The Everyman and Rosa Productions
in association with Cork Midsummer Festival
present a new musical…
EVENING TRAIN
The Everyman have announced an exciting world premiere coming up in their Spring / Summer programme. Celebrated Cork singer-songwriter Mick Flannery, writer Ursula Rani Sarma, and director Annabelle Comyn, will transform Flannery’s acclaimed concept album, Evening Train, into a stunning new musical, premiering at the Cork Midsummer Festival this coming June.
Speaking at the theatre’s Spring Season launch, Artistic Director Julie Kelleher commented: “This co-production of Evening Train by Mick Flannery is a natural progression for the Everyman. We’re building on the successes of recent years in partnering with artists who inspire us, and co-producers who share our values, to bring unique and exceptional theatre experiences to audiences in Cork. We’re so excited to be bringing the world premiere of this wonderful new musical to MacCurtain Street.”
Pic DARRAGH KANE
Evening Train was Flannery’s debut album released in 2007. He had started initially to write a musical, but after numerous attempts at dialogue he decided to make an album accompanied by a simple narrative thread. A few times throughout the years that followed, various people approached him with idea of performing the album on stage or on screen. He says, “Ursula rang me one day to say she’d be interested in writing a stage adaptation of the album and I think she’s done a wonderful job of bringing the world to life, giving more meat to the characters, adding and subtracting with her knowledge of the theatre world. I’ve had a great time working on this with Ursula. It has been a long road getting this play to the stage and I thank everybody involved.”
Ursula commented: “The first time I listened to Evening Train, the world and the characters within it, sprang to theatrical life in my mind. I felt instinctively that this album could become a beautiful and memorable night in the theatre. It’s been an honour to create a play that weaves around these incredible songs and a real joy to work with Mick in the development of this production.”
In the story of Evening Train, we meet Grace, who dreams of a new life far away from her hometown, as she waits for Luther. He’s late. Again. Elsewhere in town, bartender Frank surrenders yet another pay check to cover his reckless brother’s gambling debts, while Luther promises Grace that by Christmas, he’ll have made enough money to get them out of town. Before long, a high stakes game is underway, in which everyone is a player, whether they like it or not.
With a phenomenal cast of Irish actors and a live band that will include Mick Flannery, Evening Train will be an unmissable night at the theatre. See it at The Everyman Thursday 13th – Sunday 23rd June. Tickets €25, concession €30, students €25, are on sale now from everymancork.com or from the Box Office, phone 021 4501 673.
Music & Lyrics by Mick Flannery
Book by Ursula Rani Sarma
Directed by Annabelle Comyn
Trailer: https://bit.ly/2S8NT7C
