CELTIC Football Club’s former Managing Director Fergus McCann joined the opening night cast of the original and inimitable The Celtic Story in Glasgow alongside former player and manager Neil Lennon and fellow Celtic legends Murdo MacLeod, Tosh McKinlay and Tom Boyd.
Last night’s show - which marked the first in a three-week run at the SEC Armadillo - was held in support of Celtic FC Foundation.
Theshowbizlion.Com joined Fergus, Neil and Murdo backstage. X ex Celtic Captain, Tom Boyd said: “This show just epitomises how Celtic was started. It takes us through all the generations, highlights the emotions that come with so many things and proves that we are much bigger than a football club. An absolutely astonishing show.”
Tosh McKinlay added: “This took me right back to my grandad’s days when he said no one could lace Jimmy McGrory’s boots, which they talked about in the show tonight, so that was absolutely fantastic. It took us right through the years, right through our years – an amazing show”.
Starring the likes of Martin Quinn, David Mackay and Kathleen McDermott, the large-scale theatre production - which charts the unique history of Celtic Football Club through the eyes of an Irish immigrant family in living in Glasgow - was also a smash hit with fans, who took to their feet to give the cast an emotional standing ovation.
One Celtic fan said: “When you are at a show called the Celtic story, it’s hard not to think of your own Celtic Story. Every time one of those games happened or one of these moments happened it was with people you loved or people who are not here anymore, so it’s a really emotional and uplifting show.”
The Celtic Story - being produced by Regular Music and Bublico in partnership with Celtic FC - was first performed at The Pavilion Theatre by Wildcat Theatre Company in 1988 and was the very first play of its kind about a football club.
Originally commissioned by Celtic to commemorate the Club’s Centenary Season, it was a smash hit with Celtic fans. Since then, there have been three hugely successful revivals of the production, with the last run of the show taking place over twenty years ago.
This latest - and long overdue - revival, adapted and directed by Martin McCormack with Martin McCardie exec producing, has been updated to reflect the changing times and evolving history of the Club while still capturing the unwavering passion and commitment of the fans.
Featuring a brand new song, Celtic Did It First, penned by songwriter Ciaran McEneny and Ken McCluskey - of Bluebells fame – which is set to become a new anthem for the Club, The Celtic Story is a funny, moving and completely gripping, it promises to be an unforgettable night at the theatre.
Tickets are on sale now for The Celtic Story which runs from September 1 to September 16 at SEC Armadillo, Glasgow from www.ticketmaster.com