Plain Heroines and Park Theatre Present The 4th Country

Set in Derry-Londonderry, The 4th Country tackles Northern Ireland’s complex politics and history, from Bloody Sunday to abortion laws; for Niamh and Conor, life in Northern Ireland is miles away from the stereotypes of leprechauns, Riverdance and whiskey.

As an overworked Department of Health grapples with the fallout of a woman’s death, they discover her connection to those who died in the Bloody Sunday massacre. Meanwhile, Conor and Niamh lock horns over the morality of his lawyer fiancée’s role in defending a man who bears some responsibility. Even in 2019, Niamh and Conor can still never quite escape the echoes of their family’s violent past.

The 4^th Country is performed by a Northern Irish and Irish cast. Writer Kate Reid was a finalist for the Royal Court Lynne Gagliano Writers’ Award 2019, and returns to Park Theatre following Entropy, which was developed with Park Theatre’s Script Accelerator programme. The 4th Country – reworked for 2022 following its original VAULT Festival 2020 run – is a funny and thought-provoking look at Northern Ireland, and who gets to tell its stories.

Park Theatre are committed to keeping theatre open and accessible for all. The 4^th Country is the first Park90 show where audiences can enjoy the benefit of dynamic pricing – with the first release of tickets just £12, booking early secures audiences the best value seat in the house.

Writer Kate Reid said, “I’m so excited to put these often-overlooked Northern Irish narratives on a London stage. The 4^th Country looks at the year 2019, a year which saw Stormont shut down for a third year running; the painful aftermath of Brexit; a spike in paramilitary shootings and attacks; and – at last – the decriminalisation of abortion. It was a period of huge upheaval, and I feel passionately about London audiences learning more about this tumultuous time for Northern Ireland. Our phenomenal cast and creative team have been working tirelessly since our VAULT Festival run in 2020 to expand our audience, and make sure that as many people as possible get to experience these stories. I’m so grateful to Park Theatre for making our once distant hope a reality!”

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The 4th Country is at Park Theatre 12 January – 5 February 2022.