BREN AND GREG

On the subject of actors I’ll segue into a long standing dream of mine. I have a group of friends back in Ireland and when we are younger we were this wild young bunch of wannabe bohemians. Writers, actors, musicians, artists etc. My dream was that we would all become successful in our relative fields, and one day there would be a photo of us all spilling out of Lillie’s Bordello in the wee small hours having revelled in the glory of some shared project. So early on in the process, I mention to Arif that I think that some of them might have something to bring to the party and his response is “we’re trying to make the best film that we possibly can, so if you know of anyone you think might help us achieve that goal, then please let me know”. So with that in mind, I re-read the script and then phone up Bren and say that I think he might be a good fit for the part of Beach – one of the supporting roles. I tell him the same thing that I will say to everyone – namely that it’s not because we’re friends, this is my big shot and I would not float him if I did not think he would knock it out of the park, and all I am doing is putting his name in Arif’s path to see if it works. If the man from Del Monte says no, then tough titty said the proverbial kitty. Bren’s response is the same as everyones. Thanks for thinking of me, great if it plays out, if it doesn’t then no harm, no foul.
Bren after much huffing and puffing manages to get a show reel together – most of his work was in theatre so I’m a bit vexed that the best of his output was never recorded for posterity, but it’s a pretty good show reel. One of my favourites is missing though – Poem Of A Dying Man – a short film documenting the thoughts of a gangster as he is digging the hole into which he will get whacked. I think you might be able to find it on you tube if you search poem dying man. The show reel also has a bit of Fair City in there – for those not in the know – Fair City is a cheesy Irish soap, a bit like east enders shot through a filter of Wensleydale. The fact that it is known – not always affectionately – as Fairly Shitty should give you some idea of where it has set the bar for itself. In it Bren, plays some chavvy scally shaftie. It’s pretty OTT, and I mention to Jess (who has lived in Ireland and has some firsthand experience of Fair City) that this is probably not up there with The Dane. She says she is sure Arif will be able to see past it. After all Ross Kemp managed to land the East Enders gig with the Fruit N Fibre ad on his show reel, so people can read between the lines. I pack off the show reel. Arif acknowledges receipt, but says he is not even going to look at it, until he gets to casting which is down the road a bit. I hope it all plays out, but wait and see as the Zen master famously said.

So onto Greg. Mr. Kavanagh. His Kavanic majesty. I’ll choose my words carefully as I don’t want to overstate this, but in terms of a guy with a guitar, Greg is a magnificent pagan Love God walking the earth like a man. And for all those who doubt me, feel free to turn up to the Love Tailors gig in The Sugar Club, Dublin on the 19th of December. I phone him up - he now lives in New York – and we have a chat about the film. He’d love to pitch in, if there was anything going. I send him a copy of the script to read – six days later, he pings me back an MP3. This is something he has knocked together just to set out his stall. He says he will phone that night and I am not to listen to it until then. Massively tempted though I am, I comply with these instructions.
He phones and I get to play it. I think it is absolutely fantastic – it’s just perfect. It’s bluesy, gravelly, a hint of Waits, a hint of Hooker, a catchy chorus, the same narrative structure as the film, and it even contains lines of dialogue without sounding contrived.

"So, just so I understand this – you, wrote, recorded and produced this song with a band half of whom were in Dublin half of whom were in new York – in SIX days?"

"Five days, it took me one day to read the script."

"You sickeningly talented bastard."

I send a copy of the song to Arif and another copy to Jess – she won’t be involved in the music (neither will I for that matter) but it’s such a cool song, I think she will get a kick out of it. I really hope Arif decides to go for this, as I think it could get nominated for awards.