Young stars set to rise in Breadboy musical

British Youth Music Theatre (BYMT) is getting ready to bring 30 young stars from across Northern Ireland, Ireland and UK together to perform a musical adaptation of Tony Macaulay’s second memoir Breadboy to Belfast’s Lyric Theatre from July 28 - 31.
Juliette Pierce,  Jude Leng, Judah McKee, Millie Downes,Tony Macaulay (centre)Juliette Pierce,  Jude Leng, Judah McKee, Millie Downes,Tony Macaulay (centre)
Juliette Pierce, Jude Leng, Judah McKee, Millie Downes,Tony Macaulay (centre)

Tony’s internationally acclaimed memoir Paperboy musical adaption was a huge success in the summer of 2018 and 2019, and Breadboy looks set to follow. Platinum selling singer songwriter Duke Special and Londonderry born stand up comedian Andrew Doyle are part of an acclaimed creative team bringing Breadboy to life.

Set in 1977 Belfast, the show is the story of a 14-year-old boy wearing Denim aftershave who has just been appointed Breadboy in the last Ormo Mini-Shop in the world, delivering bread to the residents of the Upper Shankill in Belfast on Saturday mornings. Elvis Presley is dead, The Bee Gees fill the airwaves, everyone is in love with Princess Leia. Breadboy’s love of peace and pets is soon rivalled by his interest in parallel universes and punk...and girls, especially Judy Carlton who sits opposite him in chemistry.

“When the first musical was such a success it seemed like a good next step to follow the story and adapt Breadboy into a musical as well,” explained Tony, who always intended for his memoirs to be a coming-of-age trilogy.

“It moves into a different era, from 1977-1982, it’s more about teenagers and the cast are older. It feels different, a bit more grown up, maybe not so innocent,”

There are plenty of laughs as well as poignant moments and plenty of pop culture references to spark the audiences memories, so there will certainly be something to delight everyone.

“I am very excited to see it all coming together,” continued Tony, who hopes the third book in the series focussing on life at university, will also be staged as a musical in the future.

“It is a professional standard and that really comes across. I think it’s a miracle how they manage to get everything together in such a short timescale.”

Tickets are on sale now from the Lyric Theatre Box Office and online at https://lyrictheatre.co.uk/.