The Argument of Us arrives at The New Theatre, Dublin for a ten-night run from Tuesday 19 to Saturday 30 May 2026. After ten years together and seven weeks of silence, a couple meet again at midnight to do something almost no relationship survives: tell the absolute truth. Performances run nightly at 19:30 in the Fiona Hurley Auditorium on Essex Street, Temple Bar, with a Saturday matinee at 14:30 on 30 May. Regular tickets €25, concessions €22.50, with a €15 Low Price Tuesday tier on 19 and 26 May for students, seniors and artists. Book on TakeYourSeats.ie.
Key facts
- Show: The Argument of Us
- Venue: The New Theatre, 43 Essex Street East, Temple Bar, Dublin 2
- Auditorium: Fiona Hurley Auditorium
- Dates: 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 26, 27, 28, 29 May 2026 — 19:30 (doors 19:00)
- Matinee: Saturday 30 May 2026 — 14:30 (doors 14:00)
- Age guidance: 14+
- Language: English
- Tickets: Regular €25 · Concession (student / senior / unwaged) €22.50 · Group Rate 8+ €20 · Low Price Tuesday (19 & 26 May) €15 for students, seniors and artists
- Booking: TakeYourSeats.ie
About the play
Two characters, one room, one night. The Argument of Us opens after Rhys has walked out on Bishop, ending a decade together. Seven weeks of silence pass. Then Rhys comes back — not for a clean conversation in daylight, but for a midnight visit and a proposal: a pact, framed as a scientific experiment, that across one long night of drinking they will tell each other the absolute truth. Hidden resentments and heartfelt longings come up first. Then deeper secrets emerge, the kind that threaten the very thing the experiment was meant to save. By morning, it will be either a fresh start together or a clean break. No regrets.
The play belongs to a long and recognisable lineage of intimate two-handers — couples locked in a room with alcohol, history, and the option to lie. The closest reference points are works in the tradition of Patrick Marber's Closer, Mike Bartlett's Cock, and the late-night confessionals that run through Conor McPherson's chamber pieces: relationships stripped to the joists, language as both weapon and rescue, and a structure that lets the audience watch two people decide, in real time, what they are willing to lose.
About The New Theatre
The New Theatre is one of Dublin's most respected homes for new writing and intimate ensemble work. Tucked into the Connolly Books building on Essex Street East in Temple Bar, the venue has built its reputation on small-scale productions where the audience sits close enough to read every flicker of a performer's face. Funded by the Arts Council of Ireland, Dublin City Council and Dublin UNESCO City of Literature, the theatre runs an annual New Writing Development Week and consistently programmes contemporary Irish playwriting alongside cult classics and world premieres. The Fiona Hurley Auditorium is the venue's main performance space.
What to expect on the night
This is theatre at its closest range. The New Theatre's auditorium puts the audience within a few rows of the action, which is precisely the right scale for a play built around two people, a midnight visit and a drinking pact. Expect a single setting, a real-time pressure cooker, and the kind of pacing that builds in small confessional waves before the bigger reveals land. Evening shows have a 19:00 doors call for a 19:30 start; the Saturday matinee on 30 May opens doors at 14:00 for a 14:30 start. The play is recommended for ages 14 and up.
Frequently asked questions
When is The Argument of Us on at The New Theatre, Dublin?
The Argument of Us runs from Tuesday 19 May to Saturday 30 May 2026 at The New Theatre, 43 Essex Street East, Temple Bar, Dublin 2. Evening performances are nightly at 19:30 (doors 19:00), with a Saturday matinee on 30 May at 14:30 (doors 14:00). There are no performances on Sunday 24 May or Monday 25 May.
Is The Argument of Us suitable for children?
The production carries an age guidance of 14+. It is an adult drama dealing with the breakdown and possible repair of a long-term relationship, includes drinking on stage and explores difficult emotional material, so it is not intended for younger children.
How long is the play, and is there an interval?
Running time and interval information will be confirmed by the venue closer to opening night. Two-handers in this format typically run between 75 and 105 minutes, often performed straight through. Check the booking page on TakeYourSeats.ie for the latest confirmed times.
How much are tickets, and is there a discount?
Regular tickets are €25. A concession price of €22.50 is available for students, seniors and unwaged patrons. Groups of eight or more booking together get a Group Rate of €20 per ticket. On the two Tuesday performances — 19 May (opening night) and 26 May — there is also a Low Price Tuesday tier of €15 for students, seniors and artists.
How do I get to The New Theatre in Temple Bar?
The New Theatre is at 43 Essex Street East, Temple Bar, Dublin 2 — a short walk from O'Connell Bridge, Westmoreland Street, Dame Street and the Ha'penny Bridge. The closest Luas stop is Jervis (Red Line), about ten minutes on foot. Dublin Bus and Go-Ahead Ireland routes serve the quays and Dame Street; the nearest DART station is Tara Street, roughly a ten-minute walk away. Paid parking is available at Q-Park Christchurch and Fleet Street.
Where can I book tickets?
Tickets for all ten performances of The Argument of Us are on sale through TakeYourSeats.ie. Booking on TakeYourSeats.ie supports independent Irish theatre and gives you direct access to the venue's confirmed seat allocation.
Tickets and how to book
All ten performances of The Argument of Us at The New Theatre, Dublin are bookable through TakeYourSeats.ie. Regular tickets are €25, with a concession price of €22.50 for students, seniors and unwaged patrons, and a Group Rate of €20 per ticket for parties of eight or more booking together. The two Tuesday performances — opening night on 19 May and the second-week Tuesday on 26 May — carry a Low Price Tuesday tier of €15 for students, seniors and artists, which is a particularly good entry point for anyone watching the budget. With the run spread across two weeks and a Saturday matinee on closing day, there is good flexibility for theatre-goers travelling in from outside Dublin or planning a Temple Bar evening around the show.
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