Line of Duty star Adrian Dunbar brings Samuel Beckett Festival to Liverpool

He's known for his no nonsense role as Superintendent Ted Hastings in Line of Duty, and now Irish actor Adrian Dunbar is bringing his talents to Liverpool.

The star who comes from County Fermanagh in Northern Ireland is also a writer and is well known for his stage roles.

But for Samuel Beckett: In Confinement he will be behind the scenes, directing several plays by the author for a festival in Liverpool.

Adrian on set during filming for the sixth series of Line of Duty with co-stars Vicky McClure and Martin Compston. Credit: PA

It is the first time the event which will celebrate the works of Beckett, will be held in the city.

The star said he is excited to be bringing Beckett's works to life here: "Beckett’s work finds us dealing with the fundamentals of human existence, what keeps us going when the world and our place in it feels absurd and empty.

"His work is of great comfort to those who have experienced the hardship and trials of life, affirming in us all as it does how precious and fleeting it may be.

"What we're doing is bringing Beckett to Liverpool. We're very excited about it and think it's going to be of interest to a lot of people.

"We chose Liverpool because the city has a big Irish community who we hope will want to come to see these plays."

The festival will feature performances of some of Beckett's most rarely performed works. Credit: Institute of Irish Studies ,University of Liverpool

The programme will include multiple performances of some of Beckett's most rarely performed plays - Ohio Impromptu, Catastrophe, and Krapp’s Last Tape - in some unusual locations in Liverpool, including the atmospheric Toxteth Reservoir.

The three day event will also feature musical performances and lectures.

Built in 1855, the Reservoir provided a water supply for Liverpool's expanding port and population. It closed for water storage in 1997.

It is part of a collaboration with the Institute of Irish Studies at the University of Liverpool.

Professor Pete Shirlow, Director of the Institute of Irish Studies, said: "Many people may feel a little shy about coming to something they may see as elitist, or as something that is not for them.

"But the way in which we are presenting this - at Toxteth Reservoir and at the Black-E for example - is that we are trying to take this to the community, we are trying to break down those barriers. Samuel Beckett is accessible."

Musical performances will also form part of the programme. Credit: Institute of Irish Studies University of Liverpool

Samuel Beckett was one of the 20th century's most celebrated authors and was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1969.

A novelist, playwright, theatre director and poet, he lived in Paris for most of his adult life and wrote in both French and English.

Samuel Beckett was born in Dublin in 1906. He died in France in 1989 at the age of 83. Credit: UTV

Beckett's literary and theatrical writings feature impersonal and often tragicomic experiences of life.

He is considered one of the last modernist writers, his works examining what it means to be human, in all its absurd, existentialist and sometimes bleak comedy

It will be the first time the Beckett Festival will be held in Liverpool, a city rich in Irish heritage and culture.

Gerry Diver, Institute of Irish Studies, University of Liverpool.

Gerry Diver from the Institute of Irish Studies said: "It's absolutely fantastic to have a respected actor and director of Adrian's calibre involved, we are very proud of him and his achievements in Ireland.

"He comes from a strong theatre background - his passion is in theatre and we are really excited for him to be bringing Beckett here to Liverpool.

"The Irish connection and the cultural familiarity with all things Irish is very obvious in Liverpool and Beckett is one of Ireland's most celebrated writers so I think there is a receptive audience here.

"At the Institute, it's not just about the academic side and research, we have also started to develop a cultural offering around the events we organise, so the Beckett Festival will become a very important cornerstone of that."

Adrian has appeared in all six series of BBC crime drama Line of Duty, playing Superintendent Ted Hastings, pictured here during filming. Credit: PA

And Adrian is also looking forward to experiencing Liverpool's own rich culture whilst he is in town: "I'm really looking forward to being back here and seeing a few mates and having a bit of fun - you can't come to Liverpool and not have a bit of fun, there will certainly be 'discussions' after the performances!"

Samuel Beckett: In Confinement runs from 6-8 May.

Listen to the ITV News Unscripted podcast: