The Last Days of a Reluctant Tyrant at the Abbey Theatre

27 May - 11 July 2009. Leading Irish dramatist Tom Murphy's world premiere of 'The Last Days of a Reluctant Tyrant' is inspired by 'The Golovlyov Family' by Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin. Murphy has collaborated with the Abbey throughout his career and has been hailed by Brian Friel as 'the most distinctive, the most restless, the most obsessive imagination in the Irish theatre today'.

His latest play is a haunting and tragic tale of a dysfunctional family with misplaced values. The family is ruled by the ferocious matriarch Arina who, over her lifetime, has turned a small family estate into a hugely successful empire. When she hands over the reins to her hypocritical and conniving son, she quickly questions her decision and the moral choice of such a successor at the expense of her other sons. This is powerful story told with dark humour. The cast includes several veteran Irish actors, including Tom Hickey, Des Cave and Mick Lally, along with relative newcomers such as Eva Bartley and Rory Nolan. Marie Mullen is spectacular in the leading role of 'Arina'.

Mon-Sat: 19.30 Sat Matinee: 14.00