One of the best Irish plays ever is heading to the big screen

The play provoked riots and protests in Dublin when it first premiered.

Filmed live on stage at the National Theatre, this new version of the satirical comedy-drama stars Éanna Hardwicke (Saipan), Nicola Coughlan (Bridgerton) and Siobhán McSweeney (Derry Girls).

Hardwicke takes on the role of Christy Mahon, a young man who walks into a Mayo pub claiming that he has killed his father.

Instead of being shunned, however, he becomes a local hero and wins the heart of young barmaid Pegeen (Coughlan), "that is until a second man unexpectedly arrives on the scene…"

When The Playboy of the Western World first premiered in 1907 at the Abbey Theatre, riots broke out.

These disturbances were provoked by Irish nationalists and republicans, who believed that the play was an offence to public morals and an insult against Ireland.

Now, however, The Playboy of the Western World is widely considered a classic, thanks to its rich themes and J.M. Synge's beautiful lyrical Hiberno-English dialogue.

Directed by Caitríona McLaughlin, the new production of the play also features actors Fionnuala Gygax (Báite), Lorcan Cranitch (Trespasses) and Marty Breen (Good Boy).

NT Live: The Playboy of the Western World will screen in Irish cinemas from 28 May. Audiences are encouraged to book their tickets early.