Hi °C | Lo °C A DUBLIN tenor is willing to stake everything on the success of his first musical The Promise, and has even mortgaged his home to finance its production.
Paul Redmond describes his first musical as "a labour of love".
"It's been nine years of work. I never set out to write it; it just evolved naturally," he told the Herald.
The Promise is a romantic period drama set in Redmond's native Fingal in the early 19th Century.
It tells the story of rebel Sean Collins who makes a promise to his dying father on the battlefield and struggles his whole life to keep it.
Eoin Cannon, who plays the hero, performed the opening anthem Come, Men of Erin at the musical's launch in Swords last night.
Redmond, who has toured the world as a tenor in the singing duo Essence, is confident his first musical will tour internationally and boost tourism for north Co Dublin.
"I think The Promise will do for Fingal what The Quiet Man did for the West"
The show will run from September 26-29 at The Helix.
potential
The Promise is Redmond's first effort at writing and scripting a musical. It will be produced by former musical director of Riverdance David Hayes and acclaimed director Brian Flynn.
Mr Redmond said an early workshop of the musical has convinced him of its potential.
"We did a workshop in the Axis theatre in Ballymun in front of 90 people and we got a standing ovation. That was without a set. Musical director Brian Hayes provided the only music on keyboard. And the actors, some of whom played a few roles, were reading from their scripts. And it still got that reaction."
He said support from the public has been invaluable to getting the production off the ground.
"There is an awful lot of good will and support from ordinary people, although the bureaucrats have been a bit slower to show their support."
Redmond admitted he is taking a huge risk by financing the first five shows in the Helix at a cost of more than €200,000.
"It's a BBS production: beg, borrow or steal," he jokes.
"I'm mortgaging my house to finance the production. Everyone thinks I'm stark raving mad and they're not far wrong. But it's my passion, it's my work."
hnews@herald.ie
