COLD COMFORT
2013 // The Warren, Brighton
A one-man show of self-destruction...
Belfast born McCafferty is well known for his powerful monologue plays centred on working class characters, language and culture. Cold Comfort is a one-man show of self-destruction through alcohol and grief. Kevin Toner returns to his father’s house to keep vigil by his coffin the night before his funeral. As the Bushmills goes down the past takes over. Áine’s production began with a very funny physical comedy sequence as Kevin realised his father’s funeral suit was cleaner and smarter than his own, and so he stole it off the corpse. The contents of his father’s pockets were funny, too, especially the old man’s extensive collection of condoms. But the slapstick comedy soon gave way to heart break. Padraig Breathnach’s performance as Kevin was disturbing and moving. The stark, understated set design of coffin, corpse, candles, chair allowed nothing to distract from Kevin’s confessional storytelling.
