Chris O’Dowd is making his long-awaited return to the Dublin stage this summer as he stars in acclaimed playwright Conor McPherson’s latest production, The Brightening Air.
The Irish premiere opens at Dublin’s Gate Theatre this week, marking the Irish actor’s first stage performance in the capital in more than two decades after previously appearing in the show’s London run at The Old Vic last year.
Set in rural Ireland in the early 1980s, The Brightening Air follows siblings Billie and Stephen, who continue to share the family home long into adulthood.
Their quiet existence is turned upside down when their estranged brother Dermot, played by O’Dowd, unexpectedly returns, alongside their excommunicated uncle, Fr Pierre, unearthing long-buried tensions and unexpected twists.
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Described as “a haunting new play about longing, magic and the fates that tear us apart”, the production blends family drama with Irish folklore and the supernatural.
Speaking ahead of the Irish premiere, Chris admitted there’s something extra special about bringing the play home.
“I haven’t done a play in Dublin in 22 years, so it felt it was long overdue,” he said.
“To have a new play from Conor, where it’s set in Ireland and this is the Irish premiere and we get to bring it home is something really special.”
The actor also joked about his morally questionable character, describing Dermot as “a complete blackguard”.
“Doing that in front of people and hearing the oohs and ahs of like, ‘Oh, what a moron,’ or, ‘What a delight,’ and then falling apart, you get to see it in real time, and that adds to what you’re doing!”
O’Dowd also revealed he’s long admired McPherson’s work, explaining that the playwright’s early productions had a huge influence on him while studying at UCD.
The Brightening Air runs at Dublin’s Gate Theatre until August 30.
