4 friends. 10 years later. 1 massive secret.
Life changes, but the lads stay the same… mostly. Come see what happens when the past finally catches up to the present.
🎭 THE LADS
📍 Carne Studio Theatre
🗓️ This Saturday, April 18th @ 7pm
🎟️ Tickets are moving fast! Link in bio to grab yours.
“The Ireland I Dream Of” is available now on all streaming platforms! ☘️
RISING reimagines the 1916 Dublin rebellion through the inner life of Patrick Pearse, its most enigmatic leader. As he leads the charge against the British Empire, Patrick must reconcile his public role with the private self he has kept hidden – his queerness, his sensitivity, and his doubts.
Vocals: Brian Raftery
Music: Tom James McGrath
Lyrics: Amy Clare Tasker & Tom James McGrath
#NewMusicFriday #MusicalTheatre #IrishMusic
@brianraf3
Coming soon! We are so excited to release our first single from RISING! From Friday, 20 February, you’ll be able to listen to “The Ireland I Dream Of” on all streaming platforms. ☘️
Featuring Brian Raftery as Patrick Pearse
Music by Tom James McGrath
Lyrics by Amy Clare Tasker & Tom James McGrath
RISING reimagines the 1916 Dublin rebellion through the inner life of Patrick Pearse, its most enigmatic leader. As he leads the charge against the British Empire, Patrick must reconcile his public role with the private self he has kept hidden – his queerness, his sensitivity, and his doubts. Les Mis meets Milk in this thrilling, queer re-examination of Irish history.
🔥NEW BAND ALERT🔥
Ragús - an old irish word for wantonness, drunkenness, an urge or desire to party and other salacious things
@pearse_o_donoghue@brianraf3 & @clairemchugh have come together to keep you all dancing and to keep the beer flowing 🍻
Ragús: it's all in the name, we want to bring you the best night of partying, drunkenness and total craic.
Watch this space for upcoming gigs, events and news on where we will be next! Special announcement coming soon 👀
#newband #londonmusic #irishmusic #irish #londonlivemusic #live
Thank you, Thos and Colm, for this enthusiastic and thoughtful review of The Queen Is Mad! Search MusicalTalk wherever you listen to podcasts to find all their excellent EdFringe coverage. Plus, keep an eye out for an interview with the cast & writers of The Queen Is Mad, coming soon!
#thequeenismad #newmusicals #musicaltheatre #edfringe #daretodiscover
✨ Meet the Cast ✨
We’re thrilled to introduce
Brian Raftery as Simon in The Lads.
Brian is an actor-musician from Galway, now based in London. After completing his BMus in chamber piano at the MTU Cork School of Music, he trained in Musical Theatre at the Royal Academy of Music, graduating in 2016.
His professional credits include:
🎭 The Queen is Mad (Edinburgh Fringe 2025, The Lion & Unicorn, London)
🎭 Rising: A New Irish Musical (Irish Cultural Centre)
🎭 Sweeney Todd (Theatre Royal Stratford)
Alongside performing, Brian also works as a repetiteur, accompanist, and teacher.
On joining The Lads, Brian shares:
“This is a chamber piece that contains such an important message of accountability and shows a level of brutal, open honesty that needs to be seen by as many people as possible.”
🎭 The Wheatsheaf, Tooting
📅 3/ 4 /5 November
📍 [Wheatsheaf, Tooting]
🎟 Ticket Link on Bio
👑OPENING DAY 👑
After a sold out London preview, join the Court of Castile at @edfringe until 24th August!
Joanna has always spoken her mind. When she unexpectedly becomes Queen, her father and husband are determined to silence her. She went down in history as Joanna the Mad – what if she wasn’t insane, but furious
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“FUNNY, HEARTBREAKING, RAGE-INDUCING” - AdventuresInTheatreland.com
🗓️1-24 Aug (not 6, 13, 20)
⏰16:15 (75mins)
Venue: @zoovenues Southside, Studio
🎟£12.50 - £15.00
Age Guideline: 12+
🎟Book here: /programme/the-queen-is-mad/
#DareToDisobey #DareToDiscover
#TheQueenIsMad #Musical #NewMusicals #TheLionAndUnicorn #EdFringe #EdinburghFringe #EdFringe25 #History
🎭 From auctions to AI chaos, Episode 48 is stacked!
Join Josh, Eamonn and the brilliant Brian Raftery as we Spill the Art Tea—now every Thursday 🎨☕
👨⚖️ Sotheby’s wobbles
🕵️♂️ A 1943 hotel mystery
🎸 Dumas sets records
🤖 AI blackmail simulations
🚓 An arrest… at the artist’s own exhibition?!
🎧 Full episode now streaming on YouTube + all podcast platforms.
💬 Love Art. Support Artists.
#SpillTheArtTea
Brief but easily one of the most enjoyable performances I’ve ever worked on!!
Honestly had the best time working on @jiltedthemusical at @theotherpalace_1 written by the nonsensically talented @lauryngaff and getting to perform alongside the powerhouses that are @amypenstonmusic@sadhbhieee and @pearse_o_donoghue
Also had the joy of working alongside ex-classmate/housemate @bencooperdrums who only arranged the whole damn thing!!
Definitely a show to keep an eye out for!!
#musical #newmusic #newmusical #jilted #theotherpalace #musician #singer #actor #victoria #london
CAST ANNOUNCEMENT: On November 8th we will have the most amazing cast bringing Jilted to life. @amypenstonmusic as Jill, @brianraf3 Playing the piano and the Therapist, @pearse_o_donoghue as Joe and @sadhbhieee as Margo. Tickets are VERY limited and £5 in bio. So EXCITED! Thank you to @theotherpalace and @mmd__mtn for this opportunity! SEE YOU THERE!
I CARE FOR YOU is out today! Now you can stream the single on Spotify - or anywhere you get your music. AND you can watch the music video on YouTube. AND you can buy the sheet music for your next audition or musical theatre cabaret night!
All the links are in the bio.
#TheQueenIsMad #MusicalTheatre #NewMusicFriday #NewMusicAlert #NewMusical #LondonTheatre
![Meet the Cast We’re thrilled to introduce Brian Raftery as Simon in The Lads.Brian is an actor-musician from Galway, now based in London. After completing his BMus in chamber piano at the MTU Cork School of Music, he trained in Musical Theatre at the Royal Academy of Music, graduating in 2016.His professional credits include: The Queen is Mad (Edinburgh Fringe 2025, The Lion & Unicorn, London) Rising: A New Irish Musical (Irish Cultural Centre) Sweeney Todd (Theatre Royal Stratford)Alongside performing, Brian also works as a repetiteur, accompanist, and teacher.On joining The Lads, Brian shares:“This is a chamber piece that contains such an important message of accountability and shows a level of brutal, open honesty that needs to be seen by as many people as possible.” The Wheatsheaf, Tooting 3/ 4 /5 November [Wheatsheaf, Tooting] Ticket Link on Bio](https://sp1.picnob.com/p/pt_6764397350217367575563_0_d13a5c678ca78a9e202abb00f2232af4.jpg?o=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&h=5aa7cd0045f487301461304eb2e88154)
