2009–13 / 2015–2016

Directed and designed by Judy Hegarty Lovett
Performed by Conor Lovett
Music by Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh
Lighting - Original design: Aedin Cosgrove
Relight: Simon Bennison and Kevin Smyth

Moby Dick by Herman Melville is considered one of the Great American novels.  A work of immense detail, charismatic characters, passionate revenge and a promethean challenging of the Gods. Gare St Lazare Ireland's presentation is an adaptation of the novel by Conor Lovett and Judy Hegarty Lovett in a solo performance, with live musical accompaniment by Caoimhin O'Raghallaigh or Cleek Schrey. Moby Dick premiered in Youghal, Co. Cork on 2nd April 2009.

It has toured to Boston, Bristol (UK), California, Connecticut, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Paris (France), Shanghai (China), Sofia (Bulgaria), Vermont and to 28 venues in Ireland.

Shanghai Theatre Festival Award 2011.

Best Actor nomination Irish Times Irish Theatre Awards 2009

“Gare St Lazare Player’s vision of theatre is of the ‘empty space’ variety made famous by Peter Brook. Brook’s theatre is a theatre without artifice, without a stage or props or sets or symbolic objects. It is a theatre without a theatre if you will, where ‘suspension of disbelief’ – buying into the spectacle – isn’t actually necessary. It is a theatre that exists entirely in the relationship between the audience and the actor, and this is the type of theatre that Conor Lovett – a phenomenal, almost artless, performer – was born for." 
— Irish Theatre Magazine

"A must-see. Lovett holds us spellbound as he captures the humour as well as the wisdom of Melville". 
— The Irish Examiner 

"A distillation of Melville's genius". 
— Irish Times 

"This is an intensely deliberate, focused piece of work, out of which Melville’s writing emerges as the ultimate star of what is a constrained and lovely show." 
— Sunday Business Post 

"Lovett's capacity to hold an audience is remarkable. His voice control and subtle shifts of expression and movement seem effortless." 
— The Guardian

"Superb. I loved it. It was mesmerizing." Eamon McCann
(The View RTÉ TV) 

"This is Peter Brook, Empty Space Theatre. It was incredible". Sarah Keating
(The View RTE TV)

"I felt as if I should be sitting at somebody's fireplace enjoying a storyteller tell me his story." Kate O'Toole.  
(The View RTE TV).

"A distillation of Melville's genius". 
— Irish Times

Photo: Ros Kavanagh