Prolific Irish actor returning to Longford for 'Lisdoon-Nirvana' performance

Frankie McCafferty is a prolific actor, writer and director from Donegal, and has appeared in shows such as ‘Blue Bloods’ and ‘Derry Girls’. This time, he will be performing on stage in the Backstage Theatre for Lisdoon-Nirvana, which is a one-person show where Frankie will be taking on the parts of several characters. It is to be presented by An Grianán Theatre Productions.

A recurring visitor of Longford through tours with several companies from as far back at the 1980s-90s, he is looking forward to once again standing on the stage of the iconic theatre. 

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This is a piece to step back into simpler times of the 1980s. Iconic songs, no technological burdens – just the atmosphere. Frankie came to chat briefly with the ‘Longford Leader’ about his upcoming performance, about how it came about and why Longford audiences will highly enjoy this production. 

“This is my idea. I created this project. It’s a semi-autobiographical piece and I co-wrote the musical score. It was an experience from when I was 17. I’ve been meaning to do it for years. We’ve toured all over the island, north and south, and were delighted to bring it to Longford,” he explained. 

“The most difficult bit was writing it. Rehearsing it wasn’t as hard. A one-person play is when one actor plays all the roles. During the rehearsal, you have to find a language to convey it. When you make the transition, people know who you are. I trained in Paris, so I’m using the techniques of physical theatre.” 

Songs are intrinsic to this piece, as it is about the last music festival that took place in Nirvana. A mix of live music and recordings, there are some songs that are recognisable with a mix of original scores. 

“It’s great fun and it’s a look at what happened in 1983. It’s a time to indulge in some nostalgia from that era. It’s before mobiles, before the internet, before the Celtic Tiger. A very different country. The Troubles were still on. Everyone has commented how we had so little yet we made so much of it. We found a way to do things. People will enjoy reminiscing about that.”

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Frankie’s final words to Longford readers that if they never got to go to the festival, or were not even born, Lisdoon-Nirvana will take the audience there. 

Lisdoon-Nirvana is on Friday, 13 at 8pm. Tickets cost €20/18 and can be booked via the Backstage Theatre website at: https://backstage.ie/events/lisdoon-nirvana/