Absence of Women'A fine example of theatre at its small-scale best.' Evening StandardTitanic'Owen McCafferty's rigorous verbatim play provides an antidote to Titanic fatigue... Two months of hearings from 97 witnesses are whittled down to nine... What remains, even after a century, is a disturbing sense of moral ambiguity: 1, 517 dead and no one to blame.' GuardianQuietly'Vibrates with a violent tension so taut that if you were a bystander... you'd hardly dare to breathe.' New York Times'Remarkable. inspired. The piece packs sweeping questions about forgiveness and accountability into a tightly plotted encounter.' Daily Telegraph'The most powerful theatrical production I have had the privilege of seeing... McCafferty's script is perfectly taut... This play is extraordinary and completely unmissable.' Metro HeraldUnfaithful'McCafferty excels with tight plotting and pithy, painful dialogue.' The Times'McCafferty writes with empathy and a wry humour that makes for an absorbing - if painful - hour.' Financial Times'Owen McCafferty is a sly observer of the human heart.' GuardianDeath of a Comedian'Despite the humour, McCafferty's play is a tragedy. his most accomplished work to date.' Belfast Telegraph

Born in 1961, Owen McCafferty lives with his wife, three children and granddaughter in Belfast. His work for the stage includes Shoot the Crow (Druid, Galway, 1997; Royal Exchange, Manchester, 2003), Mojo Mickybo (Kabosh, Belfast, 1998), Closing Time (National Theatre, London, 2002), Cold Comfort (Primecut Productions, Belfast, 2002), Scenes from the Big Picture (National Theatre, London, 2003), Days of Wine and Roses (Donmar Warehouse, 2005), a version of Sophocles' Antigone (Primecut Productions, Belfast, 2008) and The Absence of Women (Lyric Theatre, Belfast, 2010).He has won the Meyer-Whitworth, John Whiting and Evening Standard Awards for New Playwriting.