Abbey Theatre Presents COME ON HOME By Phillip McMahon, Directed By Rachel O'Riordan

The Abbey Theatre presents Come on Home by Phillip McMahon (Town is Dead, RIOT), directed by Rachel O'Riordan (Artistic Director Sherman Theatre) on the Peacock Stage from 13 July - 4 August.

Come On Home is a new play about faith, family, place and desire starring Ian Lloyd Anderson, Billy Carter, Declan Conlon, Kathy Rose O'Brien, Seán O'Callaghan, Aislín McGuckin and Des Nealon.

Michael hasn't been home in almost twenty years. Having been kicked out of the seminary and exiled from his family home, he found himself in London, by accident rather than design. But now, the death of his mother sees him back in the small town where he grew up. The place that chewed him up and spat him out.

Reunited with his two brothers, their partners and the local clergy, there are questions that want answering and old scores that need laying to rest. Where do you find home, when your family and faith have abandoned you? An Irish funeral brings out the best and worst in people, and a long night of truths lies ahead.

Phillip McMahon, Come On Home writer, said: "Having just returned from touring to Toronto with RIOT, I'm excited to be back at the Abbey with this new play Come On Home. We've put together an amazing team of actors, designers and technicians to realise this delicate but fierce production - which I believe audiences are going to really connect to. The whole thing is led by the brilliant director Rachel O'Riordan, and I think people are in for a treat this summer."

Come On Home runs for three weeks on the Peacock Stage from 13 July - 4 August.

Cast:
Ray: Ian Lloyd Anderson
Michael: Billy Carter
Brian: Declan Conlon
Aoife: Kathy Rose O'Brien
Father Aidan Cleary: Seán O'Callaghan
Martina: Aislín McGuckin
Father Seamus: Des Nealon

Written by: Phillip McMahon
Directed by: Rachel O'Riordan
Set & Costume Design: Colin Richmond
Lighting Design: Kevin Treacy
Composition & Sound Design: Conor Mitchell

Tickets: https://www.abbeytheatre.ie/whats-on/come-on-home/
Dates: 13 July - 4 August
Tickets: €25 / Conc. €20
Sign language interpreted performance: Thursday 2 August, 8pm

Phillip McMahon is a playwright and theatre maker based in Dublin. His plays include Danny and Chantelle (still here), All Over Town, Investment Potential, Pineapple, Elevator, Alice In Funderland, and Town Is Dead. Directing credits include In These Shoes?, All Dolled Up, A Woman In Progress and High Heels In Low Places, all written and performed by drag superstar Panti, Not A Funny Word by Tara Flynn, a live arena show for the Rubberbandits, Dublin Oldschool by Emmet Kirwan, and Town Is Dead at The Abbey Theatre.

Phillip is one half of pop culture outfit THISISPOPBABY, and was co-creator and co-curator of the WHERE WE LIVE festival 2018, THISISPOPBABY alt-performance venue at Electric Picnic Music and Arts Festival, Queer Notions cross arts festival at Project Arts Centre and WERK Performance/ Art/Club at The Abbey Theatre, Melbourne Arts Festival and the Irish Museum of Modern Art. Most recently, Phillip co-created and co-directed RIOT, a celebration of Irish contemporary performance which won 'Best Production' at Dublin Fringe Festival 2016 and has gone on to tour to Australia, New York and Toronto. He was Writer in Association at The Abbey Theatre 2009/2010.

Rachel O'Riordan is Artistic Director of Cardiff's Sherman Theatre, for whom she has directed The Cherry Orchard, Killology (& Royal Court Theatre, London); The Weir (& Tobacco Factory Theatres, Bristol); Bird (Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester); The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe; A Doll's House; Iphigenia in Splott (UK tour/ National Theatre); Romeo & Juliet and Arabian Nights. Killology won an Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre and was the first co-production between a Welsh theatre and the Royal Court. Iphigenia in Splott won both the UK Theatre Awards 'Best New Play' and the James Tait Black prize for drama. It was the first production by a Welsh producing house to transfer to the National Theatre. Under Rachel's leadership Sherman Theatre became the first theatre in Wales to win The Stage Awards Regional Theatre of the Year title in 2018.

Rachel's work has been performed internationally. Most recently Iphigenia in Splott was performed at New York's Brits Off Broadway season and was the only production by a UK company to be selected to be part of FIND Festival at Berlin's iconic Schaubühne. She has recently worked for the British Council in Kiev, developing new artists. Before joining Sherman Theatre, Rachel was Artistic Director at Perth Theatre. She holds a PhD from the University of Ulster.

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