Ulster American 2023
Ages: 16+
Opened: December 13, 2023Closing: January 27, 2024
Ulster American - 2023 West End History , Info & More
Riverside Studios
Hammersmith London
An Oscar-winning American actor, an English director and a Northern Irish playwright are about to begin rehearsals for a new play — one that could transform each of their careers. But when it turns out that they’re not on the same page, the night threatens to spiral out of control.
Power dynamics, cultural identity and the perils of being a woman in the entertainment industry; nothing is off limits in this pitch-black comedy from the award-winning playwright David Ireland.
Don’t miss this exclusive 8 week run starring Woody Harrelson, Andy Serkis and Louisa Harland, directed by Jeremy Herrin (Best of Enemies, People, Places and Things).
Ulster American - 2023 - West End Cast
FEATURED REVIEWS FOR Ulster American
Relentless clowning diffuses the tension
4 / 10
Jeremy Herrin’s production, starring Woody Harrelson and Andy Serkis, is staged as full-on farce. Herrin gives his big-name cast free rein to milk the text for every possible laugh, and chucks in a flurry of sight gags for good measure. It is often quite funny, but the relentless clowning interrupts the play’s rhythm, diffusing the tension and menace that should be building in the background. Rather than drawing a clear connecting line from the grubby locker-room talk of the play’s first few minutes to the brutal violence of its closing moments, Herrin instead leaves us with a series of amusing but disjointed punchlines.
An exuberant Woody Harrelson in over-the-top satire
6 / 10
Absurdity is piled on absurdity. Some of the jokes at Jay’s expense reminded me of The Strike, that marvellous little Comic Strip film in which a fictional version of Al Pacino sets about rewriting the miners’ strike when he plays Arthur Scargill on the big screen. Ireland’s writing isn’t as ingenious as that, but Harrelson gives such a winningly preposterous display, flouncing around Max Jones’s sleek set in a pair of outrageous pantaloons, that you’re willing to overlook the implausibilities. The moment when Jay, who delivers a few slaps at theatre critics, reveals that he is just as desperate for acclaim as any of his fellow thespians provoked a storm of laughter.
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Review Roundup: Did Woody Harrelson Hit the Mark in ULSTER AMERICAN?
by Aliya Al-Hassan - December 14, 2023
by Aliya Al-Hassan - December 14, 2023
An Oscar-winning American actor, an English director and a Northern Irish playwright are about to begin rehearsals for a new play — one that could transform each of their careers. But when it turns out that they’re not on the same page, the night threatens to spiral out of control. The eight week run starring Woody Harrelson, Andy Serkis and Louisa Harland has now opened; so what did the critics think?
Review: ULSTER AMERICAN, Riverside Studios
by Aliya Al-Hassan - December 14, 2023
by Aliya Al-Hassan - December 14, 2023
Ulster American, last seen in Edinburgh in 2018, opens with a debate about using the n-word. So far, so Ireland. We then touch on sex, consent, religion, Unionism, the IRA and Brexit, all crafted with bitingly sharp humour. It’s a lot to take in.
Photos: First Look at Woody Harrelson, Andy Serkis and Louisa Harland in ULSTER AMERICAN
by Stephi Wild - December 8, 2023
by Stephi Wild - December 8, 2023
We've got a first look at production photos for award-winning playwright David Ireland’s Ulster American directed by Jeremy Herrin and starring Woody Harrelson, Andy Serkis and Louisa Harland.
Exclusive: Now Onsale for ULSTER AMERICAN, Starring Woody Harrelson and Andy Serkis
by Aliya Al-Hassan - October 12, 2023
by Aliya Al-Hassan - October 12, 2023
Exclusive: Now Onsale for Ulster American. An Oscar-winning American actor, an English director and a Northern Irish playwright are about to begin rehearsals for a new play — one that could transform each of their careers. But when it turns out that they’re not on the same page, the night threatens to spiral out of control.
Ulster American FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How long has Ulster American been running on the West End?
Ulster American opened at the Riverside Studios on Wednesday Dec 13, 2023 and has now been running for 1 month.
Ulster American History
Other Productions of Ulster American
| 2023 | West End |
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