Have A Heart – New Theatre – May 18th – May 23rd

After receiving a heart from an unknown donor, D. John starts to hear voices. At first he thinks it is the medication or that he is starting to lose it. After a short time, the voice gets louder and harder to ignore. When the owner of the voice reveals itself as that of his new heart, it all starts to get a bit complicated! This is the story of a heart with unfinished business. It wants to track down its lost love, and so begins a most unusual detective story, with two people in one body trying to solve the mystery.

As you enter the theatre, the full cast is already on stage. Seamus Moran lies on a plinth, apparently dead with a sheet over him. We start with the story of how one man died and how this lead to new life in another. This is an overly complex story that tries to fit too much in to the 70 minutes of stage time. There is enough for a mini-series in this intricate tale, but somehow it is all sorted within the time allowed and there are many light-hearted laughs along the way.

The sound design of Denis Clohessy is impressive, with a wide variety of sound effects, radio broadcasts and voices that are integral to the story. The stage has to change between a variety of settings from offices to parks and hospitals. A lot of this is left to the imagination of the viewer, with a collection of timber planks being used to good effect.

This is a one-man play written and performed by Seamus Moran and directed by Liam Halligan. Seamus is well known from his time in Fair City and other TV and film roles. While the premise is not particularly new, it allows Moran to show off his wide range of acting skills. He flits between characters, changing identities and sexes at a moment’s notice. He’s an impressive physical actor and clearly enjoys working in front of a live audience.

Written and performed by Seamus Moran
Directed by Liam Halligan