Beowulf: The Blockbuster
A single father discovers that he is dying of cancer, and won’t live to see his young son grow up. Whilst struggling to find the right words to express this sad news, he relates the epic legend of drangonslayer extraordinaire, Beowulf, to his child in the form of a bedtime story, at times appropriating the language of Hollywood blockbuster movies that the youngster can relate to. Over the course of the evening, as the action in this epic tale grows more intense, various emotional issues that both father and son have bottled up rise to the surface.
Bryan Burroughs’ perceptively witty one-man-show finds humour in the most unlikely places, what could have been a maudlin slog in the hands of a lesser writer, is by turns hilarious and heartwarming. The script for this extended monologue skilfully juxtaposes the small scale dramatic conflicts that arise from growing up poor in 1980s Ireland, with the larger than life epic battles of folklore.
Burroughs’ performance gives each character a distinctive voice and set of mannerisms, the man shifts back and forth between different personas with the natural ease of a chameleon. The subtly nuanced lighting design and well-chosen sound effects also serve to add gravitas to the shows mythic elements, and enhance the poignant intimacy of its various domestic tableaus.
Benjamin Orchard
Photo Credit; Amanda Gentile, courtesy of Irish Arts Center
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