Ricky Tomlinson returns to the stage in March in a new musical comedy celebrating the best of Irish culture.
Irish Annie’s will be performed for the St Patricks Day celebrations at St Helens Theatre Royal (March 14) and the Epstein Theatre in central Liverpool on March 19. The show will later head to Blackpool’s Joe Longthorne Theatre on July 1.
The show is a celebration of Irish music and comedy featuring popular local six-piece band, Shenanigans. Landlady Annie and her customers offer audiences a night of comedy, music and mayhem featuring music written for the show by Asa Murphy, classic Irish folk tunes including Galway Shawl, Tell Me Ma, Dirty Old Town, Whiskey In The Jar, Danny Boy and more.
Ricky Tomlinson will join the cast as Scouse Pete – and what a lot of people might not know is that as well as being a terrific comic actor, he’s a dab hand on banjo and harmonica.
“This show is a delight to be part of, with a wonderful cast of characters and beautiful original and classic Irish music. I guarantee you will have a ball,” said the one-time star of The Royle Family.
The show also features Catherine Rice as Irish Annie, Asa Murphy, Nathan Murphy, Sam Conlan and Pauline Donovan as Moira the Money Lender.
Producer Bill Elms said: “Irish Annie’s is the perfect show to bring out around St Patricks Day. The show premiered in Liverpool two years ago and went down a storm, and now it’s even bigger and better.”
Co-creator Asa Murphy has been a successful entertainer for 18 years and has performed all over the world as well as having a very popular BBC Radio show for the past decade.
Since 2019 – and with time on his hands – he has written three hit shows, Buddy Holly Lives, Mack The Knife and this one, as well as two children’s shows.