One of my favourite theatre companies, one of my favourite actors and one of my favourite sports. Half the people involved are called Gerard too... This is going to go the distance.
Check out the info from the Brassneck Theatre Company press release:
BRASSNECK PACKS A PUNCH WITH NEW, HARD-HITTING BOXING PLAY
From the producers of smash-hit shows Man In The Moon, The Sweety Bottle and A Night With George, Brassneck Theatre Company will punch their way onstage in early November at the Grand Opera House with their latest production Lemonade Sandwich written by Mick Draine, directed by Tony Devlin, and starring Gerard Jordan (Game of Thrones, The Fall).
This hard-hitting new play is based on a true story that follows a young amateur boxer Gerard McManus, who battles with drink, drugs and street violence after several tragic events unfold throughout his young life, struggling to overcome the odds and turn his life around.
But it isn’t a story of doom and gloom, rather one of inspiration and hope as we see Gerard, with the help of his friends strive to become “UK Body For Life” champion and a successful boxing and life coach. Gerard endeavours to deal with all that life throws at him to coach Paddy Gallagher all the way to the 2010 Commonwealth Games finals in Delhi and pulls a few moves of his own in order to get halfway around the world for the chance to see his man fight for a gold medal.
Bringing boxing to the stage, Lemonade Sandwich portrays a love of sport and sheer determination showcasing Gerard the coach, Paddy Gallagher the boxer and his Northern Irish boxing team mates in a way that has never been seen before. Gerard McManus’ story is brought to life in the play through struggle and heartache, but what is most prevalent is the ‘fight’ within him and his steely determination to help these young boxers reach their full potential.
Director Tony Devlin believes the show highlights what a person is capable of achieving even when faced with life-changing adversity: “I’m delighted to see Lemonade Sandwich coming to the stage as it brings sport to life and attracts a brand new audience to the theatre. It’s a truly inspiring story about
overcoming the worst that life may throw at you in order to make a real difference in the lives of others. It’s a very high impact show, definitely one that’s not to be missed. It’s sure to be a knockout!”
Gilly Campbell, Arts Development Officer for Drama, commented:
"The Arts Council is pleased to support Brassneck Theatre Company's production of Lemonade Sandwich through the Small Grants Lottery fund. This powerful play will engage, enthuse and entertain audiences and I encourage everyone to go along and be inspired by this wonderful production".
Lemonade Sandwich will run from Monday 4th-Saturday 9th November at the Baby Grand Studio, Grand Opera House, Belfast.
Tickets available online - (click the link above) Or alternatively call the Grand Opera House box office on 028 9024 1919
OFFICIAL LAUNCH
Date: Tuesday 29th October
Time: 11am
Venue: City Centre Gym, 2-14 Little Donegall St, Belfast, Antrim BT1 2JD
Attendees: Boxing trainer Gerard McManus, boxer Paddy Gallagher, writer Mick
Draine, director Tony Devlin, actor Gerard Jordan
All welcome!
***** ENDS *****
CONTACT
For further information and to arrange interviews/review etc., please contact: Niall Cullen on 07984 804151 or email niall@brassnecktheatrecompany.com
For more information on Brassneck Theatre Company visit: www.brassnecktheatrecompany.com
8 comments:
I wonder if boxing is finding its way in to the popular zeitgeist. I had a couple of authors on a panel at Bouchercon this year who wrote boxing novellas for an e-book imprint called Fight Card.
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Hi Peter
Did you know I've written a Fight Card book? Only it's set in the modern day and uses MMA as the background sport rather than boxing... I do enjoy the boxing novellas, though. Would like to write one myself, eventually. Boxing's like a permanent zeitgeist on this side of the pond.
gb
I knew that Fight Card was issuing some MMA books, but I didn't know you had written one. Congratulations; I'll take a look.
Eric Beetner and Terrence McCauley were the two Fight Card authors I had on my Bouchercon panel, by the way, and we did talk a bit about the quirk of young authors writing about a sport whose appeal is nowhere near what it was in the middle of the last century. Beetner offered a polite rebuttal, citing MMA as evidence of boxing's continuing popularity.
I remember when Barry McGuigan was big deal, but I didn't realize boxing was still in people's blood across the sheugh. That makes me want to read your contribution to the MMA line.
Anyhow, I just bought Welcome to the Octagon. Interesting that the nostalgic house name Jack Tunney is retained even for books set in the MMA world. And you may know that Gene Tunney was a Shakespearean scholar on the side, so his half of the house moniker is appropriate in two ways.
I've read a lot of the boxing books in the series, including two from Mr Beetner, who is VERY good. I haven't gotten to Mr McAuley's work yet, but I will.
Combat sports, be they boxing, MMA or the next stage of competition fighting evolution, will always have a following in Ireland, I reckon. Here's a great Belfast boxing story from a few weeks back -- http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-24572891
We watched Barry McGuigan fight in school when I was 6 or 7. Still remember the principal wheeling out a TV in the assembly hall. Thinking back, it must have been a recording. We cheered like it was live, though. And now McGuigan is managing a young man from Belfast that will make big waves soon. Look out for Carl Frampton.
Thank you for buying Welcome to the Octagon! I hope you enjoy it.
And no, I didn't realise that Tunney was a Shakespearean scholar. Very interesting.
Cheers
gb
Gerard, here’s a newspaper account of Tunney’s celebrated lecture at Yale University. I discussed with Eric and Terrence the curious phenomenon of younger authors in the 2010s writing stories set in the 1930s, ‘40s, and ‘50s under a house byline compounded of the names of two of the most celebrated athletes of the 1920s. It’s an interesting thing you folks are up to.
Thanks, Peter! I've bookmarked the article. Looking forward to the read.
Cheers
gb
Your timing is perfect. I just finished reading Welcome to the Octagon, and I loved it. Good job!
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