Stories That Go Bump in the Night On a cold, windy night, cloaked in the silence of the Irish countryside, four lads gather around the fire in a cozy pub to share some spirits and some stories. As the Guinness and whisky flow, what transpires is a series of raucously funny exchanges, life-revealing moments and bone-chilling tales. This is the premise behind Irish playwright Conor McPhersonís play, ìThe Weir,î a powerful work that has enjoyed a successful run on Broadway and is now showing at the Round House Theatre in Silver Spring, Md. The action centers on three friendsóJack, Jim and Brendan, the bartenderówho meet up with Finbar, an old companion who has since gone onto bigger and better things. Finbar, the consummate showman, arrives with town-newcomer Valerie, despite that he is a married man. Valerieís presence brings an undercurrent of tension as the three men question Finbarís intentions toward the young woman. With Valerie looking on, the old friends quickly begin to trade barbs with one another. The jabs are quick and sharp and reveal the underlying history among the four men. Amid the good-natured ribbing, they also share ghostly stories about what lies beyondóin the great unknown. As the eerie tales unfold and the charactersí pa sts are slowly unveiled, the men actually seem to be spooking themselves. Ultimately though, it is Valerie who has the most haunting story to tell. With real draft beer pouring from the bar, cigarette smoke filling the stage, and blunt language muddled in thick, Irish accents, the setting conveys the authentic feel of an old-fashioned Irish pub. The actors meticulously layer their performances with subtle nuances that give their characters depth and paint vivid portraits of loneliness, regret and pain. Even as the tensions mount, the somber atmosphere never becomes overwhelmingóeffectively shifting from the creepy to the comical. In the end, as in life, there are no tidy resolutions, but the characters forge bonds that last long after the fire dies out. ìThe Weirî runs through March 3 at the Round House Theatre, 12210 Bushey Drive, Silver Spring, Md. For more information, please call (301) 933ñ1644. óAnna Gawel