David Hennessy was at a recent launch of Sing Street at the Lyric in Hammersmith where he spoke to award- winning playwright Enda Walsh and actors Grace Collender and Sheridan Townsley who play the lead roles of Conor and Raphinha.
Adapted from the popular film, Sing Street is about to become the latest Irish musical adaptation to hit the London stage.
Released in 2016, Sing Street is the coming of age film written and directed by John Carney.
Set in 1985, times are tough in Ireland and particularly for the Lalor family. Parents Robert and Penny, played by Aidan Gillen and Maria Doyle Kennedy, decide they have to move son Conor from the Jesuit school to the rougher CBS school.
The public school is a shock to the system for Conor, played by Ferdia Walsh-Peelo and he is immediately on the radar of bully, Barry.
But something happens when he sees Raphinha, played by Lucy Boynton, standing across the road from the school.
Raphinha says she is a model and Conor has no problem believing it.
In an effort to impress, Conor hires her to star in a music video for his band. Only problem is he doesn’t have a band. Yet.
With his new friend Darren, Conor puts some musicians together and invites Raphinha to star in their video. This is the start of the band, Sing Street who take their name from the Synge Street CBS they go to.
The supporting cast also includes Jack Reynor as Conor’s brother Brendan and Don Wycherley as the bully Brother Baxter.
The Irish World was at the recent media launch of Sing Street at The Lyric Theatre in Hammersmith.
There we spoke to playwright Enda Walsh who has written the book for the new show.
This has already been a successful combination as Enda adapted John Carney’s previous film Once that had West End and Broadway success.
We also spoke to the actress Grace Collender who plays Raphinha and Sheridan Townsley who plays the lead role of Conor.
The band performed four of the tunes from the show, these included The Riddle of the Model and Drive it like you Stole It both familiar from the film and another song that shows the character of Brendan is further developed in the stage play.
The music is composed by Gary Clark.
Tony Award-winning director Rebecca Taichman (Indecent) directs a cast that also includes Tateyana Arutura, Harry Curley, Jenny Fitzpatrick, Indiana Hawkes, Cameron Hogan, Adam Hunter, Lloyd Hutchinson, Lucianne McEvoy, Jesse Nyakudya, Lochlann Ó Mearáin, Matthew Philp , Seb Robinson and Jack James Ryan.
Grace Collender (Raphinha)
From Trim in Co. Meath Grace is recognisable from screen projects like Clean Sweep, Blackshore, Harry Wild and Fréwaka.
She has also appeared in two videos for Fontaines DC.
Previous stage roles include playing Kate in Edna O’Brien’s The Country Girls at the Abbey Theatre in Dublin.
Grace Collender told The Irish World: “It feels amazing ot be here today.
“I think really what’s going to ring through with audiences are the themes.
“It’s really a story about love and joy and just a love of music and how that can connect us to people.
“I’m really, really excited for people to see it.”
How does it feel to be doing your first show in London?
“It feels amazing.
“It’s really, really cool, especially as an Irish person, doing Sing Street in London where the kids would have come.
“It’s very, very special.”
In the film and I assume also in this show ‘London’ is spoken about with such hope, it’s more than just a place across the water but all their dreams and hopes..
“Absolutely and I think that’s a running theme for all of the characters.
“It’s set in 1985 Dublin and it really is a theme for them.
“They all really want to get out and I think London symbolises just the possibility of them getting out of Dublin and making something of their lives.
“We’ve talked about that a lot in rehearsals, how special it feels to be doing this show here.
“It feels like it’s just meant to be in London.
“I think it’s the perfect summer show as well.
“It’s just so fun.
“I’m so excited.”
There’s something, I think, a bit tragic about Raphinha. It may be under the surface but do you agree she’s got a lot of sadness?
“She definitely does and it’s something that I love about this show.
“It really represents young people in a very nuanced way.
“It’s not a simplified way of representing teenagers but you’re right, she’s a very complicated character.
“Something I do love about her is that she just refuses to be a victim.
“She really uses music and art to enhance her life and make something positive out of a bad situation.”
There’s also a lot of the Ireland of back then in this film with the CBS’ brutality and the parents’ loveless marriage and no option of divorce, your character Raphinha is in a home for girls. The film is about none of these issues but it’s all in there..
“That’s such a good way of putting it.
“I think something that I love about the show is yes, it’s about joy.
“It’s a story about love and lots of different kinds of love but it’s also really, really grounded in reality.
“It’s something brilliant about John Carney’s original story and what Enda Walsh has done with it.
“It doesn’t shy away from the pain and the reality of those situations in Ireland in the 1980s.
“Rebecca, our director, is incredible.
“We’ve really had those conversations.
“There’s quite a lot of Irish people in the cast and we spent a lot of the first week having those conversations and really trying to bring the reality of Ireland in 1985 through to the story.”
It doesn’t seem like any kind of cut and paste adaptation.
It seems like there’s been changes along the way, further development with the Brendan character for instance. Brendan is also a tragic character like Raphinha..
“I think so in a way but then on the other hand, he’s such a huge inspiration to Conor so.
“I think there’s a theme in this show with brotherly love and the love between siblings which is something I haven’t really seen that much.
“It’s really beautiful actually.
“As much as it is a story of love between Conor and Raphinha, it’s very much between the siblings too.”
Lucy Boyton played Raphinha in the film, do you think about how she played it or how do you approach it?
“It’s a really, really great question.
“I think what Lucy did in the film was just so, so, so beautiful.
“I’m a fan of the film.
“I’ve definitely watched it and taken inspiration but I haven’t watched the film in a while.
“I chose not to.
“I’ve been working with Rebecca to really find the nuances of this because we’re working with a different script as well.
“It’s Enda Walsh’s script, inspired by John Carney’s but we’re just really working on trying to find my own nuances and my take on her.
“It’s lovely to have what’s been done before as something to springboard off of but I’ve definitely been trying to find my own stuff too.”
The themes remain relatable, don’t they? Whether it’s 2025 or 1985, who can’t relate to a bunch of kids with a dream?
“Yeah, absolutely.
“I think it’s really about the how art and the arts can enhance your life.
“That’s something I think a lot of people discovered during COVID when we were at home watching TV, listening to music.
“I think that that’s something that Raphinha does and that all these characters do.
“They’re in a bad situation and they use music to ornament their lives essentially.
“And I think that everybody does that, I think that’s something that will ring through with everyone.”
We spoke about how Brendan has developed. Is Raphinha further fleshed out also or is she still as mysterious?
“There’s definitely a mysterious aspect to her.
“Enda’s book is just such a gift because there’s so much that is unsaid which is really fun for me as an actor to play with but there’s definitely some new developments that I think will be exciting for fans of the show.”
Sheridan Townsley (Conor)
Trained at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Sing Street represents Scottish actor Sheridan’s professional debut.
How’s it feel to be playing Conor in Sing Street? Were you a big fan?
“Amazing, I’m a huge fan of the film. It’s so serendipitous to my life: The freedom of expression, the music, the family things, older brother who does music, all this stuff just links so much to my life even down to him making his final journey to London at the end of the movie, to me making my journey to London at the start of the show.”
Conor’s a dreamer but I think he has to be: School life isn’t easy, home is falling apart..
“Yeah, the beautiful thing about Conor is that he’s so innocent and curious and genuine.
“He doesn’t have any cynicism that could be gained from his life so far and seems to work really hard to not gain any cynicism with the adversity that he faces throughout the show, throughout the movie.
“And that’s what makes you root for him because every time he takes a punch or he takes a hug, he takes it in his stride and it gives us a real hero’s journey for him at the end.
“I love Conor.”
He was played by Ferdia Walsh- Peelo in the film, do you pay attention to how he played the role?
“When you have something that’s as established as Sing Street it’s hard not to pay attention to it but the challenge as the actor is to try find something new in it.
“I love what Ferdia did like we all did. That’s why we love the movie so much but it’s been so much fun trying to find how Sheridan would play those same things.
“Ferdia if you want to come see the show, I’ll pay for your ticket, mate.
“I would love to mee him, that would be so fun.
“If we had the movie cast, that would be so cool.”
There’s something under the surface that is sad about the Raphinha character..
“Yeah but it’s beautiful the way that she is so mature.
“It gives this really beautiful counterpoint to how Conor’s experiences in life have shaped him as opposed to how Raphinha’s experiences in life have shaped her.
“I think it makes for a really interesting couple.”
Another tragic character is Brendan, the older brother.
He’s kind of given up, in a way, hasn’t he?
“Yeah, definitely but it creates something really, really recognisable in the show, I think.
“I think everyone can relate to that feeling of being down and out and maybe less able to connect to a feeling of hope and pureness that Conor has.
“I think it’s a hugely necessary part of showcasing the wide spectrum of experience.
“I also think he’s just so moving and beautiful and it’s so unfortunate the things that have happened to him because he’s so clearly such a beautiful and worldly soul.”
You’re from Scotland, do you have Irish in your family?
“A wee bit.
“My granny Katie was Irish.
“Hopefully the accent isn’t too ingenuine and you enjoy it.”
How do you find doing the Dublin accent?
“I think so.
“I think Irish heritage plays into it and also the fact that I’m Glaswegian.
“There’s so many shared sounds between Glaswegian and Dublin so I found it quite alright.
“I’m sure the Irish people that come to see it won’t hold back, nor would I want them to.”
Sing Street is at the Lyric Theatre in Hammersmith 8 July – 23 August 2025.
For more information and to book, click here.
