<div class="page old_photo"> <article> <header style="background-image:url(/uploads/52ed533e9f3a3.jpg);"> <div class="box"> <div class="intro"> <h1>Stand Up Man</h1> <p class="byline"> </p> </div> </div> </header> <div class="main"> <div class="container"> <p class="summary">*Review*</p> <p><p>When a play’s two main characters are played by Nick Hardin and Tim McGarry, you know you’re in for something a bit special and that’s exactly what you get with Stand Up Man.</p><p>This is dark comedy at its finest. Written by Dublin born playwright Derek Murphy, the play focuses on protagonist, shamed altar boy Thaddeus McGuinn who now makes his ‘living’ as a stand-up comedian. Despite not making it to his life calling as a priest, Thaddeus still likes to preach. His priestly alter ego, played by Tim McGarry provides him with constant reality checks & hilariously tells it like it is.</p><p>Thaddeus’ long suffering, heavy drinking, cleaning obsessed wife Maggie spends her time drinking Chardonnay, berating her 26 years of marriage of Thaddeus and pining for their son Buster who now lives far away from New York in L.A.</p><p>The play goes between Thaddeus’ home life and his on stage persona. Whilst at first it might seem easy to sympathise with Maggie who struggles to make ends meet due to Thaddeus’ lack of a ‘real job’, as the play goes on, we learn deep, dark, long buried secrets which could tear the family apart even further if ever revealed.</p><p>Buster is a difficult character to have any real empathy with. Tainted by his mother’s views and opinions, he really does give Thaddeus a difficult time. It’s only towards the end that he seems to gain an ounce of appreciation for his ‘Dad’.</p><p><p>Despite being billed as an almost ‘anti-hero’, I genuinely warmed to Thaddeus’ character. He selflessly gave up his own life ambitions and made countless sacrifices along the way, yet his thanks was an unfulfilling career, an ungrateful wife and a thankless son.</p><p>For me however, the star of the show was without a doubt, Tim McGarry’s character. His perfect comic timing, knack for saying what everyone is thinking and superb delivery stole the show.</p><p>His character kept the play from being just that little bit ‘too dark’. There’s characters, feelings and situations dealt with that we can all relate to on a daily basis, but McGarry’s character provided the perfect level of comedy escapism.</p><p>There’s so much more we could say about Stand Up Man but we really don’t want to spoil the show. The best thing we can tell you is that you have to see it for yourself. It’s by no means light-hearted, but it certainly gets you involved.</p><p>Huge credit must also go to Director Stephen Beggs and Producer Stephen Kelly and all from c21 Theatre Company for their fantastic production.</p><p>This is Irish theatre at its very finest.</p></p></p> </div> </div> </article> </div><!-- /page-->