Word against the Word – Viking Theatre – Review
By Frank L

Word against the Word – Written and performed by Keith Dunphy
Dates – Monday 13 April 2026 to Saturday 25 April 2026  @ 20:00

Keith Dunphy, in this autobiographical piece, juxtaposes his working-class upbringing in the city of Waterford with his chosen career as a classically trained actor. That journey is greatly complicated by the fact that he suffers from dyslexia, a condition that was not even recognised when he was a child. There were various challenges and chances which contributed to this unlikely story. They include his family, in particular his mother, his schooling with the Christian Brothers, the Tops of the Town talent competition, the musical West Side Story, the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC).

The story leads from the vernacular speech of his native Waterford to the received pronunciation of the English language, which was a sine qua non in relation to English classical theatre, particularly Shakespeare, when he was training. His story shows how regional voices were frowned upon.  Whatever the mountains he had to climb, he surmounted them and worked with the RSC, which is the apex of classical English theatre.

Whatever the various challenges he faced in working in theatre in England, Dunphy displays in this seventy-minute monologue the variety of theatrical skills he has acquired over the years. Particularly poignant are his several appearances before casting directors, where the gulf between his background and theirs often becomes apparent. Dunphy displays consummate skill as he indicates these differences, which may be signified by the manner in which the director sits in a chair and the careful way he pronounces his vowels. But the challenges also assert themselves in his everyday exchanges, or lack of them, on the streets of the city. Particularly disturbing are the difficulties a page of text can still create for him. In a short sequence, he graphically illustrates the problem.

Dunphy has nourished his natural talents and minimised the defects through courage and single-minded determination. Dunphy is on stage for seventy minutes, and he aligns with a great deal of theatrical skill, his upbringing, his theatrical skills, the music of West Side Story and the words of King Richard II – an unlikely combination but an engaging one. This piece of theatre is a celebration of a life well lived.

Written by and performed by Keith Dunphy
Directed by Aoife Monks