Mazz Murray joins cast of London premiere of MOONLIGHT - THE PHILIP LYNOTT ENIGMA
West End leading lady Mazz Murray will star as Philomena Lynott, the mother of Thin Lizzy frontman Philip Lynott, in the thrilling new rock musical about his life, Moonlight - The Philip Lynott Enigma.
Mazz joins the production for the London premiere at Eventim Apollo Hammersmith on 29 March. The venue was where Thin Lizzy’s iconic “Live & Dangerous” album was recorded 50 years ago in 1976.
The cast is led by actor and singer Peter M. Smith (Who is Erin Carter?, Netflix) as Philip Lynott, with Padraic O’Loingsigh (The Plough and the Stars, National Theatre) as Brendan Behan, Riley Clark (Vengeance) as Oscar Wilde, Luke Hayden (Juno and the Paycock, Abbey Theatre/National Theatre) as The Landlord, and John Newcombe (The Government Inspector) as The Journalist, with original founding member, Thin Lizzy guitarist Eric Bell making a special guest appearance.
Moonlight - already a critical hit in Ireland - has book and music by John Merrigan and Danielle Merrigan and is directed by Jason Figgis. It tells the story of the international rock star and Irish music icon, exploring Philip Lynott’s formative years, his struggles, his legacy and inspiration to musicians around the world, honouring him in the pantheon of great Irish poets. It’s a truly authentic portrayal of one of the most authentic rockers of all time.
Peter M. Smith said: “When offered the chance to play Philip Lynott, I was truly honoured as a proud Dubliner, and as a Thin Lizzy fanatic. Too much has been written 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.”
Writers John Merrigan & Danielle Merrigan said: “Though Moonlight is a standalone stage production, it is the third in a trilogy of our works about great literary artists who emerged from Dublin onto the world stage. The other two are: Vengeance (2021) about the demise of Oscar Wilde and Brendan - Son of Dublin (2023) about the life and times of Brendan Behan.
“Wilde died when he was 46 in Paris, Behan aged 41 in Dublin, and Lynott when he was just 36 years old in England. All were flawed characters which makes them both interesting and at times problematic. The varied themes that flow through their lives are highly interconnected and at times eerily similar. They were ambitious outsiders who struggled with their art, their fame, their complex relationship with Dublin, and all fought ‘convention’ in their own way. They were true poets who held a mirror up to us all, asking important and sometimes uncomfortable questions, often at great cost to themselves and those close to them.
“As writers and composers, we explore these themes through words and music to gain insight and understanding. The works are musical dramas or perhaps better described as plays with music. Sometimes the songs move the plot forward, at other times they deliberately stop the action to allow us to reflect. The style of music changes with the context of each work.
“In the end, we may never fully understand these characters who have left us with important literary and musical legacies that continue to stand the test of time. Sadly, many others before and after them struggled too. We hope to make a small contribution towards a greater recognition of the importance of Wilde, Behan and Lynott in current times. In so doing, we further hope that we can all be kinder to the literary outsiders of today and support them, not waiting until they too pass to recognise how much they enrich our lives.”
