110 min • Theatre
Twentieth anniversary and London premiere production of acclaimed Northern Irish playwright Joseph Crilly’s On McQuillan’s Hill. Originally produced by Tinderbox in 2000, and performed at the Lyric Theatre, Belfast. We rehearsed the play for four weeks ahead of a sold out four week run at London’s Finborough Theatre, “Probably the best Fringe Theatre in the world” (Time Out).
Venue: Finborough Theatre
Written by Joseph Crilly
Directed by Jonathan Harden
Produced by Lucy Lee & Tom Aarvold
Cast: Helena Bereen, Johnny Vivash, Kevin Murphy, Declan Rodgers, Gina Costigan and Julie Maguire.
Designer: Norman Coates
Music: Declan Feenan
Selected Critical Response:
“directed with a sensitive ear for snatching comedy from the jaws of conflict by Jonathan Harden” **** The Stage
“A production that’s enhanced by an exceptionally strong cast. Under Jonathan Harden’s direction, they deliver a real gem.” ***** Morning Star
“the emotional truth of the performances that [Harden] encourages starts to burn through, and by the second half of the evening, we feel the full heat of each revelation” The Arts Desk
“Harden’s direction leans into the bleakness… infusing the play something of a melancholic anger” **** A Younger Theatre
“Jonathan Harden and an exemplary cast explore even greater depths to the always three dimensional roles. Behind the near mythical ambience there lie utterly credible characters. These are never less than real people with genuine lives and backgrounds” **** The Spy in the Stalls
“Jonathan Harden’s direction gets the pacing just right and manages to unfold this complex and twisting story in a way that makes it both comprehensible and completely gripping” ***** London Living Live
“The acting is stellar, as the anger, resentment and bottled up guilt of the play’s characters explodes until there’s nothing left to give” SW Londoner
“Harden… knows instinctively when to let the play breathe, and when to push it on” ***** LondonTheatre1