Finborough Theatre revives David Ireland debut play

The Finborough Theatre is reviving ‘What The Animals Say’, the debut play by award-winning playwright David Ireland. The production is directed by Harry Burton and stars Eddie Harrison as Robbie Martin, a star footballer, and Matthew Blaney as Jimmy Culver, a struggling actor.

The play follows two former classmates from Northern Ireland who reconnect at a ferry station while traveling back to Northern Ireland from Scotland. Through their dialogue, the script explores themes of sectarianism, masculinity, class, and identity. The characters represent contrasting social attitudes: Jimmy is portrayed as an intellectual, progressive man, while Robbie is depicted as a brawny, celebrity footballer.

Ireland, known for works such as ‘Cyprus Avenue’ and ‘Ulster American’, originally wrote the play in 2009. Previous productions of the work have featured notable actors including Woody Harrelson and Andy Serkis.