Comedian Tommy Tiernan made his musical acting debut on Friday night in the world premiere of Mick Flannery’s latest stage work, The House Must Win, at the Pavilion Theatre in Dún Laoghaire.
The production, written and composed by the Cork singer-songwriter, blends 1970s Irish rural life with the stylistic tropes of a classic American Western, using poker games, debt, and familial strain as central metaphors.
Flannery had not heard Tiernan sing before casting him in the role of Ray, the bar owner who runs a high-stakes card game that drives the brothers’ conflict, according to an interview the composer gave to the Irish Independent last month.
The show’s score draws from Flannery’s 2007 debut album, reworking sparse, blues-inflected folk songs into a full musical format, a challenge he previously undertook with his earlier piece, Evening Train.
Critics noted the production’s tight integration of script and score, with songs functioning both as narrative drivers and standalone compositions, drawing comparisons to the emotional weight of Blood Brothers and Next to Normal.
The Irish Times gave the show three out of five stars, praising its atmospheric staging and performances but arguing that the musical’s restrained, low-register vocal style — suited to Flannery’s own voice — limited the expressive range of the ensemble cast.
The arts review highlighted the ensemble’s strength, singling out Ferdia Walsh-Peelo as Luther, Niall McNamee as Frank, and Tabitha Smyth as Grace, while noting the production’s avoidance of superficial spectacle in favor of thematic depth.
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Flannery’s dialogue remains sparse and elliptical, a deliberate choice reflecting his reputation as a man of few words, which some reviewers felt risked slowing the pacing despite the show’s strong musical foundation.
The work’s setting in 1970s rural Ireland mirrors a historical moment when emigration to the United States, particularly during the Nixon era, represented a perceived escape from economic stagnation.
Several songs are structured as duets, including exchanges between Frank and his mother, and Luther and his girlfriend, using indirect, Dylan-influenced lyrics to explore inherited trauma and the temptation to abandon.
One number, “The Tender,” shifts into a more theatrical, almost otherworldly style, evoking the fusion of Greek myth and jazz found in Hadestown, according to the production’s director and designer.
Another song, “Take It on the Chin,” uses the structure of a poker game to frame its lyrics, though critics observed it does not fully trace the psychological progression of Luther’s gambling addiction.
How did Tommy Tiernan perform in his first musical role?
While the Irish Independent confirmed that Tiernan sang in the production, no detailed critique of his vocal performance was provided in the reviewed sources; the focus remained on the work as a whole and Flannery’s compositional intent.
What is the connection between The House Must Win and Mick Flannery’s earlier work?
The musical adapts songs from Flannery’s 2007 debut album and follows his earlier stage adaptation, Evening Train, which similarly transformed his low-voiced, blues-based songs into a dramatic format.
Why did critics say the musical felt “small” for its voices?
The Irish Times noted that the songs, written for Flannery’s own gravelly, low-register voice, limited the vocal expression of the cast, despite the strong performances and atmospheric staging.