Blister – Project Arts Centre – Review

Theatre / 12-23 March 2024

Patrick met Linda through a dating app. They have been seeing each other for several months now and things are going relatively well, despite a week where Patrick disappeared from view. Linda has just been to the doctor and has some unexpected news. She has Herpes and now has to tell her current and former lovers, including Patrick and her ex-boyfriend. She has some difficult conversations ahead and we will see the changes her diagnosis brings to her life!

Despite what the synopsis above sounds like, this piece is wholeheartedly a comedy. It’s a two-hander with Linda (Siofra O’Meara) and Patrick (Eddie Murphy) bouncing off each other and discovering their quirks and oddities. They are a young couple trying to find their place in the world and encountering normal problems. This piece was originally part of the Dublin Fringe Festival back in 2022 and has returned for a short run in the Project Arts Centre.

There is impressive comic timing from the two actors and there are some very funny moments. It touches at the heart of what it means to be a young person in Dublin today, with their morals explored in some detail, along with some uncomfortable truths. It’s always refreshing to see a comedy on stage and this production never takes itself too seriously, instead focusing on its own blend of awkward humour. It’ll be interesting to see what writer Siofra O’Meara does next.

Cast:
Siofra O’Meara – Linda + Writer
Eddie Murphy – Patrick
Simon Geaney- Director
Eric Fitzgerald- Sound Design
Mae Leahy- Costume
Jess Fitzsimons Kane – Set Designer
Shane Gill – Lighting Designer
Sinéad Gallagher – Producer
Niamh O’ Farrell-Tyler – Stage Manager