Review: Moonlight - The Philip Lynott Enigma (Eventim Apollo)

Review by Roann Gutierrez

⭐️⭐️⭐️

After becoming a critical hit in Ireland, the final instalment of John Merrigan and Danielle Merrigan’s trilogy of work comes to London’s Eventim Apollo for one night only, with the arrival of Moonlight - The Philip Lynott Enigma. Telling the story of the international rock star, best known to audiences as the frontman for Thin Lizzy. Would this new musical be able to shed any light on his story, or would it all be too thin?

The narrative sees Philip as a newcomer to the poet’s purgatory pub, where he is welcomed in by playwright Brendan Behan and author Oscar Wilde. Over some drinks, Behan pushes Lynott to share his whole truth. Born in Birmingham to a single Irish mother and a Guyanese father, Philip was sent to live with his grandparents in Dublin when he was a child. There, he grew up as the only Black man throughout school. But it was through his experiences and musical inspirations, like Jimi Hendrix, that shaped Lynott into the performer he became. He left it all on the table through his writing. His grit, tenacity and star power are why he deserves a seat at the purgatory pub table.

The cosy purgatory pub made the whole concept of discussing a short life well-lived an easy conversation. The dialogue was a crowd pleaser, with the audience responding with laughter and joy. The conversation between Brendan Behan and Philip felt sincere; however, in some places, it would plateau. The standout moment from the writing was most notably Philip’s fourth wall breaking monologue full of true emotion and heartbreak as he comes to terms with everything. It’s reflective, insightful and filled with love for his mother, allowing the audience to empathise with his hardship and offer a whole new perspective into how the decisions his mother made impacted his life. 

Jason Figgs’s direction brought quite an ambitious idea to life. There was a great distinction between the living and the dead, with the pub lit in red on the left and the live band lit in blue on the right. Whenever Philip would perform, he would shift into the spotlight in blue and would feel alive. This crossing of boundaries served as an impactful metaphor of how music crosses boundaries between the living and the dead. 

The role of Philip Lynott was played by Peter M. Smith in a magnificent performance. As Philip processed purgatory, Smith gave us raw anger, sadness and yearned for peace for his mother’s grief. Most impressive were his vocal chops. Alongside the live band and moves, it truly felt like we were at a rock concert.

Joining the show for this performance to play Philip’s mother, Philiomena, Mazz Murray was a powerhouse of vocals and had the audience in tears by the end of the 'See You On The Other Side' duet. Her interpretation did a 180 on stereotypes that Philomena was a ‘bad mother’ for sending her child away. Murray filled the role with compassion and care, knowing it was still a mother who had to bury her child.

Padraig O’Loingsigh’s Brendan Behan served as both comedic relief and as a direct mirror to Smith’s Lynott. Though at times his performance would feel like he was overpowering Smith’s, it was the softness and sincerity when interacting with Philomena that was most striking. Riley Clarke as Oscar Wilde was a fun opposition to O’Loingsigh’s Behan. He was accepting of the poet's purgatory and sweetly maternal towards Behan. As an ensemble, they were a joy to watch. (Spoiler for Thin Lizzy fans! - Eric Bell opens the show with a rocking guitar riff and an introduction to the life of his fellow bandmate. 

For a tour, the staging was clear and easy to follow. The use of a screen for added historical context was a decent choice, though some scenes would sometimes feel like we were being talked at. The biggest issue, however, was the lighting. Overhead lighting was overused or would completely miss the actors' downstage. At a few points, if there were more than two actors in the scene, one was unfortunately quite literally left in the dark. Unfortunately, the lighting was distracting and would take us out of what was otherwise a truly enjoyable performance.

This was a lively and emotionally engaging production that explored Philip Lynott’s life, music and legacy through a creative poet’s purgatory pub setting. It blends humour, rock music, and heartfelt reflection well with a strong ensemble and a dynamic live band. The staging brings depth and authenticity to the story, with a standout moment in Lynott’s powerful monologue and the show’s emotional rewrite of his relationship with his mother. While the dialogue was often entertaining and sincere, it occasionally lost momentum, and distracting lighting took away from key moments. Despite this, the production succeeds as an enjoyable and moving ensemble piece that resonates strongly with its intended audience.

Moonlight - The Philip Lynott Enigma plays across UK & Ireland theatres until the 12th June, with dates in Glasgow, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Dartford, Birmingham and Dublin.

Tickets are available to purchase from each venue's website.