About Us
The Absence of Women
by Owen McCafferty
Presented by Lyric Theatre Belfast
‘McCafferty harnesses a pitch-black humour and delightful rhythms… well-paced, fluid production… priceless’
‘A fine example of theatre at its small-scale best’
‘characterful and convincing’
’a memorable contribution to the great Irish tradition of down-and-out dialogue’
’the performances are excellent… outstanding… perfectly pitched’
‘McCafferty’s best (play) to date’
‘a perfectly formed mini-masterpiece’
‘There’s much fun, the craic is great and the audience love it’
Gerry: I was taught not to talk, you know that
Iggy: We were all taught not to talk
Gerry: By the time you work out that that’s not right it’s too late
Gerry and Iggy, two labourers from Belfast face the end of their lives in a London hostel talking of the present and thinking of the past. They argue about who has the biggest liver, the names of tube stations and whether they should go back to Belfast or not.
But where are the women in their lives?
The Absence of Women is a funny and poignant play about the journey of two ordinary and lonely Belfast men. It’s a tale of life and its endless possibilities, missed opportunities and how one man’s choice, in one instant, can alter the path of his life forever.
McCafferty has been described as the first truly great playwright of Northern Ireland to go beyond the clichés of political writing to document the lives of the men and women of his native town, Belfast. His award-winning plays include Shoot the Crow, No Place Like Home, Closing Time and Scenes from the Big Picture.