Actor Chris O'Dowd will make his debut at Dublin's Gate Theatre this July, in the Irish premiere of Conor McPherson's new play The Brightening Air.
Written and directed by McPherson, the production is presented at The Gate by London's Old Vic theatre, where The Brightening Air premiered in 2025 to critical acclaim.
Set in a rural Sligo in the 1980s, McPherson's play is tale of fate, family and unseen forces, with O'Dowd reprising his role from the original production, alongside actors Derbhle Crotty, Aisling Kearns and Seán McGinley. Joining the ensemble for the Gate production are Peter Corboy, Kate Gilmore and Judith Roddy.
Roscommon native O'Dowd most recently returned to Ireland as creator, writer and co-star of the Sky TV series Small Town, Big Story. He previously won kudos onstage for his Tony nominated performance in a 2014 Broadway production of John Steinbeck's Of Mice & Men.
Playwright McPherson is currently directing a feature film of his celebrated play The Weir, which enjoyed two sold-out runs in 2025 at the 3Olympia Theatre, Dublin and at the Harold Pinter Theatre on London's West End. The film features the cast from the recent stage run, led by Brendan Gleeson and including Brightening Air star Seán McGinley.
The Brightening Air runs at The Gate Theatre from July 17th 2026, with general booking for the production beginning at noon on 23rd February - find out more here.
