The Weir

In a little rural Irish pub, the barman and three of his regulars welcome a woman, Valerie, who's just moved into the neighbourhood. They buy each other drinks and eventually talk turns to old folk tales, local legends and spooky stories. But this sharing goes deeper than speculation about the supernatural, with parts of every character's personality and history revealed as the evening wears on.

Director Sam Strong and the five actors do great justice to Conor McPherson's effortlessly captivating script, their conversations and mannerisms as natural and realistic as Dale Ferguson's cosy set; it really feels as though we're flies on the wall. Robert Menzies is incredibly endearing as the jittery Jim while Peter Kowitz's affable Jack often steals the scene.

In The Weir, the silences hold as much weight as the words, and every line feels like it couldn't be delivered in any other way. The subtle lighting changes and sound design coax us further into the pub, manipulating our senses and heightening the eerie atmosphere at all the right times. Despite the play's themes, the laughs from the audience are constant, thanks to impeccable comedic timing and plenty of sly digs from the blokes. Simply a masterclass in storytelling.