What is the Irish Curse? In this case, it is having a small willie, a tiny johnson. The number of terms used in this play to describe their members is comprehensive and many of them are quite funny. Five guys have formed a support group to share their stories and give each other advice. It’s very reminiscent of the group formed in Fight Club for testicular cancer survivors. In the film, the narrator is able to cry at the meetings and release his emotions. The same strong intense emotions are felt by these characters.
Rick Baldwin (played by Logan Hulick) is the most confident of the group. He always wears a jockstrap and stuffs it with a white athletic sock. This gets him a lot of attention and he does quite well with the ladies because of it. Hulick plays the ladies’ man with ease and style.
Joseph Flaherty (played by Rob Grobowski) is a successful lawyer with a wife and two kids. He seems to handle his situation (don’t call it a problem!) well, until the other guys pressure him to share more. Grobowski plays the role expertly and makes him a very likable character.
Father Kevin Shaunessy (played by James Bould) is in charge of facilitating the meeting. He resists sharing anything and the guys are always surprised when he says anything personal. Bould’s nuanced performance has the audience questioning if his character is hiding something.
Stephen Fitzgerald (played by Neil O’Callaghan) is a gay man who is afraid of intimacy. When it is his turn to share, he painfully explains his heartbreaking story. It’s not an easy one to tell, and O’Callahan tackles it well.
Keiran Reilly (played by Dennis Bisto) is the newcomer to the group. He has never met anyone with his condition before and is therefore full of questions about how the other guys live. His story is shocking and very dramatic. Bisto’s performance is spot on.
Overall, the production is hilarious and dramatic. The entire cast is fantastic and they feed off each other’s energy expertly. The performance is very intimate and the seating in the round adds to that atmosphere.
Find out all their secrets in The Irish Curse at the Den Theatre now through June 12th!
Quinn Delaney
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