The Steward of Christendom

The play that established Barry as one of Ireland's most powerful contemporary playwrights

Thomas Dunne, ex-chief superintendent of the Dublin Metropolitan police looks back on his career built during the latter years of Queen Victoria's empire, from his home in Baltinglass in Dublin in 1932. Like King Lear, Dunne tries valiantly to break free of history and himself. The Steward of Christendom took London by storm when it premiered at the Royal Court Theatre Upstairs in March 1995 with Donal McCann in the title role. It transferred to Broadway and has toured around the world."Sebastian Barry's beautiful and devastating memory play...will stay with us for many years." (New York Times)


About the Author
Brendan Behan (1923-64) found fame and notoriety with his work and Republican sympathies. Christina Reid, from Belfast, came to prominence in the 1980s. Tom Murphy's many plays are collected into 5 volumes by Methuen Drama; his most recent play opened in Dublin in 2006. Martin McDonagh's first play, The Beauty Queen of Leenane, was the 1996 winner of the George Devine Award and the Evening Standard Award for Most Promising Newcomer. Sebastian Barry is a poet, dramatist and novelist. Patrick Lonergan is professor of English at the National University of Ireland.