Ageless Arts’ inaugural production will be the world premiere of new musical Porridge Boy, which will play at Greenwich Theatre from 23-26 May.

Featuring 17 original songs, Porridge Boy centres on a family, trying to ignore the ever-present shadow of grief that lives in every corner of every room of their home.

They say love is the glue that holds a family together. When love is scarce, porridge will have to do. Grab a spoon and tuck into Porridge Boy, a brand-new musical to satisfy every heart’s appetite for love.

Ireland. 1979. A country about to free itself from the grip of the church and state. A country where people are starting to feel positive at the promise of a new tomorrow.

But for one family, tomorrow seems a far way off. Right now, they’re just trying to deal with the very real loss that hangs over their today. Every day.

Porridge Boy is the first musical written by Irish singer-songwriter Brendan Shelly, who also makes his professional directorial debut, alongside co-director Coco Mbassi.

Loosely based on the events of his own childhood, it’s a story about coming to terms with grief. Shelly said: “I lost my father when I was 7 years old. At the time, all the sympathy was directed towards the adults. That’s quite right and to be expected. But it meant the children were just ignored. They were told not to cry. Talking about death was frowned upon. It’s only years later as a therapist I realised that to move on, I needed to give space to the grieving child still inside me and imagining him on stage, at the centre of this family drama, was how I achieved this.”

The full cast of Porridge Boy has been announced as Luke Coughlan (Masters of the Air), Alison Rose (Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker), Kathryn Rutherford (Bridesmaids, NI Tour), Shane Morgan (Line of Duty), Richard Emerson Gould (Chess, London Coliseum), Anna Buttery (The Velveteen Rabbit), Riain Cash (Fun Home, Ireland premiere) and Ryan Roy, making his debut performance in a musical. The music will be performed by Jessie Collins, Charlie Wheatley and Richard Emerson Gould.

With the Irish wit of Roddy Doyle, the biting honesty of Frank McCourt, and the musical stylings that recall the smash hit Once, Porridge Boy is a powerful, personal, hug of a show. A hug that will stay with you for a very long time.

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