Entertainment
Ricky Tomlinson feels a right Irish Annie
Smash-hit musical comedy Irish Annie’s is embarking on a new major nationwide tour in 2025…
Actor and comedian Ricky Tomlinson – who can be seen in the Brookside reruns on the STV Player – returns to head a talented cast of performers in the musical production Irish Annie’s which will play 30 venues across England, Scotland and Wales between May and July 2025.
Ricky Tomlinson:
“Irish Annie’s is infectious, it’s a feelgood show, and it doesn’t matter where we play, people are always up on their feet at the end dancing and singing. So I’m made up to return for the 2025 tour, taking the craic all over the country and entertaining some great audiences along the way.
“I love meeting the people after the show who come to see us. I like to thank them for giving us their support. In fact, we spend as much time there at the end of the show as we do on stage!”
The tour will open at the Liverpool Olympia on 2 May and then travel to locations including Bradford – UK City of Culture 2025, Bolton, Birmingham, Newcastle upon Tyne, Leeds, Dundee, Glasgow, Lincoln, Worcester, Cardiff, Swansea and Exeter before ending at Gaiety Theatre in the Isle of Man on 4 July.
Asa Murphy and the band Shenanigans in Irish Annie’s / Image by: David Munn
Irish Annie’s is an irresistible celebration of Irish culture.
Meet landlady Annie and her regular madcap customers for a fun night of music, comedy and mayhem, featuring original tracks written for the show by Asa Murphy along with your all-time favourite Irish tunes including Tell Me Ma, The Wild Rover, Dirty Old Town, Danny Boy and many more. The evening promises to have the audience laughing, singing and dancing the night away.
Ricky Tomlinson performs as himself, appearing as a celebrity guest in Annie’s pub. The actor and comedian is best known for his roles as Bobby Grant in Brookside, DCI Charlie Wise in Cracker and Jim Royle in The Royle Family. He also played the title character in Mike Bassett: England Manager, and more recently he has been seen on television alongside friend and former ‘screen wife’ Sue Johnston in Channel 4’s Ricky, Sue and a Trip or Two, and in ITV’s DNA Journey. He is also a keen musician and plays both the banjo and harmonica.
Ricky will be joined by actors Lynn Francis as landlady Annie, Lynne Fitzgerald as Moira the Money Lender and May, Nathan Murphy who returns as Porky the Postman and Richard Barry reprising the role of Noel Singen-Smithe – along with Irish Annie’s creator Asa Murphy as Seamus Murphy and the toe-tapping, foot-stomping six-piece band The Shenanigans who perform live at every show.
Irish Annie’s is brought to the stage by Bill Elms Productions and Asa Murphy Productions. The newly announced dates follow a hugely successful tour of the UK and Ireland during spring 2024 where it played to thousands of people and won glowing reviews from critics who described it as “a show with a huge heart and barrels of love” and “a joyous celebration of Irish culture”.
