Tom Vaughn-Lawlor in Landmark Production’s Howie the Rookie.

To celebrate Landmark Productions return to Galway Arts Festival after the magnificent success of Misterman, here on the Galway Arts Festival blog we’re looking at three things that make Howie the Rookie, which Landmark Productions will be bringing to the Festival this summer, simply unmissable. Originally devised as a play for two actors, this updated version will see a solo Tom Vaughn-Lawlor play both Howie and Rookie as they weave their way through the dark underbelly of urban life. 

1. Mark O’Rowe

As well as being one of the leading Irish playwrights of his generation, Mark O’Rowe wrote Intermission one of the most successful  (and darkly hilarious) Irish films of the Noughties and Perrier’s Bounty, both of which starred Cillian Murphy. O’Rowe also co-penned the critically acclaimed and deeply moving Channel Four drama Boy A, which featured a breakout performance from Andrew Garfield, aka, Spiderman. His work on Howie the Rookie has been widely lauded. When it was first performed, the play took the Irish Times/ ESB Theatre Award for Best New Play. O’Rowe was also awarded the prestigious Rooney Prize for Irish Literature for the original Howie the Rookie in 1999.

2. Tom Vaughan-Lawlor

While Tom is perhaps best known for his television work (namely, his electrifying turn as Nidge in RTÉ’s Love/Hate) his is also a highly accomplished stage actor, having graduated with a drama degree from Trinity’s Samuel Beckett Centre before continuing his training at RADA. Tom has featured in many acclaimed productions, including those of Irish classics like Synge’s The Playboy of the Western World, Friel’s Translations and John B. Keane’s The Field. Notably Tom appeared in the title role of The Resistable Rise of Atruro Ui directed by Jimmy Fay at the Abbey Theatre, Dublin for which he won the Best Actor Award in the Irish Times Theatre Awards 2009.

3. Landmark Productions

Since 2003, Landmark Productions have been one of Ireland’s leading theatre producers. Galway Arts Festival was delighted to co-produce with Landmark Misterman, which went on to incredible national and international success. In 2011, Landmark Productions received the Judges Special Award at the Irish Times Theatre Awards for their ‘sustained excellence in programming and for developing imaginative partnerships to bring quality theatre to the Irish and international stage.’ In 2012, Landmark Productions’ The Talk of the Town, written by Emma Donoghue, based on the life of Irish writer Maeve Brennan, saw Catherine Walker take Best Actress and Peter O’Brien Best Costume Design at the Irish Times Theatre Awards. We are very excited to be welcoming Landmark Productions back to Galway once more.

Tickets for Howie the Rookie are on sale now. To avoid disappointment, secure yours by clicking here. To find out more about the play, check out http://howietherookie.com/