The Gallant John-Joe

TICKETS ON SALE FROM AUGUST 1st AT 11am

By kind permission of the Jonathan Williams Literary Agency

Hailed as an exciting and original piece of theatre when it was first produced by Skehana Productions in 2001, ‘The Gallant John-Joe’ by Tom MacIntyre will open at dlr Mill Theatre this coming September with a transfer to Townhall, Cavan. The original production starred the great Tom Hickey who garnered international recognition and critical acclaim for his performance as the incomparable John-Joe.

The play won The Irish Times / ESB Irish Theatre Best New Play Award in 2002. Playwright, Tom MacIntyre, a ground-breaking writer was widely recognised for his ability to push the boundaries for actors, stage and audience. This production of ‘The Gallant-John Joe’ will be the first since MacIntyre’s death in 2019. In returning to the newly refurbished Townhall Cavan, this is a rare opportunity to see the play performed on home turf.

The play is the soliloquy of a Cavan widower grappling with increasing physical and mental infirmity. In his stories he introduces us to the characters in his life: Bossman, his well-to-do patronising friend; The Hitmatist; The Chinee; John-Joe O’Reilly, captain of the conquering Cavan team of the late 1940’s; and Jacinta, his teenage daughter. In this soaring work of great literary magic, he recounts how his world unravels through a rich and wonderfully singular voice, where we can be certain of nothing as the lines blur between what has happened and what has not. In its examination of the older Irish male, its misogyny and xenophobia, the play reveals the deep scars of a man tottering on the edge of the abyss.

Running Time of 80 minutes.  Suitable for age 14+

This production contains xenophobic language and deals with mental health issues.

Please click below to view the programme:

The Gallant John-Joe Programme