50 years after his wrongful conviction, at the age of 74, Paddy is facing into his twilight years and wrestling with a thousand turbulent memories. In The Life and Times of Paddy Armstrong, Paddy relives the journey that forever altered his destiny.
This award winning one-man show, starring Don Wycherley as Paddy, is inspired by Paddy’s memoir Life After Life, a Guildford Four Memoir (2017). Paddy is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the power of forgiveness, reminding us that the privilege of freedom and love, family and everyday life can restore us and mend the scars of even the most savage injustice.
Don Wycherley brings unflinching honesty, pathos and humour to his portrayal of Paddy, a man failed and scarred by a flawed system yet refusing to be defined by it.
Winner - 2025 Broadway World Awards: Best New Play; Best Lighting Design; Best Direction
Winner - Irish Arts Review: Best Performance & Best Touring Production
★★★★★ "Don Wycherley is incandescent in this journey from disaster to redemption" _ Irish Times
★★★★★ "Wycherley’s performance is up there with the best I’ve seen this year. Unmissable theatre” _ Sunday Independent
"Gritty and moving... Unmissable" – Irish Independent
"Wycherley is superlative in this exquisitely tender portrayal of Paddy Armstrong"– Emer O’Kelly, Sunday Independent
“A searing indictment of injustice and a heartfelt song of survival… Don Wycherley, whose career defining performance is of such devastating power, the only appropriate response is awe.” The Arts Review
"Incredible… Don Wycherley in the performance of his life… Unforgettable" – Joe Duffy, RTÉ Radio 1
"What a beautiful experience. It was a privelege to see such wonderful writing and acting up close. The play is an absolute triumph." - Donal Ryan
"I highly recommend the Paddy Armstrong play. Don Wycherley captivates" - Christy Moore
“A combination of a fine script, super superlative acting and a profound true story. Wycherley is is perfect as Paddy” - Katy Hayes, Saturday Independent
"A stunning play and performance. Don’t miss it"– Alastair Logan, Guildford Four solicitor
"This is writing and acting at its most powerful… a totally engrossing experience. It truly is a show not to be missed"– Michael Harnett, playwright
“An absolute must-see. Incredible play that will make you laugh, cry, become enraged in equal measure. Don Wycherley is outstanding”- audience member
Presented by Wooden Bridge Productions
Written By: Mary-Elaine Tynan, Don Wycherley & Niamh Gleeson
Directed By: Mary-Elaine Tynan
Starring: Don Wycherley
Lighting design: Michael Finneran
Sound Design: Damian Sweeney
Presented By: Mary-Elaine Tynan and Don Wycherley