Dermot is Jimmy Brady

Jimmy Brady in Billy Roche’s A Handful Of Stars is one of the great roles in Irish theatre, a frustrated chancer in the local snooker hall rebelling against day to day banality.

A Handful Of Stars is being revised by Four Rivers in partnership with Wexford Arts Centre to mark its 50th anniversary: a legend of stage and screen, Wexford’s Gary Lydon (The Banshees of Inisherin, The Guard) is joined by a star-studded cast of Michael Power (Vikings, The Game of Thrones), John Olohan (Lies We Tell, Father Ted), Tiernan Messit Greene (Ghosted, Harry Wild), Brian Doherty (Resistance, The Woman in the Wall), Éilish McLaughlin (Rebecca’s Boyfriend) and, as Jimmy Brady, Dermot Murphy (The Drummer and the Keeper, Raw), also from Wexford.

Dermort was most notably seen in cinemas worldwide playing the role of Live Aid organizer Bob Geldof in the Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody. His acting career began in Billy’s Amphibians in 1998. He will appear on stage alongside the original Jimmy Brady … Gary Lydon.

The first play in Billy’s The Wexford Trilogy, A Handful of Stars explores how thwarted ambitions can both destroy dreams and shape character in small town Ireland.

First staged at Wexford Arts Centre as The Boker Poker Club in 1986, it appeared at The Bush Theatre, London as A Handful Of Stars two years later, described by The Guardian as ‘one of the year’s great theatre events.’

A Handful Of Stars is finally coming home in June with a fortnight run at Wexford Arts Centre (6th to 9th June and 11th to 16th June), in a production directed by Conall Morrison and designed by Liam Doona, with lighting by Paul Keogan and costumes by Jeni Roddy.

And as part of the Art Centre’s 50th anniversary celebrations in 2024, Four Rivers will simultaneously celebrate the career of Billy Roche – playwright, novelist, actor and singer – with public interviews, readings of the other The Wexford Trilogy plays – Poor Beast in the Rain and Belfry – directed by Heather Hadrill, music and a panel discussion including Billy Roche and Conall Morrison, moderated by Tom Mooney.

Programme of A Handful Of Stars
Preview Thursday 6th June €28/26
Running Friday 7th to Saturday 8th June at 8pm; Sunday 9th June at 3pm; Tuesday 11th to Saturday 15th June at 8pm; Sunday 16th June at 4pm. €30/28

Poor Beast in the Rain, Staged Reading Saturday 15th June at 12pm, €20/18

Belfry, Staged Reading Saturday, 15th June at 3pm

Coffee and music with Billy Roche and Guests Sunday, 16th June from 12-1pm, €10

Billy Roche in conversation with Conall Morrison – chaired by Tom Mooney Sunday, 2pm, €10

Package for all five events €80/74 – Discount will be automatically applied when all five events have been added to your cart.