Tuesdays With Morrie – Gaiety Theatre – Review
by M. Quinn

Dates: 16th Apr. – 27th Apr.

This is the story of Mitch Albom (Stephen Jones). At the start of the play, he is a young man going to college. His favourite lecturer is Morrie Schwartz (Dan Butler), who teaches Sociology. The two became close friends but drifted apart after Mitch left college. Many years later, Mitch watches an episode of Nightline and sees his old professor talking about his recent diagnosis of ALS also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. Mitch seeks out his old professor and the two rekindle their friendship in the last few months of Morrie’s life. Mitch travels every week to have ‘Tuesday with Morrie’ where they talk about the important things in life, such as Love and making the most of the time you have left.

This play is adapted from the best-selling memoir “Tuesdays with Morrie: An Old Man, A Young Man and Life’s Greatest Lesson” which was published in 1997 and was written by Mitch Albom. The book has sold over 20 million copies and has been translated into 45 languages.

The production only has two actors, with Morrie and Mitch on stage throughout. Mitch is played by Stephen Jones, who is a regular on stage and has paid his dues, with many appearances on the smaller stages of Ireland. He will be known to many TV viewers for his appearance as Lloyd in Northern Lights. Morrie is played by Dan Butler, who is best known for his appearance as Bulldog in the American TV show Fraiser. He also has a long history on stage, with performances in Travesties (Tom Stoppard) Biloxi Blues (Neil Simon) and The Hothouse (Harold Pinter).

This is a touring production and after its run in the Gaiety, it will travel to Cork, Kilkenny and Dundalk. As such, the set needs to be easily transported and fit on a variety of stages. The action takes place in the sitting room of Morrie’s house, and it is a circular space, with shelving on the outside. Some of these shelves move to make the space quite adaptable when required.

The two cast members are well-matched. Dan Butler plays Morrie as a man with a contagious enthusiasm for life. You can feel his warmth and compassion throughout. Stephen Jones has a more complex role as Mitch, a man who has lost focus on what is important in life. While the subject matter of someone dying from a debilitating disease sounds bleak, Morrie has decided to enjoy the time he has left on earth and makes the most of every moment. He is a wise man and shares his insights on life with Mitch and the audience. At the end of the performance, you could see and hear the impact the piece had on those in the audience. While the story is a simple one, it’s a play that tugs at the heartstrings and doesn’t pull its punches.