The Abbey Theatre / National Theatre of Ireland, and the National Theatre of Great Britain have today announced further information about their co-production of A Whistle in the Dark by Tom Murphy, directed by Abbey Theatre Artistic Director Caitríona McLaughlin.   

As previously announced, Paul Mescal, who will be playing the role of Michael Carney, will be making his debut at the National Theatre of Great Britain in this production. Mescal is joined by a cast including Peter Corboy, Eimhin Fitzgerald Doherty, Ryan Donaldson, Ciarán Hinds, Aisling Loftus and Julian Moore-Cook.   

A Whistle in the Dark will play on the Abbey Stage from Wednesday, 13th October – Saturday, 30th October 2027 as part of Dublin Theatre Festival, following its London run at the National Theatre’s Lyttelton theatre. Tickets for the Dublin performances will go on sale in 2027, with further announcements to follow.  

The co-production marks Caitríona McLaughlin’s directorial return to the NT following the run of J. M. Synge’s The Playboy of the Western World, another seminal work from the Irish canon, which was staged at the Lyttelton theatre from 4 December 2025 to 28 February 2026. This is the first time that Tom Murphy’s work will be staged by the NT. Commenting on the announcement, McLaughlin said:  

‘I cannot wait to be in a room with this company of curious, intelligent, sensitive and playful actors. I cannot believe my luck – the chance to tackle Tom Murphy both at home, in Ireland’s Abbey Theatre, and abroad, in the UK’s National Theatre.  

‘When I read some of Tom Murphy’s early descriptions of the eight characters in his play: “obsessed by violence, though a coward; the wronged genius; filled with an inferiority complex; stupid!; strong and silent; a good woman with no affectation; small, light and dressed conservatively,” I thought to myself – if I am going to spend months in a room with these people, there is going to need to be a lot of laughing!’ 

McLaughlin will be joined by a creative team that includes Set Designer Katie Davenport, Costume Designer Sarah Bacon, Lighting Designer Jane Cox, Movement Director Ira Mandela Siobhan, Composer Renell Shaw, Sound Designer Adrienne Quartly, Fight Director Sam Lyon-Behan and Casting Directors Alaistair Coomer CDG and Naomi Downham. Also joining the team is Staff Director Éadaoin Fox.

This news comes as part of a wider 2027 programme announcement at the NT today. During its run at the Lyttelton theatre, A Whistle in the Dark will be performed in rep with Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman, directed by Rebecca Frecknall.  

If you would like to hear more about this project and when tickets will go on sale, please sign up to the Abbey Theatre newsletter for updates: https://www.abbeytheatre.ie/newsletter/