The Shawshank Redemption at Bord Gais Energy Theatre

Everyone’s seen the film. It’s been voted the greatest movie ever made more times than anyone can count. Now the stage adaptation comes to the Bord Gais, and the question is whether it can match what Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins created on screen. The answer, by all accounts, is yes.

What to Expect

Joe McFadden, known for Heartbeat, Holby City, and winning Strictly Come Dancing, plays the wrongly convicted Andy Dufresne. Ben Onwukwe reprises his critically acclaimed performance as Ellis “Red” Redding, the role he first played in the 2016 tour. Bill Ward, familiar from Coronation Street and Emmerdale, plays the corrupt warden Stammas.

The story follows Andy’s decades-long imprisonment in Shawshank State Penitentiary, his friendship with Red, and the quiet acts of resistance and hope that keep him going. On stage, the intimacy of the theatre adds something the film can’t quite capture - you’re right there in the cell with these characters, feeling every moment of despair and every flicker of hope.

Adapted by Owen O’Neill and Dave Johns, directed by David Esbjornson, the production runs April 21 to 25 at the Bord Gais.

Good to Know

• Runs April 21 to 25
• Running time 2 hours 10 minutes including interval
• Age guidance 12+, under 16s must be accompanied by a parent or guardian
• Tickets start from €24.20
• The Bord Gais has excellent acoustics and sightlines

Getting There

The Bord Gais Energy Theatre is on Grand Canal Square. Luas Red Line to Grand Canal Dock or DART to Grand Canal Dock are both five minutes away. Dublin Bus routes 1, 47, 56a, and 77a serve the area.