I Keano – The Musical

He Came, He Saw, He Went Home

The Saipan incident was such a momentous affair for the Irish public that Arthur Matthews, Michael Nugent and Paul Woodfull wrote a comedy musical stage show about the events that occurred in that far away Pacific island. First performed in February 2005 in Dublin’s Olympia Theatre in Dame Street the show was an instant hit with the Irish public.

I Keano is a musical comedy that parodies all of the main protagonists in the real Saipan affair using an ancient Rome war setting as a backdrop to convey the utter ridiculousness of how animated an entire nation became about a spat between two men over missing soccer balls etc. The show was a smash hit drawing huge audiences including Manchester United’s Roy Keane in Dublin in 2005. It is rumoured that Eamon Dunphy has seen the show and while he did not think that it was a great musical comedy he did think that was a good musical comedy.

I Keano Plot

An ancient federation state dispatches one of it’s armies to a distant island destination to prepare for an impending battle. Led by obdurate and tenacious General Macartacus the army has in it’s ranks a great but fierce warrior called Keano. But it is clear that all is not well in the relationship between the two alpha males and trouble is brewing.

Quickly Macartacus and Keano are at loggerheads with the great warrior complaining that the battleground is too hard, the weapons for the looming battle haven’t arrived on the island and the soldiers have been indulging in too much wining and dining and not enough training for the impending battle. Thus ensues a civil war of titanic proportions that sees the nation torn apart with citizens adopting sides with either Keano or Macartacus.

The Main Players in I Keano

The Writers of I Keano

Arthur Matthews has written for a wide number of television shows including Father Ted, The Griff Rhys Jones Show and Harry Enfield and Chums.

Best-seller writer Michael Nugent wrote Dear John with Sam Smyth. He also wrote Absurdly Yours; the Michael Nugent Letters and Ireland on the Internet: the Definitive Guide.

Besides being a writer, Paul Woodfull is also a musician and performer. He created Joshua Trio, a U2 send-up band. He also formed the Glam Tarts and Abbaesque.

Saipan Conclusions

Back to Saipan Affair Table of Contents – Irish Football

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