Moonlight: The Philip Lynott Enigma, a new musical about the Thin Lizzy frontman, has been described as an “expansive rock/theatre production that explores the early life of Philip Lynott”.
The show will star Irish actor Peter M Smith as Lynott, who passed away in 1986, and will also feature a cameo appearance by Thin Lizzy co-founder Eric Bell.
Moonlight will come to Vicar Street for two nights on April 2 and 3.
We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity.
The production was brought to life by John Merrigan and Danielle Morgan and aims to paint a deeper portrait of Lynott, who “deserves a place among the likes of Oscar Wilde and Brendan Behan as a great Irish writer”.
A live band will feature throughout the musical, performing Thin Lizzy hits as well as original music.
As August of this year marked what would have been Lynott’s 75th birthday, Moonlight serves as both a tribute and an authentic account of the rock star’s life.
The synopsis for Moonlight reads: “Philip Lynott would have been 75 years old on August 20, 2024, had he won his battle with fame and fortune.
“He was a true innovator as a songwriter and showman who paved the way for a whole generation of musicians and bands around the world.
“He was complex, driven to overcome huge challenges as a young man, and he was truly a poet at heart.
“We believe he deserves to be recognised in the pantheon of great Dublin writers, alongside Oscar Wilde, Brendan Behan, and others.”
Moonlight focuses on Lynott’s early years and the first phase of Thin Lizzy, covering the period in the late 1960s and early ‘70s in Dublin and London.
We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity.
Speaking about taking on the role of Lynott, Peter M Smith said: “When offered the chance to play the role, I was truly honoured as an actor, as a proud Dubliner, and as a Thin Lizzy fanatic.
“Too much has been said about the rockstar lifestyle – it is a tired subject. This production seeks to honour Philip Lynott for what he was – a literary great and consummate artist.”
Producers John Merrigan and Danielle Morgan added: “We explore his character in depth and authentically – it’s time to move beyond the headlines and clichés.
“This is an honour piece, telling the less well-known side of Lynott’s story – honestly and powerfully.
“In our research, we have had numerous meetings and discussions with Lynott’s contemporaries – people who were ‘in the room’ at key moments of the story, who have generously shared their time and encouragement.”
