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Matthew Broderick is starring in the American Premiere of David Ireland’s Ulster American, now running at Irish Repertory Theatre. On Friday, the Tony winner visited CBS Mornings to talk about the play and what about it appealed to him.
The play takes a provocative look at topical social issues, and Broderick said that he found the script “funny” and “clever” in their exploration of these topics. “It had a lot to say about these issues that are on people’s minds quite a bit now.”
In Ulster American, Broderick stars as a self-obsessed actor who is preparing for a new play. The story unfolds over the course of an evening in which he and the director of the production clash with the playwright over personal ideologies, politics, and privilege, while also trying to change the content of the show.
The show raises the question of whether people’s personal beliefs are merely reflective of their own circles or if it’s indicative of something more. “What do we all do when you’re together with somebody who thinks like you and hours pass and you bring up something slightly troubling… before you know it you’ve spiraled…” Broderick poses.
Watch the full interview, where the actor also looks back on the 40th anniversary of his hit film Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.
Previews for Ulster American began on the Francis J. Greenburger Mainstage at Irish Repertory Theatre on Friday March 6, 2026, with opening night set for Sunday March 15, for a limited run through Sunday May 10, 2026.
Directed by Ciarán O’Reilly (The Weir), the show stars Tony Award winner Matthew Broderick (Irish Rep’s Shining City and The Seafarer), Geraldine Hughes (Belfast Blues) and Max Baker (Continuity).
On the evening before rehearsals begin for her new work, Ulster-born playwright Ruth Davenport (Geraldine Hughes) visits the home of English director Leigh Carver (Max Baker), along with Oscar-winning Hollywood star Jay Conway (Matthew Broderick) who has just arrived in London to star in the world premiere. What begins as a cordial gathering to discuss the upcoming production quickly descends into a brutal psychological brawl as egos, ideologies, and historical baggage collide. A theatrical hand grenade disguised as a drawing-room comedy, Ulster American explosively reveals some raw contradictions at the heart of modern storytelling and political posturing.
In 2018, Ulster American was produced at the Traverse Theatre as part of the Edinburgh Fringe. It won a Scotsman Fringe First and the Critics Award for Theatre in Scotland for Best New Play. Ulster American was revived by Second Half Productions at the Riverside Studios, London in 2023, featuring Woody Harrelson, Andy Serkis and Louisa Harland.
