FRANK McCourt’s autobiographical account of growing up in Limerick has sold over ten million copies worldwide since it was released in 1996.
The original musical version of this story was first seen in Limerick in 2013. That version was a student production from the University of Derby and forms the basis of the new musical with the music and lyrics written by Adam Howell, from Paul Hurt’s book.
Howell, who comes from an Irish family, was inspired by the rhythmic, lyrical language in Frank McCourt’s Pulitzer Prize winning original. The book sang to the reader and was crying out to be made into a musical.
While the story is a stark account of the bleakness of living in poverty, there is more than enough humour and a sense of hope in the book to create a classic story of triumph over adversity.
The show’s producer Pat Moylan compares the story of Angela’s Ashes to other classic musicals, Les Miserables, Annie and Oliver.
“If you look at the great musicals, a lot of them are rooted in situations quite similar to the situation here”, she said.
Lime Tree Theatre director Louise Donlon agrees that Angela’s Ashes has all the ingredients for a large scale musical.
“The book has a lot of humour in it. Frank had an awful poverty stricken childhood, but he turned this life around. With music, dance and movement you can transform a story while still showing the sad parts. It is life reflected back at us from the stage and people love that.”
The theatre director adds that interest in the production is strong and is absolutely delighted with advance ticket sales, considering that the summer months are not typically associated with going to the theatre.
‘Angela’s Ashes – The Musical’ is by far the theatre’s largest production, says Louise.
“A show this size wouldn’t normally come to Limerick, they play in 2000+ seater venues.
“But because this is their very first show, because it is Angela’s Ashes and because Ellen McCourt was very keen that the production would debut in Limerick, it is opening in Limerick.”
The cost of the new professional production is upwards of €750,000 and bringing this large scale show show to the 500 capacity Lime Tree Theatre has been a challenge for the Lime Tree crew. The Angela’s Ashes musical has brought “the best of the best”, working on this professional production, says technical manager at Lime Tree, Jay Kavanagh
“It has been a great opportunity for the local crew to work on a large scale production. The best stage carpenters, sound engineers and lighting designers. It has been great craic really, and they are all lovely people.”
As technical manager he says the production pushed the theatre to its capacity but at this stage all the heavy lifting has been done.
“It stretched the capacity of the Lime Tree in a technical way to its limit. We’ve had Druid Theatre and Sadler’s Wells here. All these productions have pushed us. This has taken us on another step.
“With the amount of technology in the lighting and the sound, the size and scale of the set – it is a large set – we are wall to wall on stage in the Lime Tree. We have used every inch of available space. It has been a great test.
“With the amount of technology in the lighting and the sound, the size and scale of the set – it is a large set – we are wall to wall on stage in the Lime Tree.
“We have been able to respond to every request from the production company.”
When the movie version of Angela’s Ashes was made in Limerick and Cork, Jay was one of many in the city who auditioned for a part in Alan Parker’s film.
The 1999 film, which was a dark, wet and gloomy version of Frank McCourt’s book, bares little resemblance to the musical version about to have its world premier this week.
“The thing is to totally discount the film,” says Jay.
“I have seen the first version of this musical and parts of the new version. The humour is great. It is a much more pleasurable experience than the film.”
The production has been a smooth operation so far but for one piece of disappointing news. Limerick born actress Amanda Minihan had to pull out of the show for health reasons during the first week of rehearsals.
Louise Donlon says that Amanda was very much looking forward to working in her native city. The producers held on for five days before resigning themselves to the situation that Amanda would not be able to do the show
“Amanda was to play the part of the grandmother. In the first week of rehearsal, she got quite ill and had to be hospitalised.”
“We were so disappointed. Originally from Limerick, Amanda Minihan was the first cast member announced.
“We were so excited about it. She has been working in the West End for about 20 years. This was the first opportunity she would have had to come back to her home city and take part in a big West End musical here at home.”
Claire Barrett stepped into the role. She rehearsed with the cast during the day while taking to the stage nightly performing in Maeve Binchy’s ‘Minding Frankie’ at the Gaiety.
“We are indebted to her for stepping in at such short notice.”
While the film version of Angela’s Ashes is remembered as a rain sodden and bleak misery, the musical will be free from such dark clouds.
And it certainly will not be a case of ‘Whinging in the Rain’ as one local wit predicted when the musical version was first mooted.
The technical crew at Lime Tree was able to introduce the effect of rain in the theatre during their recent Druid Theatre production – but there will be no such thing for Angela’s Ashes, according to Jay Kavanagh.
“The design team made a sound decision by saying ‘no’ to the rain. I know Druid did it in the Lime Tree once, but, this time, nah, no rain!” he laughs.
Angela’s Ashes The Musical premiers this Thursday July 6 and runs for 11 performances until Saturday July 15 (no show July 9).
Followed by a run in Dublin’s Bord Gáis Energy Theatre from July 18-30 and on to the Grand Opera House in Belfast for August 1-5.
