‘Remember That Time? – A Musical’
Outhouse 9pm, Saturday matinee 2.30pm
Written and composed by Anne Marie Cullen.
‘Remember That Time?’ is a musical biopic of returned Irish rock star Cullen, which charts her music careers in the band Saucy Monkey and her life and loves.
The multi-media presentation not only impresses for a Fringe Festival, but whisks us away to LA, Barcelona and back to Dublin, with excellent footage. The technical presentation is first class.
Cullen constructs her story calmly and truthfully. It is a story of love and loss, ageing and rejuvenation. Music rocks her boat and this journey of reconnection is seeringly honest and is the inspiration for her original soundtrack. Cullen’s 9 original songs and collaborations are so good.
She wonders if she can reignite her love of music, her muse and her creativity after her personal crises. ‘Remember That Time?’ confirms from the first note that she is back in top form. Her musical story of life, love and divorce and returning to Ireland after 25 years is no self-pitying manifesto – it sets out honestly and clearly the range of emotions and self- doubt that those of an age, who love and lose go through.
Cullen’s original rock score sits so snugly into the personal narrative that the music heightens our connection with her, through original melody and revealing lyrics. Quite simply, it’s a great evening. ‘Remember that Time?’ is honed, intelligent, original and entertaining. You will ‘remember that time’ when this musical powerhouse returned to an Irish stage and reignited our love of the companionship of music, as we all journey through the complexities of life. Her next chapter of life is full and well underway on Outhouse stage until Saturday. A0’B
