‘Oh, Kathleen Ní Houlihan, your way’s a thorny way!’
Set against the backdrop of the Irish War of Independence, Sean O’Casey’s The Shadow of a Gunman delves into the lives of the residents of a Dublin tenement. The play centres on Donal Davoren, a struggling poet mistaken for an IRA gunman and his peddler roommate Seumas Shields. As rumours and misconceptions spiral, the tenants’ lives become entangled with the political turmoil outside their door leading to unexpected and tragic consequences. This darkly comic yet poignant play explores themes of heroism, identity and the human cost of conflict.
Licensed by Concord Theatricals
Age suitability: 14+
Warnings: Violence, strong language, partial nudity, loud noises, flashing lights.
WRITTEN BY Sean O’Casey
DIRECTED BY Cian Gallagher
PRODUCED BY Kim Whelan
PRODUCTION MANAGER Kate Canavan
SET DESIGN BY Izzy Hamilton
LIGHTING DESIGN BY Liam Schmidt
SOUND DESIGN BY Kevin Cleary
STAGE MANAGER Laoise Grennan
PROPS MANAGER Mark Carroll
COSTUME MANAGER Cat Heneghan
HAIR AND MAKEUP BY Lucy Richards-Smyrk
VISUAL DESIGN & MEDIA BY Alison Kiernan Whelan
CAST: Caoimhe Bermingham, Adele Crilly, Barrington Cullen, Lara Fitzsimons, Byron Hayes, Conor Johnston, Lorcan Kelly, Colm Lombard, Alan Markey, Dean Mulraney, Richard Sweetman
TICKETS €24
RUNNING TIME 90 mins
About The Company
Entr’acte is a Dublin-based musical theatre and dramatic society founded in the midst of the global pandemic in 2020. The society’s goal is to be bold and innovative, providing young professionals with a platform to perform and create impactful theatre and art. After running online workshops and classes in the beginning stages, the group’s first in person performance took place in May 2022, with their inaugural showcase staged in Liberty Hall.
In January 2023, Entr’acte presented their inaugural musical, Spring Awakening, in Smock Alley Theatre. After a sold-out run, the show ran again in April. The team went on to win Best Overall Show at the 2023 AIMS Awards, along with Best Direction, Best Musical Direction and Best Choreography.
This will be Entr’acte’s third production of 2024. In January the group staged a successful run of Constellations by Nick Payne in Smock Alley, followed by Guys & Dolls in St Patrick’s Auditorium, DCU, in February, which received a nomination for Best Choreographer for Leah Meagher at this year’s AIMS Awards.
Additionally, The Entr’acte Choir, established in 2022, has been an active part of the society, most recently performing their ‘Summertime with Entr’acte’ concert in St. Mary’s Church, Haddington Road, and competing for their second year in the New Ross Choral Festival with AIMS, taking home two first-place prizes.
Entr’acte look forward to bringing their next production, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street to O’Reilly Theatre, 19th – 22nd February 2025.