Miasma – a play exploring the fight against cholera in the 1850s.

RCPI is delighted to be hosting a four-day run of Colin Murphy’s Miasma from Monday 13 to Thursday 16 April, at 6pm in No. 6 Kildare Street. Miasma is a gripping and accessible one-hour play about the fight against the cholera pandemic in 1840s–50s London.  Described by the Irish Times as “an hour of tightly-tuned drama”. 

The play follows the pioneering outsider doctor John Snow as he challenges medical orthodoxy and lays the foundations of modern epidemiology and data science. A medical detective story as much as a piece of drama, Miasma explores good science and bad science, groupthink and dissent, and the cost of standing against accepted wisdom when lives are at stake.  

Told by five actors, the play combines sharp storytelling, historical insight and contemporary relevance in a format that is engaging for specialist and non-specialist audiences alike.  

Through drama, the play brings to life questions about public health, data, and misinformation that still resonate today. The production is part of the Research Ireland Discover project Miasma: Trust, Data and Public Health, and the performances are included in a national tour of Miasma produced by Verdant Productions, running throughout April and May (more information on the project can be found here).  

The play runs for approximately 1 hour, the Tuesday and Thursday performances will be followed by a panel discussion and audience Q&A lasting about 30 minutes.

Performances will begin at 6pm each night, tickets can be purchased online here