A Man of No Importance

Book by Terrance McNally Music by Stephen Flaherty Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens Directed by Barry Purves In Dublin in 1964, bus conductor and Oscar Wilde fan Alfie has ambitions to stage Salome, despite the objections of the church hierarchy at St Imelda's, where his amateur theatre group is based. When a newcomer to town, Adele, joins his passengers, he realises he has found the right person for the title role and starts to assemble his cast. Meanwhile Alfie's sister Lily mistakes her brother's interest in Adele as romantic - she longs to have him off her hands so she can be free to marry. Little does Lily realise that Alfie's love "dare not speak its name" and the object of his affections is in fact bus driver Robbie. As opening night draws near, secrets come spilling out which threaten to shake this little community to its core. But camaraderie and the redeeming power of theatre offer a thread of hope in this story of friendship, forbidden love and finding our place in the world. Winner of the 2003 Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Musical, A Man Of No Importance is the second successful collaboration by the team of Terrence McNally, Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, all of whom won Tony Awards for Ragtime.