About the Play:

The Birds is a full-length thriller adapted for the stage by Conor McPherson, from the chilling Daphne du Maurier short story of the same title. In an isolated, abandoned house, strangers with no electricity and little food take refuge from relentless masses of attacking birds. Then another stranger arrives with news of the outside world, forcing characters – and audiences – to confront primal fears and impossible choices. The Birds will leave you questioning just how thin the veneer of civilization really is.

The Birds is an unrelenting and spellbinding portrait of terror and alienation. Imagine a world where every flutter of wings brings terror. Mysterious masses of birds have begun to violently attack at high tide, driving strangers Nat and Diane to take refuge in an isolated, abandoned house by the sea. They form a bond to survive their haunting new circumstance but not comfort or peace; there's no electricity, little food, and a nearby neighbour – the mysterious Tierney – may still be alive and watching them. The tension is palpable and hope is waning. Yet if two is company, three is a crowd. When a young woman named Julia suddenly arrives, her slightly menacing nature ruffles feathers in the house and quickly threatens to destroy their relative sanctuary. Their survival becomes even more doubtful when paranoia takes hold of the makeshift fortress – an internal threat to match that of the birds outside. Inspired by the same Daphne du Maurier cult classic as Alfred Hitchcock's iconic film, The Birds is a gripping, unsettling, and moving look at human relationships in the face of societal collapse.

The Birds premiered in 2009 at Dublin's Gate Theatre. The U.S. premiere was held in 2012 at the Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis, followed by a production at Florida's Mosaic Theater. This suspense-filled breakout play by acclaimed Irish playwright Conor McPherson has been performed in regional, high school, college, and community theatre productions.

Cast: 2 female, 2 male

What people say:

"Deliciously chilling…spring-loaded with tension…claustrophobic, questioning, frightening; and with a twist." — Irish Independent

"Never has [McPherson] been more in control…he keeps us on the edge of our seat." — The Irish Times

"[The Birds] was a powerful piece of theatre and a reminder to me of just how important that story has become…truly frightening…a night in the theatre that should not be missed." — Tippi Hedren, star of the 1963 Alfred Hitchcock film, The Birds

"Rather than eliciting outright fear, the play carries a tension that develops between these last survivors of what is presumably an apocalypse. Several classic struggles are addressed: the fear of isolation, the preservation of romantic ideals, and the existential meaning of life. With several surprises and an exciting climax, this show is worth watching. The audience is left not with an immediate feeling of pleasure, but of fascination, a feeling that will leave them contemplating the plot for days afterward." — Broadway World

About the Playwright:

Conor McPherson is a world-renowned Irish playwright and co-founder of the Fly by Night Theatre Company. He has won numerous awards, including a Laurence Olivier Award for The Weir and Tony Award nominations for Shining City and The Seafarer.