Published: Wednesday, 3rd February, 2010 5:00pm

Cavan's going Gonzo!

No muppet! Philip Doherty is pictured in the new venue in the loft of the Imperial surrounded by Gonzo the Greats of The Muppet Show fame.

"Cavan needs a new space to give new ideas a voice," says Philip Doherty of Gonzo Theatre, which will open in the loft of the Imperial bar and nightclub on Cavan's Main Street next Wednesday. "Young people need something to do other than go to the pub or the cinema, or watch Cavan play in Breffni Park (which is depressing!)."

Philip tells how the theatre takes its name from the style of subjective journalism, which often includes the reporter as part of the story. The word 'gonzo' is broadly accepted as having been first used in connection with Hunter S. Thompson by Boston Globe magazine editor Bill Cardoso in 1970. Cardoso wrote of Thompson's "pure gonzo journalism", "gonzo" being South Boston Irish slang describing the last man standing after an all-night drinking marathon.

Philip lists a thesaurus of associations with the name of the new performance space: bizarre, crazy, eccentric, weird, non-conformist, hyperactive, off-beat and left-of-centre are among them. Gonzo Theatre is a new independent theatre, which Philip describes as "a dedicated space for theatre, comedy and music in keeping with the 'gonzo' ethos".

Sick of talk of recession, lack of funding and so on, Philip approached the owner, Donal Keogan, with a view to starting up the theatre in the loft of the night-club where Philip first performed his award-winning play Mysterious Ways last summer.

Now a 90-seater venue, the loft has been fully renovated and boasts a newly built stage, air-conditioning system, raised seating, lighting and a sound system. There are plans to develop the loft space further over the coming year.

See full story on page 6 of print edition.