Rosa Productions & Pavilion Theatre present

The House Must Win by Mick Flannery

Based on the album Evening Train
Script, Lyrics & Music by Mick Flannery

The House Must Win is a gritty new musical drama by Mick Flannery that sweeps audiences into the emotional undertow of its story and song. Directed by Julie Kelleher, with Liam Robinson (Hadestown) as Music Supervisor and Ciarán Bagnall on Set & Lighting Design, the creative team has worked closely with Mick over the past three years, shaping the world he has envisioned through this new script and its 21 songs.

Set on the western edge of Ireland in the 1970s, it follows two brothers living with the odds stacked against them. Each takes a different path in the hope of leading a “good” life, both trying to honour the woman who holds their hearts. In a town of backroom poker games, secrets and bribes, broken families and broken hearts, the people of this place must learn how to play the cards they’ve been dealt — and discover what it truly means when the house must win.

Twenty years ago, Mick Flannery released his debut album Evening Train, originally written in response to a college assignment to “write a musical.” Mick did exactly that, though at the time he focused solely on the lyrics and music. Two decades later, following various iterations and workshop developments, he has now written the script for the first time, bringing to life the songs from that debut album alongside ten new compositions to create The House Must Win.