Coinciding with the centenary of Brendan Behan’s birth and the 70th anniversary of his play The Quare Fellow, an all-new reworking of the theatre production starring an all-female and non-binary cast debuted at the Abbey Theatre last November. Thankfully, the show is still going strong and will be taking audiences by storm until January 27. But the good news doesn’t end there, because GCN is giving away a pair of tickets to The Quare Fellow to one of our lucky readers!

Directed by Tom Creed, this iteration of Brendan Behan’s classic play brings a never-before-seen twist to The Quare Fellow. The play, which follows the story of the arrival of a condemned murderer to Dublin’s Mountjoy Prison, has typically featured an all-male cast. However, Creed’s rework of the piece features a cast made up entirely of female and non-binary actors. 

Commenting on the decision to alter the casting, Creed said: “Approaching The Quare Fellow almost 70 years after it was first performed, I am captivated and deeply moved by the wild humour and great compassion with which Brendan Behan explores prison life and human rights. The play presents the prison as a microcosm of society, where inmates and workers alike do their best to get by in a system that imprisons them all.

“Working with a large cast of female and non-binary performers, with diverse backgrounds in drama, performance and cabaret, we will draw on the long tradition of music hall that Behan loved, as well as his subversive legacy of surprising and confronting audiences with big ideas on a good night out.”

The cast features the talents of prominent stage actors such as Clare Barrett, Barbara Brennan, Amy Conroy, Wren Dennehy, Emer Dineen, Eva-Jane Gaffney, Taylor McClaine, Gina Moxley, Marion O’Dwyer, Aisling O’Mara, Rebecca O’Mara, Ebby O’Toole-Acheampong, Chloe O’Reilly, Camille Lucy Ross and Kate Stanley-Brennan.

Glowing reviews for the Creed-directed project have been rolling in since The Quare Fellow debuted in November, with publications like The Irish Times describing the show as “a hugely enjoyable romp that packs sombre reflection in with profane laughter.” Meanwhile, the Irish Independent reported that “Tom Creed’s inspired production reminds us of what a great writer Behan was…A fine piece of work: high entertainment laced with just the right amount of weight.” 

The Quare Fellow will be playing at Dublin’s Abbey Theatre until January 27, with all dates and times available here. However, if you’re feeling lucky, GCN has a pair of tickets up for grabs for one of the remaining performances. To be in with a chance of winning, simply answer the following question:

Who directed the all-new version of The Quare Fellow?

The competition closes at midnight on Tuesday, January 23, 2024. The winners will be announced on social media and contacted via email.

By submitting this form, you give GCN consent to process your personal information for the purposes of conducting this competition. More information on how we protect your privacy can be found here.

This competition is now closed, please visit our Competitions page for more.