Louisa Harland, Woody Harrelson and Andy Serkis lead Jeremy Herrin’s production of David Ireland’s dark comedy Ulster American at Riverside Studios this winter.
Louisa Harland, aka Orla from Derry Girls, is one of three exciting actors taking to the stage for a major London revival of David Ireland’s 2018 dark comedy play Ulster American.
She will be joined by Oscar-nominated American actor Woody Harrelson as well as award-winning English actor Andy Serkis.
The production, led by theatre director Jeremy Herrin, will run for a limited eight-week season between 4 December and 27 January.
Ulster American – dark comedy from NI playwright David Ireland
Ulster American, written by NI playwright David Ireland, premiered in 2018 at the Traverse Theatre during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
The goading satire play revolves around an American actor, an English director, and a playwright from Northern Ireland. The three have different goals for their latest project – a West End play about a Protestant activist.
In Jeremy Herrin’s eight-week run, Woody Harrelson will play Jay. Jay is an Oscar-winning actor who is fixated on connecting with his Irish roots.
Louisa Harland will star as Ruth, the Northern Irish playwright with big Hollywood ambitions. Finally, Andy Serkis will play Leigh in the production. Leigh hopes the play will reflect a divided Britain just after the Brexit referendum.
The production – Riverside Studios for an eight-week run
Ulster American will run for a strictly limited eight weeks between 4 December 2023 and 27 January 2024.
The show will take place at Riverside Studios, West London’s premier independent cinema, theatre, and television studio.
Tickets range between £30 and £135. While many of the tickets have sold already, with the production running from next week, certain tickets remain. Get them here.
Theatre experience – no strangers to the spotlight away from TV and film
Louisa Harland, while known for her dry, quick wit in Derry Girls, is no stranger to performing on the stage.
Earlier this year, she performed in Brian Friel’s Dancing at Lughnasa at the National Theatre alongside fellow Derry Girls co-stars Siobhán McSweeney and Ardal O’Hanlon.
Woody Harrelson is known for his incredible film and TV performances across a range of genres in the likes of True Detective, The Hunger Games, and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.
He has previously performed on the West End, starring in John Kolvenbach’s On An Average Day and Night of the Iguana.
English actor Andy Serkis is known for his historic role as Gollum in The Lord of the Rings trilogy and many more iconic roles across the big screen. An Honorary Patron of the Lancaster Theatre, he has performed on stage many times.
