Bruen’s Twist

This production began life when Corcadorca commissioned the novelist Eamonn Sweeney in Spring 2000. The play was developed by the company with the writer over the a two year period culminating in a 2 week workshop in November 2001 with a professional cast, designers, musicians and director.

Rehearsals began on 4th of March 2002 for a 4-week period before premiering the production in the Everyman Palace on the 4th of April 2002. Corcadorca once again utilized the best available professional talent on and off the stage to bring a quality innovative production to what we see as our long-term audience.

Nathy Bruen is the musician who had it all. His talent brings him from a Sligo farm to a Manchester house of ill repute to New York at the height of the Jazz Age, where he becomes one of the Stars of the of the new recording industry. Gangsters, psychiatrists, heiresses, bearded ladies and circus strongmen; Bruen rubs shoulders with them all. Most importantly there is Gilda Ancelotti, beauty and circus acrobat and love of his life. However whilst attempting and having the means to enjoy fully the “roaring twenties” he never seems quite able to deal with or adapt to this alien culture and he calls into question how he is using his indubitable musical gift. At times funny and poignant Bruen’s Twist was a fast paced roller coaster travelogue of exciting new theatre.

Loosely based on the life of Sligo fiddler Michael Coleman, Bruen’s Twist is the story of an ordinary man with an extraordinary gift, whose highs and lows both tend toward the extreme.

Corcadorca toured its production of Bruen’s Twist in 3 venues in Cork County during the week 15th – 21st April 2002. The venues included Fermoy Youth Centre, Skibbereen Town Hall and St. Michael’s Hall, Ballyduff Co. Waterford.

Venues: Everyman, Cork / Skibbereen / Fermoy / Ballyduff, 15 – 21 April 2002.

” There is no accounting for Corcadorca. Just when a reviewer considers that the company will fit neatly into a particular category it goes and breaks the mould again”
Declan Hassett, Irish Examiner