Art imitating life for Murray

Kinahan play brings actor back to spiritual home

Opening this month on the Peacock Stage at Dublin's Abbey Threatre is Deirdre Kinahan’s new play, 'An Old Song, Half Forgotten', which opens a fantastical window into the life and soul of an older actor who is living in care with Alzheimer’s disease.

The Abbey Theatre and SoFFT Productions collaborate to stage the Wilkinstown-based writer's unique and moving work which brings celebrated actor Bryan Murray, recently diagnosed with the same disease, back to his spiritual home on the Peacock stage.

Louise Lowe leads a team of extraordinary creatives in building a style of production that will meet the challenge of Alzheimer’s head-on whilst also creating a magical theatrical experience. 'An Old Song, Half Forgotten' makes its world premiere on Thursday 20th April and runs until 6th May.

Inspired by interviews with Byran, the play tells the story of James O’Brien, a Dubliner who enjoyed a great theatre career but now lives in a nursing home in England, lost to the fog of Alzheimers. However, when a visiting string quartet play music in the day room they summon up a suite of glorious characters and moments from his life allowing James and the audience to revel once again in his great loves and losses whilst conjuring up a smashing vision of his younger self. This 'Younger Self' is played by Matthew Malone, who acts as both the character’s memory and guide, leading him through the play and production.

Origninal music inspired by the play is composed by Cork’s Paul Frost, with four of Ireland’s leading string musicians, Mia Cooper and Brigid Leman, both on violin; Ed Creedon on viola; and Aoife Burke on cello, bringing this story together with Frost’s harmonies.

Theatre is Bryan Murray’s soul, his life, with his career beginning as a member of the Abbey Theatre company and spanning to big TV roles like in ITV’s 'Bread', Channel 4’s hit soap 'Brookside', 'The Irish RM' and more recently in RTE’s 'Fair City', where he continues to play Bob Charles (since 2005) and is still able to work in the show today due to wearing an earpiece to prompt him his lines. In this play, Bryan gleefully returns to his most beloved stage, The Peacock, to inhabit a drama that sings entirely to his distinctive voice and talent at this time of great change in his life.

Matthew Malone is currently in rehearsal for 'Gold in the Water', a new Irish musical debuting at Project Arts Centre this spring. Recent theatre credits include 'The Boy Who Never Was' (Brokentalkers) in Dublin Theatre Festival, 'Tarry Flynn' directed by Aaron Monaghan (Livin’ Dred), and the world premiere of Phillip McMahon's 'Once Before I Go' directed by Selina Cartmell in which he played the leading role of Bernard (The Gate Theatre - Best Actor nomination, Irish Times Irish Theatre Awards 2021/22). Matthew collaborated previously with Deirdre Kinahan on 'Embargo' (Fishamble), and with Louise Lowe on Faultline (ANU Productions - Best Supporting Actor Nomination, ITITA 2020).

On screen Matthew has appeared in 'Valhalla' (Netflix), Darkey Kelly (Screen Ireland), 'As Luck Would Have It' (Zanzibar Films), 'Miss Scarlet and the Duke' (PBS Masterpiece), 'The Resistance Fighter' (Scorpio Studio), and 'Dad' (RTÉ | Blue Ink Films). Matthew is a graduate of The Lir Academy and Trinity College Dublin.

Creative producer is Natasha Duffy with Maree Kearns on costume design.

Previews: Friday 14, Saturday 15, Tuesday 18 & Wednesday 19 April, 7pm / Tickets €18 – €25 (€13 – €20 conc.)

Opens: Thursday 20 April, 7pm / Tickets €18 – €25 (€13 – €20 conc.)

Runs: until Saturday 6 May, 7pm / Tickets €18 – €25 (€13 – €20 conc.)

Abbey Theatre Box Office - Tel: 01 8787 222 / https://www.abbeytheatre.ie/whats-on/an-old-song-half-forgotten/

DURATION: 60 mins; Age recommendation: 13+