THE creative duo behind a new musical which tells the story of Thin Lizzy frontman Phil Lynott say casting their lead man is an “impossible task” due to the uniqueness of his character.
John and Danielle Merrigan are currently working on Moonlight – The Philip Lynott Enigma, which is the third in a trilogy of plays they have produced about remarkable Irish poets who have died young.
Based in Chichester, the pair have been working on the project for some time, with meetings and casting taking place in London and in Dublin, which was Lynott’s home.
The singer and bassist, who hailed from a working-class family in 1950's Dublin, overcame the odds to become one of Ireland's most revered musicians.
He was born in West Bromwich, in the West Midlands, but left England for Ireland as young boy.
Lynott died from heart failure in 1986 at the age of 36, after years battling alcohol and drug addiction.
John and Danielle Merrigan are creating Moonlight - The Philip Lynott EnigmaIn Moonlight the Merrigans aim to tell his story “as honestly and beautifully” as possible.
This week John Merrigan told the Irish Post about their project so far…
What inspired you both to write this musical?
This project is the third in a trilogy of plays we have written about Irish poets who lit up the world with their literature and sadly died too young.
Together, they span four years in the making.
Oscar Wilde (Vengeance), Brendan Behan (Brendan)and now Philip Lynott (Moonlight) may appear an unlikely connection but the more you dive into their backgrounds, you realise how closely linked they were.
All hailed from Dublin and followed similar lives: outsiders, rebels, flawed and charismatic characters who lived live full-on, and left us with enduring legacies and many unanswered questions.
They are heroes to us and we are compelled to tell their stories through our words and music.
We hope too that we can play our part to show how important they were to inspire other writers past, present and future.
Where are you based while working on the production?
We are based at home near Chichester, on the south coast. It’s a place full of artists, writers and musicians living in the area, and an inspiring place to create.
We like the countryside but also the easy connection to London, Dublin and other places when we need to get there for meetings, casting and industry networking.
Can you tell us about the show?
Moonlight traces the life of Philip Lynott from his arrival as an eight-year-old boy to Dublin in the late ‘50s, until the break-up of the first Thin Lizzy band with Eric Bell and Brian Downey in early 1974.
This period is arguably the time when Philip developed most as a song writer and poet, a period that has received less attention than his later career.
The action is set on the day he passed away in 1986 and he arrives at Tir Na BhFili (Land of the Poets) our mythical place for poets “of a certain type”.
There he meets Brendan and Oscar who invite him to tell his story in words and music and we learn more about Philip though the key events and people who shaped him as person.
It’s an intimate and very personal portrait for us.
Have you had any input from his family or former bandmates for the production?
Yes. One of the great pleasures about this project has been to meet and talk with the closest associates of Philip, from the band to his management and those who supported him and influenced him in those early days.
It is very moving to speak with them as they were “in the room” at key moments in the story.
What is also striking is the fondness they have for Philip and to protect his memory and legacy.
We have been very lucky to have those discussions and to get such great support for our approach to telling the story. Some may even appear in the show.
What are you most excited about in producing this show?
Probably the reaction of those whom we have shared early script and the music we have created for the show – it’s a two-act play mixed with original songs and also performances of some of the timeless Thin Lizzy tracks.
We want to tell the story as movingly and honestly as we possibly can, including a great deal of research and re-writes.
When we see people’s reactions that makes it all worthwhile, especially those who were there at the time.
It is tough being independent producers but each step gives us the encouragement and courage to keep going.
When will the show open to the public?
Our aim is to perform the show in London and Dublin by the end of 2024.
There are many contingencies to make this happen, but we are on track with our plans. That said, we will not rush the process and we will make sure, together with our team, that the production values and quality will be the best they can be.
What are you looking for when casting the lead character, Phil Lynott?
Casting Philip Lynott is an almost impossible task – he was so unique.
Finding an actor who looks like him, speaks like him, sings and plays bass like him and can act, is a tall order – to say the least.
Beyond all of that, for us we are looking for someone who can portray the insecure, quiet, intelligence of Philip’s character which is often over-looked.
So far, we have been delighted with the response to the casting call and we will continue our search through July.
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