The hit play of the 2016 Galway International Arts Festival, Arlington, by Tony Award winning playwright Enda Walsh, is to have a four-week run at St. Ann’s Warehouse in New York City next year.
'Arlington' is a co-production between Landmark Productions and Galway International Arts Festival. It premiered at the Festival in July 2016. The production stars award-winning actor Charlie Murphy as Isla, Hugh O’Conor as Young Man and Oona Doherty as Young Woman, and features the voices of Olwen Fouéré, Helen Norton and Stephen Rea.
'Arlington' is directed by Enda Walsh and choreographed by Emma Martin, with sets and costumes designed by Jamie Vartan, and lighting by Adam Silverman. Sound Design is by Helen Atkinson with original music composed by Teho Teardo.
Speaking from London, Enda Walsh commented, “I’m delighted to be returning to St. Ann’s and showing this new work, Arlington - a piece created with my regular collaborators and the brilliant Irish choreographer Emma Martin.”
Previous Enda Wash work at St. Ann’s Warehouse include Misterman (Landmark Productions/GalwayInternational Arts Festival); The Walworth Farce, The New Electric Ballroom, Penelope (Druid) and, most recently, The Last Hotel (Wide Open Opera/Landmark Productions).
Arlington: a strange and tender love story
‘Arlington’ is a compelling ode to the human spirit and its power to endure. In a waiting room, inside a tower, Isla waits for her number to be called. A young woman finally understands her fate. And a young man faces a stark decision. It's a strange, tender love story in the midst of a bleak and terrifying world.
What the critics said
After its world premiere in Galway in July, critics hailed the play. The Stage, in its 5 star review, described Arlington as “tremendous", saying "Walsh and the creative team combine stunning effects with playful physicality." The Guardian, meanwhile, noted that “Dance, art and poetry explode in Enda Walsh’s brave new world".
St. Ann’s Warehouse
Among the highlights of St. Ann’s Warehouse 2016/17 season are the Donmar Warehouse production of Shakespeare’s ‘The Tempest’ directed by Phyllida Llyod; Kneehigh’s ‘946: The Amazing Story of Adolphus Tips’ by Michael Morpurgo and Emma Rice who also directs; a new play by Daniel Kitson ‘Mouse - The Persistence of an Unlikely Thought’; and the epic ‘A 24-Decade History of Popular Music’ by the avant-garde New York performance artist Taylor Mac, which opens the season.
Tony award-winner Enda Walsh
Walsh is an Irish, multi-award winning playwright and director, whose accolades include a Tony Award for writing the book for the musical ‘Once’ in 2012, adapted from 2007 film ‘Once’ which featured the Oscar-winning song ‘Falling Slowly’. The musical played for three years on Broadway (2012–2015), two years on the West End (2012–2015) and scooped eight Tony Awards and a Grammy for Best Musical Theatre Award.
Walsh is a regular Galway International Arts Festival and Landmark Productions collaborator. His internationally acclaimed works ‘Misterman’ (2011) and ‘Ballyturk’ (2014), both GIAF and Landmark Productions co-productions, premiered at the Festival. ‘Misterman’ scooped two Irish Times Theatre Awards, with Irish actor Cillian Murphy taking Best Actor and Jamie Vartan best Set Design. ‘Ballyturk’ won two Irish Times Theatre Awards for Best Production and Sound Design. Walsh also collaborated with David Bowie on the Off-Broadway hit ‘Lazarus’, which premiered at the New York Theatre Workshop last year and received five nominations in the Outer Critics Circle Awards. The European premier of Lazarus takes place at the King’s Cross Theatre, London in October.
Galway International Arts Festival has been producing and touring since 2002, most recently bringing smash hit ‘riverrun’ (2013) and 2016 installation ‘Rooms’ to The Kennedy Centre in Washington as part of Ireland 100: Celebrating a Century of Irish Arts and Culture in June.
'Arlington' runs from 3 - 28 May 2017, with opening night on 7 May. Tickets start at $45 and are available from St. Ann’s Warehouse from 4 October 2016.
Galway International Arts Festival is very grateful to Culture Ireland for its support of the New York presentations of Arlington and Rooms.
The Festival would like to acknowledge its principal funding agencies, the Arts Council and Fáilte Ireland, for their longstanding support of our work and thank our Festival Leadership Partners Ulster Bank, ABSOLUT and NUI Galway.
Curious to see more? Check out our stunning production shots.
'A tremendous exploration of the transcending of circumstance' - The Stage
‘A new form of category-defying theatre in a story of love and oppression that echoes Orwell’s 1984' - The Guardian
‘Intensely moving, layered performances from Charlie Murphy as Isla and Hugh O’Conor as the young interrogator … a seriously impressive and intelligent piece of theatre’ - Sunday Independent
