Get tickets now to "the most critically acclaimed play of the season" (Rolling Stone). The Chicago Tribune calls THE FERRYMAN "a sprawling, Shakespearean masterpiece and the best new play of the year." Written by Jez Butterworth and directed Sam Mendes, this "new, instant and monumental classic" (HuffPost) has been ranked on more "Top 10" lists than any other show. New York Times critic Ben Brantley says, "It's the Broadway production of the year."
It's 1981 in Northern Ireland, and the Carney farmhouse is a hive of activity with preparations for the annual harvest. A day of hard work on the land and a traditional night of feasting and celebrations lie ahead. But this year they will be interrupted by a visitor. The Hollywood Reporter says, "This crackling thriller positively thrums with life and love. It will leave you breathless." And The New Yorker raves, "As you sit in the audience, you know you are watching theatre history happen." Don't miss THE FERRYMAN - "the must-see drama of the year" (Time Out).
Sam Mendes directs, with scenic & costume design by Rob Howell, lighting design by Peter Mumford, sound design & original music by Nick Powell, and choreography by Scarlett Mackmin.
To reveal more would be indefensible, as Butterworth, under the impeccable direction of Mendes, with a flawless cast from young to old (including Fra Fee, Niall Wright and Carla Langley as the eldest Carneys), detail-perfect sets and costumes from Rob Howell, takes this play in directions you won't see coming. The Ferryman toys with what it knows we know - an exuberant Irish jig can't help but remind of Brian Friel's Dancing at Lughnasa, until it goes full-out punk. The gentle Of Mice and Men danger of Tom Kettle, the bloody shocks we've seen from the likes of Martin McDonagh - everything gets rearranged, and you just might gasp at the power and poetry that brings The Ferryman to a close even as you know it had to come to this.
Butterworth takes his time unfolding details of his plot, focusing more on how a continuing political issue affects family dynamics spanning three generations, leading up to a tense and violent conclusion. Under Sam Mendes' empathetic direction, the wonderful ensemble company provides deeply-textured and entertaining performances. Despite the three and a quarter hour length (one intermission and a brief pause) the play flies by.
2017 | West End |
World Premiere at Royal Court Theatre West End |
2017 | West End |
Original West End Production West End |
2018 | Broadway |
Original Broadway Production Broadway |
Year | Ceremony | Category | Nominee |
---|---|---|---|
2019 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Director of a Play | Sam Mendes |
2019 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play | Tom Glynn-Carney |
2019 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Sound Design in a Play | Nick Powell |
2019 | Drama League Awards | Distinguished Performance Award | Paddy Considine |
2019 | Drama League Awards | Outstanding Production of a Broadway or Off-Broadway Play | The Ferryman |
2019 | New York Drama Critics Circle Awards | Best Play | Jez Butterworth |
2019 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Costume Design | Rob Howell |
2019 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Director of a Play | Sam Mendes |
2019 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play | Fionnula Flanagan |
2019 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding New Broadway Play | The Ferryman |
2019 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Scenic Design | Rob Howell |
2019 | Theatre World Awards | Outstanding Broadway or Off-Broadway Debut Performance | Tom Glynn-Carney |
2019 | Theatre World Awards | Outstanding Broadway or Off-Broadway Debut Performance | Paddy Considine |
2019 | Tony Awards | Best Costume Design of a Play | Rob Howell |
2019 | Tony Awards | Best Direction of a Play | Sam Mendes |
2019 | Tony Awards | Best Lighting Design of a Play | Peter Mumford |
2019 | Tony Awards | Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play | Paddy Considine |
2019 | Tony Awards | Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play | Fionnula Flanagan |
2019 | Tony Awards | Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play | Laura Donnelly |
2019 | Tony Awards | Best Play | Jez Butterworth |
2019 | Tony Awards | Best Scenic Design of a Play | Rob Howell |
2019 | Tony Awards | Best Sound Design of a Play | Nick Powell |
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