Rebecca O’Mara joins the cast of The Last Return

1 September 2022

Druid today announced that acclaimed actor Rebecca O’Mara is to join the cast of their five-star production of The Last Return, Sonya Kelly’s award-winning new comedy. Directed by Sara Joyce, The Last Return will run at the Gate Theatre from 13 October to 5 November as part of this year’s Dublin Theatre Festival.

Rebecca O’Mara (Smother, Herself, Red Rock, Line of Duty) performed in Druid’s 2018 production of another Sonya Kelly comedy, Furniture, a performance for which Rebecca won an Irish Times Theatre Award for Best Supporting Actress. She was also seen in Druid’s 2016 production of Helen and I by Meadhbh McHugh.

Rebecca joins a cast of Anna Healy, Bosco Hogan (Irish Times Theatre Award for Best Supporting Actor, 2021), Fionn Ó Loingsigh and Naima Swaleh.

As part of their commitment to new Irish writing, Druid’s world premiere production of Sonya Kelly’s comedy opened at Galway International Arts Festival in July and then toured to Edinburgh Festival Fringe, where it won a prestigious Scotsman Fringe First Award.

The play has earned five-star ratings from The Times, What’s On Stage, The Arts Desk and The Wee Review, and praise such as ‘pitch black comic mayhem’ from The Guardian, ‘wonderful’ from The New York Times, and ‘shocking and very funny’ from The Irish Times.

The Last Return is a thrilling comedy about conflict, peace and the pursuit of territory at any cost. One final night. One last chance. Five people queue for a ticket to the hottest show in town. All they must do is simply wait in line. But what in life is ever simple? Who will triumph, who will fail, and who will walk away with… The Last Return?

Actor Rebecca O’Mara: ‘I am thrilled to be working with Druid and performing on the Gate stage as part of this year’s Dublin Theatre Festival. I love playing Sonya Kelly characters; her comic writing is a gift and it’s a real joy for me to bring them to life. I can’t wait to share this brilliant show with Dublin audiences.’

Garry Hynes, Druid’s Artistic Director: ‘I’m delighted that Rebecca O’Mara is joining the cast of The Last Return. Rebecca was brilliant in our productions of Furniture by Sonya Kelly and Helen and I by Meadhbh McHugh. Following great success in Galway and Edinburgh, I can’t wait for Dublin audiences to experience this new comedy by the incredible Sonya Kelly.’