It was with a heady mix of nerves and pride that we LMVGers made our way en masse to the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre to see Little Shop of Horrors. Sure, it’s a beloved musical. Sure, we all know the tunes. But this night was different. This was history in the making — the first ever fully Irish professional production of a musical. Yes, you read that right.
Ireland has always had a vibrant musical theatre scene — just spend five minutes at the AIMS Awards and you’ll see the sheer breadth of talent. But for decades, if you wanted a professional career in musical theatre, you had to leave. London was the dream, Broadway the fantasy. No one had the balls to take the risk of producing a full-scale musical professionally, in Ireland, with Irish creatives at the helm.
Until now.
Enter stage left: Claire Tighe.
I’ve known Claire since she was a kid. When I did my first show with LMVG (Finian’s Rainbow, back in the last century!), Claire was one of the children in the chorus — but even then, her stage presence sparkled. She was the dancer in the group, with a quiet confidence that made it clear she was going places.
To this day, I still tell people (whether they want to hear it or not) that she once had to dance behind me in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. Technically it was because the show was over-16s and she had just reached the age during the run… but in my version, it’s because I was the better dancer. Let me have that one.
Later, when I was in Chess with Mullingar, I recommended Claire for her first choreography gig outside LMVG. She showed up as "the young one" and by the end of the first rehearsal had them all eating out of her jazz hands.
And go places she did. Claire went on to start the mighty Helix Panto — no small feat, especially when going up against the Gaiety and the Olympia. She turned it into a phenomenon. I happily wash and iron costumes for this panto, because who wouldn’t want to be a small cog in her glorious machine?
But what truly sets Claire apart isn’t just her talent — it’s her poise, her calm, her leadership. I’ve seen her navigate tech week meltdowns, diva dramas, and even drunken audience members mid-show, and she never loses her cool. Like the time she gently defused a volatile situation during West Side Story by offering panto tickets to a slightly intoxicated mother and her unruly son. It wasn’t just clever — it was grace under pressure. And as an aside, West Side Story went on to win Best Overall Show That year!
So here we were, a group of theatre nerds, all dressed up and clutching our programmes, heading to see our Claire make history.
Just to add to the excitement, the part of the ditsy, loveable Audrey was being played by our very own Jacqueline Brunton. After her knockout turn on Dancing with the Stars, we knew she’d knock it out of the park.
From the first note to the final bow, Little Shop of Horrors sparkled. Claire’s direction was slick, inventive, and packed with heart and humour. The set (bravo, Aidan!) was spectacular. The choreography (Claire and Jen — take a bow!) popped. The costumes dazzled (well done, Kevin). The plant? Sinister perfection (thank you, Chris). The performances sang — sometimes literally. And Jacqueline? A-MAZ-ING.
The audience were on their feet, and we were among them — a gang of proud LMVGers, clapping until our hands ached.
I sat beside Rita, Claire’s mother, calm and beaming. Maybe it’s in the genes. Maybe it’s years of watching your daughter rise, fall, get back up, and rise again. Whatever it is, I hope that everyone knows that tonight wasn’t just a show — it was a moment. A beginning. A revolution in sequins and spotlight.
Claire, if you’re reading this — just remember me in your Tony's speech, yeah?
Bravo.
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