A new play exploring fractured friendships and post-conflict identity in Northern Ireland is set to premiere at Theatre503 this May. Derry Boys, written by Niall McCarthy and directed by Andy McLeod, will run from 20 May to 7 June 2025.
Examines themes of youth, masculinity, identity and survival in a politically complex world
Presented by Iona Bremner Productions and Theatre503, Derry Boys was developed through Theatre503’s Rapid Write Response programme. The play follows the lives of Paddy and Mick, two boys from Derry who are separated in childhood and later reunite as adults in London. As their stories unfold over two decades, spanning Derry and London, the pair discover just how differently their lives have turned out - shaped by class, education and personal choices.
Derry Boys examines themes of youth, masculinity, identity and survival in a politically complex world. Through intercut timelines and sharply drawn dialogue, the play considers what it means to inherit conflict and how far friendship can stretch across ideological divides. The production uses humour and emotional depth to depict the impact of sectarianism and economic struggle, particularly in the context of post-Troubles Northern Ireland.
The cast includes Eoin Sweeney as Paddy, Matthew Blaney as Mick and Catherine Rees as Aoife. Sweeney’s previous credits include Mercy Falls and Die Trying. Blaney’s stage work includes The Lieutenant of Inishmore and Under the Black Rock, and Rees has appeared in The Mousetrap, Blue Lights and Hope Street.
The production is directed by Andy McLeod, whose film credits include Strange Waters and The Day of the Sun Dog. McLeod previously directed the original short version of Derry Boys as part of Theatre503’s Rapid Write Response series. The show is produced by Iona Bremner, whose recent production Diary of a Gay Disaster won the WhatsOnStage Award for Best Studio Production in 2025.
Derry Boys is McCarthy’s full-length debut. His earlier work includes Die Trying, which was nominated for the 2024 Kenneth Branagh Award, and Together in the End, which is scheduled to be performed at Camden Fringe in August 2025.
Tickets for Derry Boys start at £12 and are available at theatre503.com.
