Conor McPherson’s Olivier and Tony Award-nominated dark comedy, The Seafarer, is celebrating its 20th anniversary in its first London revival since originally premiering at the National Theatre.

Set on Christmas Eve, this supernatural tale centres on James “Sharky” Harkin, an alcoholic who cares for is blind brother, Richard. Their drinking and bickering escalates into a high-stakes game of poker when a mysterious stranger, Mr. Lockhart arrives to play for a prize that has been decades in the making…

The set, designed by Simon Crump, draws us into the brothers’ rather shabby living room. There’s a Crucifix and some religious art on the walls and, in a nod to the season, some rather threadbare tinsel and a small Christmas tree adorned with gaudy coloured lights. The room is a mess, with no hint of any feminine touch or energy and all a little sad. It sets the scene for us to meet the brothers. Sharky, played with a nervous energy by Eugene Duffy, is off the drink and down on his luck and barely controlling his frustration at his brother’s reliance upon him. Richard (Ian Cooke) alternates between maudlin, belligerent and exuberant, using his blindness (somehow the result of “falling into a skip”) to manipulate his brother, whether it’s needing help going to the toilet, seeing off the winos who hang out in the alley behind their house or getting him another drink. Despite positioning himself as the victim, Cooke plays Richard with a sharp wit and a glimmer of mischief.

Alcohol plays a big part in the story – Richard sees the drink as his only pleasure and we know that Sharky is trying to give up. The brothers’ lives are clearly ruled by alcohol, including their back stories we learn a little about as the play progresses. The addition of their friend Ivan (James Ross Turner) who has stayed the night in the box room, doesn’t shift this focus. We learn he has a partner and family, but such is the hold that the demon drink has on these men, he’s easily drawn into an early morning shot of whiskey and willingly joins the plan to go out to get enough (booze) supplies in for Christmas, as well as stopping off for a pint on the way back from the off licence.

The play’s first act establishes the three characters and their relationship. There’s a lot of bickering and banter. Director Ian Higham has presented the three men so that we can work them out pretty quickly. They’re not particularly likeable but their interactions have humour and some great physical acting. It is, however, all a little bit low key and at times lines are lost to a soft delivery that’s better suited to screen acting or a smaller space.

The set up goes on a little too long but the pace certainly picks up with the arrival of the brash Nicky (Nick Thomas) – at the same time a nemesis and drinking buddy for Sharky – and a stranger he has brought along, Mr Lockhart (Matthew Flexman). There are no first names or nicknames for this newcomer, he remains “Mr Lockhart”, establishing him as an outsider, as much as his smart suit contrasts with the scruffy and dishevelled group of friends he has joined. Thomas has a fantastic energy as his character either wilfully or naively (you decide!) ignores the tension radiating from Sharky – he’s the ex boyfriend of Nicky’s new partner and clearly not over it and moving on. Flexman’s outsider is quietly sinister from the start and, as the story unfolds, has a powerful and intimidating presence, slightly removed and above everything despite appearing to be joining in.

The card game takes up much of the second act – it’s well staged, fast paced and helps to build up the tension. With what we have learned about the characters involved, the phrase “poker face” has never been more apt. As the game progresses, the cast members bounce off each other well and the twist at the end is very satisfying. There have been quite a few red herrings thrown about during the play, keeping the audience engaged and guessing and, as with all good plays, there’s a reason for every minor reference or incident.

Although it has a supernatural element, The Seafarer is, at its heart, a story about family and how the ghosts of the past can come back to haunt you. While it’s not as spooky as its premise suggests, there’s still plenty of tension and darkness beneath the surface humour. A few minutes could probably be shaved off each act to keep the energy high, but with strong performances from the ensemble cast, it’s an entertaining way to guide us from October’s spooky season through to Christmas.

The Seafarer runs at Greenwich Theatre until Saturday 24th October 2026.

★ ★★

Written by Penny for Theatre and Tonic, October 2026.

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