Australian musician Darren Coggan has delivered a captivating opening night performance with his show 'Moonshadows', telling the story of Cat Stevens.
Cat Stevens is the superstar singer songwriter who walked away from his fame and fortune in the late 70s to follow the Muslim faith. The story would make a brilliant Hollywood movie, but Coggan got there first.Coggan, a fan of Stevens since childhood, developed the stage show 'Moonshadows' to explain Cat's journey. He tells the story from both a narrative and autobiographical angle accompanied by the music of Cat Stevens.
The show is truly an compressive account of the life of Cat Stevens, following his early career as a teenager when he had UK hits with 'I Love My Dog' and 'Matthew and Son', through to his life-changing experiences, firstly as a 19 year old stricken with tuberculosis and later a near death experience in the water of the coast of Malibu.
Coggan's theatre credits include the part of Richie Cunningham in the stage show version of 'Happy Days', the role of Teen Angel in the stage show 'Grease', a part in the 'Shout' as well as two guest appearances in the 7 drama 'All Saints'.
In 'Moonshadows', he is accompanied by his sister Naomi as Musical Director and keyboards, Brett Canning on bass guitar, Ben Edgar on electric guitar, Jack Bennett on drums and Simone Kay and Nilusha on backing vocals.
The show was conceived with Peter Cox and debuted in Wagga, New South Wales on July 13, 2006.
'Moonshadows' is in residency at Melbourne's Athenaeum Theatre until February 4th.
The setlist for the show is:
Act 1
Moonshadow
Tuesday's Dead
Wild World
Matthew and Son
Can't Keep It In
I Love My Dog
Lady D'Arbanville
The First Cut Is The Deepest
Another Saturday Night
Oh Very Young
The Wind
Bitter Blue
Father and Son
Act 2
Morning Has Broken
(Remember the days of the) Old School Yard
Hard Headed Woman
I Never Wanted To Be A Star
Longer Boats
Sad Lisa
Banapple Gas
Miles From Nowhere
Into White
Where Do The Children Play
Peace Train
