Wednesday 21st – Saturday 24th August 2024
The Empty Nest
by Oisín Flores Sweeney
Directed by Geoff Gould
Starring Seamus O’Rourke and Joan Sheehy
Tony and Sheila are watching television… again. Their children are reared and their grandchildren are invading their lives. Sheila wants to travel; Tony is determined to stay put. Tony is on a new diet; Sheila could cut you in two with a sharp comment. All that’s on the television is sex… and they can’t remember when they did it last! Oisín Flores Sweeney’s debut play is an hilarious piece of theatre that looks at how couples negotiate life after the kids leave, their dreams, disappointments, longings and uncompromising opinions on everything – Gogglebox on speed!
‘The Empty Nest’ debuted at Smock Alley as a work-in-progress as part of the Scene + Heard Festival of New Work last year, before embarking on sellout runs at Cork Arts Theatre and The Viking Theatre in Dublin. It now comes back to Cork as part of a national tour in 2024. Directed by Geoff Gould, it stars Irish Times Theatre Award nominee Seamus O’Rourke (Lakelands), alongside established actor and director Joan Sheehy (An Cailín Ciúin).
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ THE ARTS REVIEW – ‘hugely funny, uncomfortably accurate, and comedically sharp’
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ THE REVIEWS HUB – ‘This wonderful little comedy is a perfect match of humour and heart’
IRISH INDEPENDENT – ‘The humanity of this pair is winning and inviting’
NO MORE WORKHORSE – ‘a gentle exploration of a marriage as it continues into its maturity… makes for an enjoyable evening’
The Empty Nest is part of our Summer Season. Running throughout July and August, each of the eight shows in the season will have 6 performances from Wednesday – Saturday, including a 1pm show on Thursday and Friday.
For the lunchtime performances, patrons can choose a Lunch & Show ticket for €18, which includes soup or sandwich option, served from 12 noon until ten minutes before the performance time. Show Only tickets are also available for the 1pm shows at €15.
Tickets: €18, €15
*Booking fees apply.
