I, Keano

Infobox Musical
name= I, Keano


caption=
music= Paul Woodfull
lyrics= Arthur Mathews
Michael Nugent
book= Arthur Mathews
Michael Nugent
basis=
productions= 2005 Dublin

awards=

"I, Keano" is a comedy musical play about footballer Roy Keane leaving the Republic of Ireland national football team before the 2002 FIFA World Cup.

It is written by Arthur Mathews, Michael Nugent and Paul Woodfull, and is presented as a mock-epic melodrama about an ancient Roman legion preparing for war.

In its first two years, over half a million people watched it, generating €10m ($13m) in ticket sales. [ [http://archives.tcm.ie/irishexaminer/2007/01/31/story24309.asp "I, Keano" Still Has Fans in Raptures] "Irish Examiner", 31 January 2007] [The Never Ending Story. Edel Coffey, "Sunday Tribune Review", 4 February 2007] In January 2008, it began its fourth year of performances.

Productions

Peter Sheridan, brother of film director Jim Sheridan, directed the first production in 2005. It starred Mario Rosenstock of the Irish radio comedy show Gift Grub, and Risteárd Cooper and Gary Cooke of the Irish television comedy show "Après Match".

Controversy arose during the first run when three leading cast members publicly left the show, including ironically Rosenstock who played Keano, leading to media articles about life imitating art imitating life. [ Art Imitates Life as Hit "I, Keano" Camp Splits. "Evening Herald", 25 Feb 2005] [New Scandal For Roy Keane Musical. Brian Logan, "The Guardian", 3 March 2005] [ [http://archives.tcm.ie/irishexaminer/2005/12/24/story515665173.asp Lasting Impression] Interview with Mario Rosenstock, "Irish Examiner", 24 December 2005]

Roy Keane attended the show in Dublin in 2005. [ [http://archives.tcm.ie/irishexaminer/2005/07/26/story963485323.asp Hundreds Queue for Tickets on Roy's Home Turf] Niamh Hennessy, "Irish Examiner", 26 July 2005] Michael Caven directed the second production in 2006, which included a run in Manchester, England. Terry Byrne directed the third production in 2007 Which ran for 2 months at the Olympia, Dublin and subsequently toured Ireland for 9 weeks.

I, Keano returned in Jan 2008 for a limited run with a revival of the 2007 production this was billed as the last chance ever to see the show but after a sell out run at the Olympia it returned for "Extra Time" at the olympia for 2 weeks from the 19th of May 2008 playing its last ever performance on May 31st 2008 to standing ovations.

Characters

The characters, and the real-life figures who they parody, are:
* Keano, the legion's greatest warrior (Roy Keane, then Ireland footballer, now manager of Sunderland)
* Fergie, a hair-dryer god (Alex Ferguson, manager of Manchester United)
* General Macartacus (Mick McCarthy, then manager of Ireland, now manager of Wolverhampton Wanderers)
* Quinness, a warrior (Niall Quinn, then Ireland footballer, now chairman of Sunderland)
* Surfia, washerwoman to the legion (Gillian Quinn, Niall's wife)
* Packie Bonnerus, a warrior (Packie Bonner, then Ireland goalkeeping coach, now television pundit)
* Duffus and Keano the Younger, two child warriors (Ireland footballers Damien Duff, then of Blackburn Rovers and now of Newcastle United; and Robbie Keane, then of Leeds United and now of Liverpool)
* Ridiculus, head of the legion's Federation (representing the Football Association of Ireland)
* Dunphia, a wood nymph (Eamon Dunphy, Irish commentator and ghost-writer of Roy Keane's autobiography)
* Sanctimonius, Obsequius, Scandalus and Superfluous, a scribes' chorus (representing the different viewpoints of the Irish media).

Cast

The lead role of Keano has been played by Mario Rosenstock and Pat Kinevane in 2005, Denis Foley in 2006, and Jamie Beamish in 2007 and 2008*.

Two cast members have been ever-present: Dessie Gallagher (Macartacus) and Malachy McKenna (Obsequius); as has the musical director David Hayes.

The cast has also included Gary Cooke and David O'Meara (Dunphia, Fergie); Paul McGlinchey, Diarmuid Murtagh and Karl Harpur (Packie Bonnerus); Risteárd Cooper, Conor Delaney and Vincent Moran (Quinness); Tara Flynn, Susannah de Wrixon, Sharon Sexton and Caroline Morahan (Surfia); and Gary Cooke, Joe Taylor and Ciaran Bermingham (Ridiculus).

The scribes have been played by Joe Taylor and Nicholas Grennell (Sanctimonius); Malachy McKenna (Obsequius); Nicky Elliot, Maclean Burke, David O'Meara and Pat Nolan (Scandalus); and Gemma Crowley, Karl Harpur and Lorna Quinn (Superfluous).

* *(Beamish was diagnosed with cancer in the middle of the 2007 run but continued performing until just before the end of the tour when he had to pull out to begin treatment. Understudy Karl Harpur took over the role. Beamish returned for the 2008 run.)

Quotes

Tagline: He Came. He Saw. He Went Home.

Keano: "Typical! If you fail to plan, then you’re planning to fail."
Packie Bonnerus: "But if you plan to fail, and you do fail, then surely you have succeeded?"

References

External links

* [http://www.rte.ie/arts/2007/0125/ikeano.html Review of "I, Keano"] , Shane Murray, RTÉ, January 2007
* [http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,14936-2064467,00.html Review of "I, Keano"] , James Ducker, "The Times", 2 March 2006
* [http://sport.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=101072006 Review of "I, Keano"] , Alan Pattullo, "The Scotsman", 21 January 2006
* [http://www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/review.php/6568 Review of "I, Keano"] , Anthony Garvey, "The Stage", 17 February 2005
* [http://www.rte.ie/arts/2005/0210/ikeano.html Review of "I, Keano"] , James McMahon, RTÉ, 10 February 2005
* [http://www.culturevulture.net/Theater/IKeano.htm Review of "I, Keano"] , Harvey O'Brien, CultureVulture.Net, 9 February 2005
* [http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,1563,1407907,00.html This Time It's Roy Keane The Musical] , Richard Jinman, "The Guardian", 8 February 2005
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/4248387.stm Soccer Bust-Up Inspires Musical] , Diarmaid Fleming, BBC, 8 February 2005
* [http://www.irishplayography.com/search/play.asp?play_id=1816 "I, Keano" at IrishPlayography.Com]