Ciarán Hinds is set to join Paul Mescal in an upcoming co-production of Tom Murphy’s play A Whistle in the Dark, presented by the Abbey Theatre and Britain’s National Theatre. The production will run at the National Theatre’s Lyttelton Theatre before transferring to Dublin’s Abbey Theatre from October 13 to October 30, 2027.
Ciarán Hinds will star alongside Paul Mescal in a collaboration bringing together Ireland’s Abbey Theatre and Britain’s National Theatre. The staging pairs talents for a season of repertory works on the South Bank.
A Historic Partnership and Repertory Return
The production forms part of a broader repertory return to the Lyttelton Theatre at the National Theatre in summer and autumn 2027, timed to mark 50 years since the auditorium was originally designed with the repertory system in mind according to theatrical coverage. For Mescal, whose casting was first announced last year, the engagement includes two distinct lead performances across the season: appearing first as Biff Loman in Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman, and subsequently taking on the role of Michael Carney in Tom Murphy’s A Whistle in the Dark. Death of a Salesman will be directed by Rebecca Frecknall, featuring Tracy Letts in his UK stage acting debut as Willy Loman alongside Monica Dolan as Linda Loman, with the pair appearing exclusively in Salesman.
The upcoming run marks the first time that the work of the late Irish playwright Tom Murphy has been staged at the National Theatre of Great Britain. First staged in 1961, the play explores the trajectory of Michael Carney, who settles in Coventry with his wife, Betty, and tries to build a new life. Instead of finding sanctuary, Carney discovers that leaving Ireland does not set him free, and confrontation with his family ensues.
Star-Studded Ensemble Cast and Creative Leadership
The production features an extensive repertory ensemble cast across both productions supporting its lead actors. Alongside Ciarán Hinds and Paul Mescal, the cast includes Peter Corboy, Eimhin Fitzgerald Doherty, Ryan Donaldson, Aisling Loftus, and Julian Moore-Cook. According to detailed casting disclosures, individual actors are taking on dual roles across the repertory block; for instance, Peter Corboy plays Howard and Hugo Carney, Eimhin Fitzgerald Doherty plays Stanley and Des Carney, Ryan Donaldson plays Iggy Carney, Ciarán Hinds plays Uncle Ben and Dada, Aisling Loftus plays Miss Forsythe and Betty, and Julian Moore-Cook plays Bernard and Mush.
Direction for A Whistle in the Dark is led by Abbey Theatre Artistic Director Caitríona McLaughlin, with music composed by Renell Shaw and the production presented as a co-production between the National Theatre and Ireland’s Abbey Theatre. McLaughlin expressed enthusiasm for the upcoming collaboration, noting the unique artistic energy of the rehearsal room.
“I cannot wait to be in a room with this company of curious, intelligent, sensitive, and playful actors,” said director McLaughlin. “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.”
Caitríona McLaughlin, Artistic Director, Abbey Theatre
Cross-Border Timeline and International Transfer
Following its run on the South Bank, the production will travel to Ireland. The transfer will be staged at the Abbey Theatre in Ireland from Wednesday, 13 October to Saturday, 30 October 2027, as part of the Dublin Theatre Festival.
While the London dates are anchored to the National Theatre’s summer and autumn repertory schedule, further logistical details remain forthcoming. Further details regarding the creative teams, additional casting, exact performance dates and ticket on-sale dates for both productions will be confirmed at a later stage, with tickets for the Dublin performances going on sale in 2027.
