Gig theatre is the theatrical form of the moment: part theatre, part rock gig, complete with the band onstage and often part of the action. If you’re unsure of the template, think Manic Street Creature, Stereophonic or Teeth ’N’ Smiles. Now arriving, with all the delicacy of a power chord at point-blank range, is Moonlight The Philip Lynott Enigma, an attempt to dramatise the short, combustible life of Thin Lizzy frontman Phil (Philip to family and friends) Lynott, dead by 36 after the usual rock-and-roll trinity of excess.

To underline the gig-theatre credentials, proceedings begin with Thin Lizzy’s original guitarist Eric Bell recalling the formation of the band with Philip before obligingly strumming a little Whiskey in the Jar before exiting never to be seen again. Then, on a stage furnished with little more than a bench and a pub bar, in wander Oscar Wilde and Brendan Behan, apparently killing time in heaven – or, as we’re told, TIR Na  bhFilí, Gaelic for which might loosely translate as the Irish Dead Poets’ Society – while they await Lynott’s arrival. When he finally turns up, Wilde takes his leave and Behan stays behind to shepherd the audience through Lynott’s biography via long, explanatory exchanges periodically interrupted by songs. Stage left, a four-piece band supplies the noise: some Thin Lizzy numbers and some earnest new material by John and Danielle Merrigan, who between them have written the book, music, lyrics and also produced the show.

Apart from Wilde, Behan and Lynott, we also get to meet his mother Philomena (Lynott never knew his father), a barman at the heavenly pub and a cartoon like “music journalist” who continues Lynott’s story in act two in a mockney voice never coming close to emulating music journalists of the period.

The cavernous venue – a 3,500-capacity rock concert hall which wasn’t nearly full – proves entirely hostile to anything resembling theatre. The sound is punishingly over-amplified; every line Brendan Behan utters lands like an assault on the eardrums. Lighting cues wander in late, if at all, while a scattershot video projection flickers meaninglessly upstage. There are baffling voiceovers (why does Canadian DJ “Kid” Jensen sound Irish?) and historical cameos that raise more questions than they answer. It’s less a narrative than a fog of references. There’s even some cod philosophising about life and poets thrown in for good measure just to remind us we’re watching theatre.

There are, to be fair, glimmers. Peter M Smith captures something of Lynott’s easy charisma and sings impressively, while West End musicals stalwart Mazz Murray pops up briefly as Philomena to remind us how close Lynott was to his mother. A couple of the original songs have a decent hook; in another setting – and with a far sharper dramaturgical scalpel – Lynott’s story could make compelling theatre.

If I was a Lynott/Thin Lizzy fan, I’d probably give Moonlight The Philip Lynott Enigma a miss and go off and see one of the many Thin Lizzy tribute bands instead.

Reviewed by Alan Fitter.

Photo credit Cormac Figgis.

Two stars.

https://www.eventimapollo.com/

TOUR DATES
Glasgow
Pavillion Theatre
Wednesday 20th May
https://trafalgartickets.com/pavilion-theatre-glasgow/en-GB/event/music/moonlight-the-philip-lynott-enigma-tickets

Newcastle
Tyne Theatre & Opera House
Thursday 21st May
https://www.tynetheatreandoperahouse.uk/whatson/moonlight-the-philip-lynott-enigma/#Tickets_in

Dartford
Orchard Theatre
Friday 22nd May
https://trafalgartickets.com/orchard-theatre-dartford/en-GB/event/music/moonlight-the-philip-lynott-enigma-tickets

Birmingham
The Alexandra
Saturday 23rd May
https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/moonlight-the-philip-lynott-enigma/the-alexandra-theatre-birmingham/

Dublin
Vicar St
Thursday 11th & Friday 12th June
https://www.vicarstreet.com/thelist-dashboard/
artist/1363-moonlight-the-philip-lynott-enigma.html