On the Delfont Mackintosh website they describe the play as follows:
Cripple Billy, orphaned since birth, just might have found a way off the Isle of Aran and a route all the way to Hollywood if he can persuade a small community of Islanders how much he wants to realise his dream.
Not the most appealing of descriptions and doesn't sound the most interesting of plays, but I thought id give it a go.
As with most of the shows I seem to be seeing at the moment, I went to see this show because of who was in it rather than for the show itself. This time because of Daniel Radcliff. Before seeing this show, his acting left me rather deflated. It was nothing that really impressed me and in fact was, in my opinion, fairly average. A few of my friends however, having seen him on stage before, said that he was a brilliant stage actor. I felt I had to decide that for myself.
I now totally agree with my friends. He was fan-bloody-tastic. I mean don't get me wrong, he isn't the best stage actor of all time, but he is certainly bloody good. I would even say he is one of the best actors of his generation and I am sure he will become one of the great stage actors. His Irish accent blended in perfectly with those in the play that are actually from Ireland. He is very good at pulling an hart strings and then in an instant making you laugh. A lot of people criticise the casting of an able bodied person in the role of someone with a disability, however when it comes down to the nitty gritty they need to pick the best actor for the job. Are people throwing their arms in the air because Daniel isn't Irish either?
The play is very good at chopping and changing between comedy and highly emotional. This isn't just due to the story line, though that helps a great deal, but it is also strongly helped by the brilliant acting. This is well worth a see before is closure on the 31 August.
