A Donegal man’s ‘out of this world’ experience with the cosmos has inspired a new play coming to the national stage this June.
Static by Belfast playwright Jimmy McAleavey, will open at the Abbey Theatre on Friday 20th June. It tells the story of an amateur radio operator in Donegal who happens to make contact with an astronaut in space through his radio.
The events may sound familiar, as it’s the story of Falcarragh man, the late Manus Joe McClafferty, who became famous for connecting with Russian cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev, onboard the space station Mir in 1990s. As the Soviet Union was in crisis, Manus Joe kept Sergei in the know through his ‘ham’ radio.
Static is a world premiere production written by Jimmy McAleavey and directed by John King, a former Abbey Theatre Resident Director. Starring Dan Gordon and Seán Mahon, the play is set in Letterkenny and will run on the Abbey’s Peacock Stage from Friday, 20th June to Friday, 18th July.
Although initially inspired by a real-life event during the collapse of the Soviet Union in the 1990s, the play is an exploration of isolation, communication, and the double-edged role of technology that may feel more relevant today than ever.
Static is programmed as part of the Abbey Theatre’s artistic programme for 2025 and is one of six world premieres set for the Abbey and Peacock Stages this year alongside playwrights Kevin Barry, Barbara Bergin, Marina Carr, Carys D. Coburn and Caitríona Daly.
