The Kings of the Kilburn High Road is our first drama of 2016 and what a way to kick off a season of outstanding plays here at An Grianán.
Director Padraic McIntyre and his company Livin’ Dred Theatre have assembled an stellar cast for this powerful Irish drama.
About the play
The Kings of the Kilburn High Road tells the story of group of young men who leave 1970s Ireland in the hope of making their fortunes in England. Twenty-five years later only one, Jackie Flavin, makes it home, but does so in a coffin. The Kings of the Kilburn High Road takes place on the day the winners and losers of the group meet up to drink to Jackie Flavin’s memory and looks at their lives, lost dreams and their place in the new Ireland.
The cast
Fresh from his excellent turn as Michael in the Lyric’s recent production of Dancing at Lughnasa, we are pleased to welcome back local actor Charlie Bonner to An Grianán so soon. A regular with the Abbey Theatre appearing in some 14 different productions since 1995 including the Friel plays Philadelphia, Here I Come! and Living Quarters, Charlie worked with us on our Rediscovering Friel project for the 2013 Earagail Arts Festival. He also recently appeared in RTE’s 1916 drama Rebellion.
Seamus O’Rourke is a writer, director and actor and his comedy drama Ride On! was performed at An Grianán in 2011, also from Livin’ Dred. He has been heavily involved in the amateur drama scene for more than twenty years, featuring in the All Ireland Drama finals in Athlone on fifteen occasions. In the finals, he has won: RTE Best Director in 2005 (Stolen Child by Yvonne Quinn & Deirdre Ní Chaoimh), RTE Best Actor in 2010 (for John in Connor McPherson’s Shining City), RTE Best Supporting Actor in 2011 (Pato in the Beauty Queen of Leenane by Martin McDonagh), as well as being nominated for direction and acting on eight other occasions.
One of Ireland’s best known actors, showbiz is in Phelim Drew’s blood – he is the son of the Dubliners’ Ronnie Drew. Recent roles include Billy in the hit musical Once at the Olympia. Phelim made his film debut in Oscar winning hit My Left Foot and has also appeared in movies such as The Commitments. Appearances at An Grianán include a memorable turn in the Abbey Theatre’s The Seafarer and Decadent Theatre’s Port Authority.
Arthur Riordan is a founder member of Rough Magic Theatre Co and has appeared in many of their productions, including Peer Gynt, Improbable Frequency, Solemn Mass for a Full Moon in Summer, and more. He has also worked with the Abbey & Peacock Theatres, Gaiety Theatre, Corcadorca, Pan Pan, Druid, The Corn Exchange, Bedrock Productions, Red Kettle, Fishamble, Project, Bewleys Café Theatre and many others. Arthur has also written several plays including The Train, Improbable Frequency, Peer Gynt (a new adaptation) and The Emergency Session, all for Rough Magic; Slattery’s Sago Saga (adapted from the unfinished Flann O’Brien novel) for the Performance Corporation; Shooting Gallery (co-written with Des Bishop for Bedrock Productions); Rap Eire, (also with Des Bishop for Bickerstaffe); and Love Me?! for the Corn Exchange.
Originally from Cork, Malcolm Adams trained as an actor in The Actor’s Space in New York. He was in the original cast of John Breen’s brilliant rugby drama Alone in Stands, touring with it for three years including stints in London’s West End. He also toured in Marie Jones’ Stones in his Pockets, performing in it more than 300 times in the West End and on a 40 city tour of the UK. Between 2005 and 2010 Malcolm was nominated four times for an Irish Times Theatre Award, once for Best Actor (for Arthur Riordan’s Slattery’s Sago Saga, Performance Corporation) and three for Best Supporting Actor (Belfry, Livin’ Dred; The Taming of the Shrew, Rough Magic; and Only an Apple, The Abbey Theatre).
The Kings of the Kilburn High Road by Jimmy Murphy
Wed 16 and Thur 17 February 2016 at 8pm
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