. We join McCracken on the eve of his arrest and subsequent execution; a night that recalls the seven ages of his life, each presented in the style of a great Irish writer, from Boucicault and Wilde, to Behan and Beckett – a rollicking journey through the missed opportunities of Irish history.
Tron Theatre, Glasgow from Wednesday May 11, 2016, until Saturday May 14, 2016. More info: www.tron.co.uk
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