The Irish Repertory Theatre
in association with 1407 Productions presents
the World Premiere Production of
Transport
A New Musical
Book by Thomas Keneally
Music & Lyrics by Larry Kirwan
Directed by Tony Walton
February 7- April 6, 2014
Sprung from the pen of world-renowned author Thomas Keneally (Schindler’s List,) Transport derives from the true story recalled by the grandmother of his wife, Judy, who journeyed in chains from Cork, Ireland to Sydney, Australia in 1846. Transport tells the story of the impoverished Irish women and young girls (the so- called “undesirables”) who were deported on The Whisper, a prison ship, to the Australian penal colonies. Transport’s characters include members of the ship’s crew, an exiled Irish priest, and four of the unfortunate female prisoners. With an authentic score by Black 47’s Larry Kirwan that features traditional Irish music mixed with a contemporary Folk-Rock & Broadway resonance, Transport transcends time, place and character with a hauntingly moving immediacy intertwined with the indomitable Irish spirit and a shared and abiding humanity.
The Sunday Times of Ireland interviews Tom Keneally & Larry Kirwan about the history behind the new musical, Transport
“Bound for Australia, the prison ship is packed with Irishwomen brought aboard in chains. The year is 1838, and a rebel among the convicts is plotting insurrection. A small, fierce creature with streaming red hair, Kate O’Hare dreams of seizing the vessel and sailing for the freedom of New York. “And did God give me my raging heart,” she asks, “that I should swallow it and let it be turned to a stone behind my ribs?” In its world premiere production, directed by Tony Walton at Irish Repertory Theater, the show floats along on the strength of Mr. Kirwan’s fiddle- and flute-filled score. The five-piece band, led by John Bell, is in fine form throughout. The songs are pretty and anodyne, more evocative than distinctive: many in the spirit of traditional Irish music, others in the Broadway vein. Jessica Grové’s fiery, fully realized performance as Kate (is) all the more triumphant” -The New York Times
“”If you want to see a splendid musical about history, a show that simply soars, see Transport”. -History News Network
“The music is pleasant, the lyrics intelligent and the story is engrossing.” -Black Tie Magazine
“Everyone is start-to-finish terrific… satisfying, and satisfyingly unusual.” -Talkin’ Broadway
“the music is stirring and the subject engrossing… endlessly fascinating… hearty-voiced cast” –TheaterMania
“celebrates the triumph of the human spirit… makes for an evening well spent” –Theater Is Easy
“Keneally found an ideal musical partner in Larry Kirwan… a small musical with a big heart.” – CurtainUp
“…it is an extremely difficult task to bring the thousands of stories, the enormity of the injustices, and the depth of spirit to bear on one stage in one show in under two hours. But this marvelous cast…bring[s] a depth of humanity to each of their roles….See this show and be transported with them.” -NY Theatre Now
“The show is well-staged and designed by Tony Walton (a multiple Tony nominee for shows going to back to the original Pippin), whose modest set efficiently suggests a ship’s various decks and nooks.” – New York Post