The Night Alive

Conor McPherson

2013 • Nick Hern Books

Well I think it’s quite a strong story – I think really a kind of love story. Ciarán Hinds plays a man living in his uncle’s house: renting a room, he’s split up with his wife. A friend comes by and they have a van they do odd jobs in. One night (this is when the play starts), he brings this girl in, who’s been in a fight in the street. She ends up staying in the house. The story is of what happens – the impact of her visit on the men. Then when her boyfriend comes looking for her the stakes go up really high. There’s fallout for all these people. I remember someone saying that short stories make good films rather than novels. My last play, The Veil, felt more like a novel. This is more like a short story. The good thing is you can create plenty of space, plenty of room for the characters to develop.

— Conor McPherson

Drama English Language

The Night Alive

Conor McPherson

2013 • Nick Hern Books

Well I think it’s quite a strong story – I think really a kind of love story. Ciarán Hinds plays a man living in his uncle’s house: renting a room, he’s split up with his wife. A friend comes by and they have a van they do odd jobs in. One night (this is when the play starts), he brings this girl in, who’s been in a fight in the street. She ends up staying in the house. The story is of what happens – the impact of her visit on the men. Then when her boyfriend comes looking for her the stakes go up really high. There’s fallout for all these people. I remember someone saying that short stories make good films rather than novels. My last play, The Veil, felt more like a novel. This is more like a short story. The good thing is you can create plenty of space, plenty of room for the characters to develop.