The man behind a show chronicling the story of The Dubliners says nothing has been able to replace the feeling of performing to a live audience.
Seven Drunken Nights will be back on tour later this year, including a stop at the Lichfield Garrick on 13th and 14th October.
The curtain came down on the show’s last run at the start of the pandemic when it was just ten performances into a 60 date schedule.
And after recently seeing a series of dates in Norway cancelled before the new UK tour begins, the show’s creator Ged Graham told Lichfield Live lockdown had been a chance to realise just how deep his love affair with live performances runs.
“The thing I’ve missed the most is the audience.
“You can sing at home and do stuff on the internet live, but there’s nothing like the buzz of a live audience – walking on stage and making that connection with them is something that’s special.
“In theatre you get to do it every night and the magic is different every night, with a different dynamic and different feel. That’s what makes is such an exciting thing to do.
“The past 18 months have been very challenging, not just for me but for every performer.
“I’ve been doing this since I was 14 – I’m 60 now. That’s a lot of years of constantly touring and constantly performing. But then it just stopped and we didn’t know how long it was going to last for.
“The first month or so, once I got over the disappointment of being on tour and it being cancelled, I enjoyed the idea of being at home for a few weeks and doing the normal things. But then you start to wonder if you’ll ever get back.
“Being a creative person you find other outlets, so I wrote a new show and have been working on a book as well as writing songs. I’ve kept busy but in different ways, but I can’t wait to get back on the stage again.”
Ged Graham
Initially, there’s not many clues in Ged’s northern tone to suggest how his creative relationship with the music of The Dubliners came to be.
But while it is apparent he has lost the deep Irish accent over the years, it soon becomes clear that the links between his own memories and the music of the band remains as strong as ever.
“I was born in Dublin and we came over as a family to England when I was 10.
“I was always aware of The Dubliners’ music because they were the popstars of Ireland at the time. They were international stars and they spoke the same accent as I did back then – they were our Beatles or our Rolling Stones.
“There are some great songs there. Some have been done to death elsewhere or not done very well and are very cliched. I always thought that was a great shame.
“So I went back to the drawing board and looked at the arrangements and how I could present it to an audience as something that was fresh, new and not tired.
“I wanted my kids to understand what made me so excited about listening to that music – it was a passion. It was the music I listened to.
“I’ve played all sorts of music in my career, but when family are visiting or I was at parties, The Dubliners would always be put on the record player or CD player.
“It was part of my DNA, so when the opportunity came along to put together a show I jumped at it.”
Ged Graham
“The reaction from the audience blew my socks off”
Seven Drunken Nights tells the story of how humble beginnings in a pub in 1962 led to Ronnie Drew, Luke Kelly, Barney McKenna, John Sheahan, Ciaran Bourke and Jim McCann creating a career spanning half a century.
Despite The Dubliners bringing an end to their career in 2012, their songs remain as popular as ever.
For Ged, the chance to develop their iconic music into the Seven Drunken Nights show was an opportunity he couldn’t miss out on.
“When Barney McKenna passed away and The Dubliners ceased to be a musical entity, I thought it would be great to go and do those songs and try to recreate the energy that I remember from the band and the feeling when you saw them play.
“We did the first tour and I remember the reaction from the audience blew my socks off – it was as if they were waiting for something like that to come along.
“We happened to be at the right place, at the right time, with the right music.
“Over five years, we’ve kept the production of the show similar, but the audience is the defining factor. Their reaction is what keeps it fresh and interesting.
“We do have a little leeway to how we approach everything each night, but it’s very audience driven. It’s ultimately their show and we’re just the conduit for the music.
“They each have their own memories from listening to the songs. When they see Seven Drunken Nights, they’ve got that connection because they’ve heard that music, they’ve heard grandparents playing it and they’ve danced around with their dads singing it.
“And if you’re not Irish, it’s still a great show because every night’s St Patrick’s Night when we’re in town. It’s about having fun and enjoying ourselves and bringing that energy to the audience.
“You can be a spectator at our show, but the majority fully engage and we want them to sing along, clap along and get on their feet and dance.
“The audience make the difference every night.”
Ged Graham
It’s clear that time away from the stage has failed to dampen Ged’s enthusiasm for his craft as he highlights the thrill of the live show.
But he admits that lockdown has given him the chance to be thankful for a career he clearly loves.
“Nobody in their right mind would choose a career in theatre or music because you’re away from home all the time, you live out of a suitcase, sleep in hotels, work 18 hour days each and every day.
“It’s madness when you think about it, but I wouldn’t do anything else but be a part of this circus. I always said to my kids that when I was 14 I essentially ran away to join the circus – but I have loved every minute of it.
“Sometimes you can be blasé about it. I’ve played musicals for 40 years and you can take things for granted, but then when it’s taken away you realise you’re really privileged to have the opportunity to play music and sing for a living.
“Lockdown was very difficult for the industry, but personally for me it was probably what I needed so I could pause and think about if I really wanted to carry on doing this – I really did want to and now I’ve got another chance to do it.
“Coming back to the stage has been like being reborn into music.”
Ged Graham
Tickets for Seven Drunken Nights are £27 and can be booked via the Lichfield Garrick website.
