Quality Waffle

All those cool and trendy people on Twitter kept on harping on about this Eric Argyle dude and how amazing he was so I decided to brave the ridiculously chilly weather and see how good he was for myself.

There’s an awful lot of s*&t said on Twitter such as ‘I just ate a ham sandwich with mustard, it’s been a revolution for my taste buds’ but for once, the Twitter people were worth listening to. A punchy, lyrical exercise in storytelling; The Life and Sort of Death of Eric Argyle is full of gleeful giddiness as well as a dash of quiet heartbreak that exists in the life of an ordinary man.

I’ve never heard of 15th Oak productions, but I’m really hoping I’ll hear from them again. The play boasts a melodic soundtrack performed by all the cast right through the production and all the parts of the jigsaw-esque script move seamlessly back and forth through the life of our anti-hero – Eric Argyle himself as we reflect alongside him, on the disappointments of his life. All is not as it seems however and perhaps these grey disappointments have more beauty in them that you would think.

The surprisingly large cast are comprised of some young uns I’ve never seen before but who pack in great performances along with up and coming actors like Manus Halligan (ye may have caught him in Heroin for Breakfast). They’re accompanied by Ross Dungan’s original script that produces a wonderful collection of funny stories, heart-breaking moments and enlightening reflections of the importance of not letting life pass you by.

If you’re looking to brighten up a grey January day; then grab yourself a ticket to this unique production that only remains in Smock Alley until Saturday, January 26.