The Man in the Woman's Shoes at Town Hall Theatre

What to Expect

Mikel Murfi wrote, directed and performs this seventy-five minute solo play about Pat Farnon, a cobbler who lives on his own in a rural cottage and walks the five miles into town. Nothing much happens, and that is the point. Pat meets people on the road, and Murfi plays every one of them, switching accent, spine and temperament without props or costume changes. The result sits somewhere between storytelling and physical comedy, held together by close observation of small-town character.

The piece has travelled widely since it first appeared. The New York Times called it “astonishing”, and The Times in London described it as “a miniature masterpiece”. It won the Stewart Parker BBC Northern Ireland Radio Drama Award in 2013 and a Writers Guild of Ireland Award for Best Theatre Script in 2014. Town Hall Theatre pairs it with its sequel, I Hear You and Rejoice, on the following night, and sells a combined ticket covering both shows for €35. There are no latecomers and no readmittance once the performance begins, so allow time to be seated.

Good to Know

• Wednesday 26 August 2026 at Town Hall Theatre, Courthouse Square, Galway City.
• Running time 75 minutes, performed by Mikel Murfi.
• A combined ticket to see this show and I Hear You and Rejoice on 27 August is priced at €35.
• Single ticket prices and the start time are not printed on the Town Hall Theatre listing, so confirm when booking.
• No latecomers admitted and no readmittance once the show starts.
• Booking through Town Hall Theatre at tht.ie.

Getting There

Town Hall Theatre stands on Courthouse Square next to the Salmon Weir Bridge, about a five to seven minute walk from Eyre Square by way of Eglinton Street and Woodquay. Drivers come in from Dublin on the M6 and N6, or from Limerick, Ennis and Shannon on the M18 and N18. The Cathedral car park is the closest large option, just over the bridge, with further multi-storey spaces at the Corrib Shopping Centre on Eglinton Street. Ceannt Station, the hub for trains and Bus Éireann coaches, is roughly ten minutes away on foot.