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Tag: Niall McNamee

  • The London Ear: Show 245 // Niall McNamee + James Or

    The London Ear: Show 245 // Niall McNamee + James Or

    An hour goes by in a flash and that’s exactly what happened on today’s episode of The London Ear. I was delighted to chat to two London residents, actor, playwright and musician Niall McNamee and singer songwriter, James Or.

    Chat with Niall McNamee

    Niall McNamee black and white moody headshot

    I’ve wanted to chat to Niall for a while now. I first saw him on stage as Neil McCormick in ‘Chasing Bono’ in the Soho Theatre just before Christmas. He was outstanding in that role.

    Fast forward a couple of months, I see Niall has written a play called ‘Shootout’ and it’s the perfect opportunity to get him on The London Ear.

    We chat about his work and life in London and his love of football and how playing keeps him in touch with the Irish community here. Niall is also a musician and will have an album out next year.

    ‘Shootout’ runs from May 28th – June 1st at the White Bear Theatre in London. You can grab tickets here.

    After our chat this week, Niall sent me a message to let you all know that he will be playing the role of Fran O’Toole in The Miami Showband Story from 8th August 2019- 21st June 2020. It starts in the Opera House in Belfast, will tour around Ireland before finishing in The Gaiety Theatre in Dublin. That will be magic!

    Keep in touch with Niall on Instagram and Twitter.

    Chat with James Or

    Musician James Or promo shot in dark room

    I really enjoyed my chat with James Or for this week’s show. Once the ‘interview’ was finished, we stayed sitting outside The National Theatre, chatting away. Only went I went to move did I realise how cold the evening had gotten, such was the conversation.

    James is originally from Cork, now living in London and has been here for about eighteen months now.

    He has been involved with music for years, playing in bands but 2019 has seen him release his own music. First ‘Berlin’ and now ‘An Attempt at Momentum’.

    James is having a London launch for ‘An Attempt at Momentum’, on Wednesday 29th May at The Islington in Tolpuddle St here in London. See you at the gig hopefully!

    You can find out more about James Or on his website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and of course Spotify.

    The London Ear Show 245 // May 25 2019 Playlist

    Here’s what happened on this week’s episode of The London Ear.

    1. Chat with Niall MacNamee
    2. Imelda May: Black Eyes
    3. Stefan Murphy: Dry Cider
    4. Chat with James Or
    5. James Or: Berlin
    6. Chat with James Or (Part 2)
    7. James Or: Attempt at Momentum
    8. whenyoung: The Others

    Listen On Demand to The London Ear

    Thanks for listening, The London Ear broadcast on DAB radio, Saorview and outside Ireland you can listen online. You can listen to the show again on the RTE player. The show is broadcast every Saturday at 1300. You can find us on the RTE 2XM website here.

    Don’t forget, if you’re Irish, outside Ireland and involved in music, arts and culture, get in touch. The London Ear is for you, it’s my job to get your voice heard.

  • Review // Chasing Bono at Soho Theatre

    Review // Chasing Bono at Soho Theatre

    Review // Chasing Bono at Soho Theatre

    I haven’t read the book, I haven’t seen the film but I roughly know the story. Northside Dublin,  late 1970s / early 1980s.  Two friends are in bands, one turns out to be a fella called Bono and he has a band called U2. Neil McCormick’s band never really took off.  McCormick wrote his story, ‘I was Bono’s Doppelgänger’. It has now reached the stage.

    Screenwriters of the film, ‘Killing Bono’, Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais have been given the task of taking ‘Chasing Bono’ to the stage. It’s hardly a coincidence that these pair, as well as writing The Likely Lads and Auf Weidersehen Pet, have another Northside Dublin story under their belt. Yup, The Commitments.

    The play begins in 1987 as Neil (Niall McNamee) is abducted by Danny Machin, a gangster who wants him to become his biographer. As well as getting to the inner workings of this criminal mind, Neil is also forced to look at his own disasters, most of which are caused by his own stupid decisions.

    The set is used fantastically well.  The gangster’s kitchen transforms wonderfully into a rehearsal space and even a record company office. Director, Gordon Anderson, uses every inch.

    McNamee is exceptional in his role as Neil. He’s in almost every scene and also has a great voice.  The great thing in being close up to the actors in a theatre like this one, is actually seeing the amount of work and sweat they put into their roles. In bigger theatres, it can be easy to miss out on that. 

    Along with Dónal Finn, who plays Neil’s brother Ivan, McNamee shows that yes, they possibly could be in a band and yes, they both can play a guitar.

    Hat tip to the sound designer also, I adored the point when the music played moves from house PA to the cassette player in the kitchen. Bravo.

    There are quirky and funny little moments throughout Neil’s calamities in Chasing Bono. Machin’s sidekick provides lots. Shane O’Regan is strikingly similar to a young Bono and I would have liked to see a little more of the relationship between McCormick and Bono before U2’s success.

    It’s a very enjoyable 90 minutes. There’s music, but it’s not a musical. It’s the story of one man who thought he would rule the music world and one man who did. For McCormick, there’s self confidence and a fall from grace and a seemingly inner calm that comes from accepting who he is towards the end. Everyone loves the underdog.

    Chasing Bono runs at the Soho Theatre until January 19th. You can get tickets here. 

    https://youtu.be/H89MlEprAYg