| Commissioned by The Space, this film of CYPRUS AVENUE, by David Ireland, mixes live capture of performance from the iconic stage production with location shooting in Belfast. It was first broadcast on Sunday 15 September 2019 on BBC Four.
Starring Stephen Rea and directed by Vicky Featherstone, the award-winning Cyprus Avenue was originally coproduced by the Royal Court Theatre, London and Abbey Theatre, Dublin before touring to The MAC in Belfast and the Public Theater in New York.
Eric Miller (Stephen Rea) is a Belfast Loyalist. He is experiencing a psychotic episode and mistakes his five-week old granddaughter for Gerry Adams. Generations of sectarian trauma convince him that his cultural heritage is under siege. He must act.
This hard hitting black comedy Cyprus Avenue tells the story of a man struggling with the past and terrified of the future. It was awarded Best New Play at the Irish Times Theatre Awards and the James Tait Black Prize for Drama in 2017. For his portrayal of Eric, Stephen Rea won Best Actor at the Irish Times Theatre Awards 2017.
Content Warning: Cyprus Avenue contains strong language, discussion of sectarian themes, and scenes of extreme violence that some viewers may find disturbing.
The Abbey Theatre was founded as a national theatre for Ireland by W.B. Yeats and Lady Gregory in 1904.
The Royal Court Theatre in Sloane Square, London, “is at the forefront of creating restless, alert, provocative theatre about now.” |
