Mick Flannery’s Evening Train is being transformed into a musical

The Everyman have announced an exciting world premiere for their Spring/Summer programme. The celebrated Cork singer-songwriter Mick Flannery, writer Ursula Rani Sarma, and director Annabelle Comyn, will transform Flannery’s acclaimed album, Evening Train, into a stunning new musical.

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.”

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.”

With a cast of Irish actors and a live band that will include Mick Flannery, Evening Train is set to be an unmissable night at the theatre. See it at The Everyman Thursday Sunday 13-23 June. Tickets €25, concession €30, students €25, are on sale now from everymancork.com or from the Box Office, phone 021 4501 673.