Port Authority (play)

Port Authority

Poster for the 2014 Hyde Park Theatre production

Written by| Conor McPherson
Characters| Dermot
Kevin
Joe
Date premiered| 22 February 2001
Place premiered| New Ambassadors Theatre, London
Original language| English
Genre| Black comedy, tragicomedy

Port Authority is a 2001 play by Conor McPherson.

## Overview

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The play tells of three interwoven lives, the "three ages of man":[1] Kevin, a boy leaves home for the first time; Dermot is a man who starts a job for which he is unqualified and chosen by mistake; Joe is a widower pensioner and is sent a mysterious package. The common thread is what could have happened, and did not, in the three lives presented.

## Productions

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The play premiered in a Gate Theatre of Dublin production at the New Ambassadors Theatre in London from 22 February 2001 to 31 March 2001. The play transferred to the Gate Theatre from 24 April 2001 to 2 June 2001.[2] The cast starred Éanna MacLiam (Kevin), Stephen Brennan (Dermot), and Jim Norton (Jo).[3] The production was directed by Conor McPherson himself.[4]

The play premiered Off-Broadway, produced by the Atlantic Theater Company in a limited run from April 8, 2008 (previews), officially on May 21 and closed on June 22, 2008. The play starred Brian d'Arcy James (Dermot), John Gallagher Jr. (Kevin) and Jim Norton (Joe).[5][6] Brian d'Arcy James was nominated for the 2009 Drama Desk Award, Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play and the 2009 Lucille Lortel Award, Outstanding Lead Actor.[6][1]

In 2012 Rhapsody of Words Productions will stage the play at the Southwark Playhouse in London, starring Ardal O'Hanlon, John Rogan and Andrew Nolan. The production will be directed by Tom Attenborough.

In October to November 2014 the play ran at The Irish Repertory Theatre in New York City. The cast featured James Russell (Kevin), Peter Maloney (Joe) and Billy Carter (Dermot), directed by Ciaran O'Reilly.[7]

## References

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1. ^ a b Brantley, Ben. "Three Dubliners’ Plain Poetry of Everyday Loss" The New York Times, 22 May 2008
2. ^ "Gate Theatre Productions" gatetheatre.ie, accessed 9 April 2016
3. ^ Port Authority gatetheatre.ie, accessed 9 April 2016
4. ^ "Irish Theatre Magazine | Reviews | Current | Port Authority". Archived from the original on February 22, 2016. Retrieved February 14, 2016.
5. ^ Orel, Gwen. "Conor McPherson’s 'Port Authority'" celticcafe.com, accessed 9 April 2016
6. ^ a b Port Authority lortel.org, accessed 9 April 2016
7. ^ Gates, Anita. "Across Ages, a Journey Through Regret" The New York Times, October 10, 2014

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Conor McPherson

Films written and directed|

* Saltwater
* The Actors
* The Eclipse

Films written only|

* I Went Down
* Artemis Fowl

Plays written|

* This Lime Tree Bower
* The Weir
* Dublin Carol
* Port Authority
* Come On Over
* Shining City
* The Seafarer
* The Night Alive

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