Brendan Gleeson can't go to pubs anymore without it becoming 'selfie country'
The play follows a group of friends who meet for a quiet drink in Co Leitrim before a stranger in their midst makes a startling personal revelation, and will be staged in Dublin's 3Olympia Theatre this August until early September.
When chatting in a recent interview about the production, the 70-year-old revealed there's a sense of irony to it, as the show focuses on a group of friends going for a quiet pint, but he's not really able to do that anymore. Domhnall Gleeson and Brendan Gleeson Pic: lbertofor Disney
In recent years, Gleeson's star has risen even higher than it already was, earning an Oscar nomination for his performance in The Banshees of Inisherin, and he was even tapped to host the iconic Saturday Night Live.
Coupled with the fact that most people live through their mobile phones, and he sighs thinking about how much he misses being able to go to the pub for a music session without being photographed or recorded.
He told The Irish Times: 'I can't go into a place any more in terms of pubs, because it turns into selfie country. I really miss [it], particularly going into music sessions. You mightn't believe me, but people will do amazingly dumb things about interrupting you. I draw the line at funerals. Brendan Gleeson and Colin Farrell in The Banshees of Inisherin Pic: Searchlight Pictures/Moviestore/REX/Shutterstock
'The mobile phones mean you can do nothing. I'm not an elite musician. I was always running after the bus that way. But before you'd hear of a few quiet tunes somewhere, and you could go and you'd get a couple of hours spare [playing]. Now somebody has texted, and it's rammed within half an hour.'
When asked if he feels isolated as a result, he revealed that he does as he simply can't 'pop into a place' to sit and chat to someone or do a crossword in peace.
The Weir runs in Dublin until September, when it will then tranfer to London, where it will run until December, giving Gleeson plenty of time to spend with his grandkids who live in the English capital.
Elsewhere, Brendan recently stated he won't take back calling Taoiseach Micheál Martin a 'moron' almost 20 years ago, but the actor added he now prefers a more constructive approach.
The Hollywood star said it was the way he 'really felt at the time' after witnessing 'unacceptable' treatment at a hospital.
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