This article is from page 40 of the 2007-07-17 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 40 JPG
A KINVARA musician is preparing to turn the world of traditional Irish music on it’s head with the produc- tion of the world’s first ever trad-mu- sical.
The Year of the German is an ex- citing and ambitious new production from Gerry Kennedy, who last year produced the Road to Clare with Druid Theatre. Indeed, the Year of the German takes it’s inspiration from his 2006 production, which became one of the highlights of the Galway Sessions 2006 programme.
“It is set in the 1970’s when trad
music began to become popular with the Europeans and especially the Germans. This happened because German traditional music itself had been used by the Nazis and they wanted to find something else,” said Gerry Conneely.
“You began to see young German men and women hanging around Doolin with tin whistles in their back pockets, around McGann’s and Gus- sie O’Connors. These European also made their way up as far as Kinvara and that is what the story is about.”
The Road to Clare is set in Kinvara and tells the story of the impact these European visitors had on the local
community and musicians. The Year of the German is a continuation of this story, set in the imaginary town of Ardbo and put to music.
The Year of the German is cur- rently preparing for it debut in Aras Inis Gluaire in Belmullet but plans are already underway to take it on the road.
“It is very much a work in progress. I mean, this production is being done with transition year actors and mu- sicians and is very much something that I am playing with at the moment, seeing how it can be developed,” con- HOM OCoNaA
“It has been going well and the con-
cepts seems to be catching on. So it is something that I will be looking to get professional actors involved in and develop more in the near future.” The musical tells the story of Johnny Keogh, who seized the reins of the well-known Keogh’s Bar in Main from his alcoholic father. He pro- ceeds to run it into the ground and alienates most of his customers, 1n- cludes local musician Patsy McMa- hon. In a weird twist of fate, Patsy is ‘discovered’ and becomes a radio sensation in Germany. Patsy’s fame draws thousands to the town and Johnny has to befriend Patsy again in order to save his own business.