'Mattress Mick: The Musical' is coming to Dublin this Spring and its creators are on the hunt for the next big star. 

Mick Flynn, better known as Mattress Mick as he owns the shop of the same name, has a musical about his life coming to the stage.

The show's writer and director Josephine McCaffrey previously worked with Mick, writing his 'fantastic jingles' for his television ads.

It was a friend who initially suggested the idea, to which Ms McCaffrey responded: "Don't be daft."

"And then I went, 'actually, that's a great idea'."

Mick loved the idea and so the pair got the ball rolling on the creative process.

This was not Ms McCaffrey's first foray into the world of musical theatre, having studied the subject in college and put on many shows over the years, so she was well-placed to make Mick's vision come to life.

"Musical theatre's very much in my blood", she said.

But what is the plot of a musical about a man who owns a mattress store?

The story, Ms McCaffrey says, "writes itself".

"It's such a great, uplifting, fun story about a man who came from quite humble beginnings and who managed then to really work his way up", she said.

"Then through the downturn, as many people did, they lost everything and it's really about his motivation and his creativity."

'Guerilla marketing'

In the last few years, Mattress Mick has racked up thousands of social media followers and is popular with all age groups.

But he started out in one family-owned shop on Pearse Street, which Mick took over before opening several others until he had a total of five shops.

The economic crash meant that Mick was forced into liquidation.

"I looked at what I was selling most of in the shops and it was always beds and mattresses, so I decided I'd concentrate on that", he explained.

He used a property he owned in Coolock was outside the liquidation and it became the base for the new Mattress Mick brand.

"It's worked", he said.

"We had very little funding so we went on what I call a 'guerilla marketing campaign'. I stuck signs up everywhere."

"I did anything I could to get the name out there and I was very very fortunate because in one particular location we put up a sign and Stephen Fry ... saw the sign and tweeted about it."

It’s happening soon . Mattress Mick The Musical . See you there . Cheers

— Mattress Mick (@mattressmick) February 15, 2023

The musical

From what he's seen so far, Mick says the musical is "a very lively show, very different".

"I'm really looking forward to seeing my story being sung on stage", he said.

Ms McCaffrey says there is "a real mix" of genres in the musical and "there's something for everyone".

She is still on the hunt for some cast members, including someone to play the main man.

Also needed are two actresses who can sing to play Mick's daughters and another woman to play his mother.

If you are interested in auditioning for any of the roles, you can email ussaunproductions@gmail.com.

The show opens on April 27th in Dublin's Liberty Hall.

Listen back to the full conversation here.

Main image shows Mattress Mick. Photo: Facebook