Joe O'Byrne's series of Tales From Paradise Heights, set in a mythical hard estate, have won critical acclaim at virtually every venue where they've been staged. I'm Frank Morgan, the first play in the Paradise Heights series, introduces the hench man and his demons. Frank Morgan is the hardest man in sight. A loan shark, villain and owner of the Ace of Spades night club, he casts a shadow across every character on the streets. He's frightened of no-one. But himself.
Written in Salford while Bolton bred Joe O'Byrne was at Uni here, it's since been made as a film, performed on stage and done as a multi media production at The Lowry. For this staging, first aired at the Bolton Octagon in September to rave reviews, director Ian Curley has given it a new edge.
"He's tipped the play on its head and it's radically different" says writer Joe O'Byrne, who also stars as Frank Morgan "We've seen him in the past as a suited and booted gangster but this time he's going insane with what's occurred. He looks like a guy who has lost it. It's the same script but a whole new creation."
The play gets a three night outing in the John Cooper Clarke Studio at The Black Lion, a space that Joe says will suit the play no end.
"The space fits the play quite nicely and the audience will feel they're in there with Frank Morgan" says Joe "It's a great challenge and I'm looking forward to playing him."
The Paradise Heights series of plays have taken in all sorts of strange scenarios and characters, from riots to angels, and knocking around them all has been this character Frank Morgan. This introduction to the man and his myth and his machinations is not to be missed.
I'm Frank Morgan: A Tale From Paradise Heights
Thursday 15th - Saturday 17th November, 8.00pm
The John Cooper Clark Studio, The Black Lion, 65 Chapel Street, M3 5BZ
£6 adv/£8 door
Further details at www.futureartists.co.uk
For loads of details, trailers and clips of the Paradise Heights series and I'm Frank Morgan see www.talesfromparadiseheights.com
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