Disagree with this review. Granted we’ve all seen many Irish plays about Irish drunks but I found ‘Dublin Carol’ a revelation regarding the mind of an addict. Fascinated, appalled and confounded by himself, the main character is in turn, fascinating, appalling and confounding to the audience. Quite a ride, with the two well-played minor characters adding to the authenticity of Jeffrey Bean’s brilliant performance.
8
I saw the play on Opening Night. While I concede it may not be Mr. McPherson's finest work, I found it moving and deeply soulful. The cast was uniformly excellent, with Jeffrey Bean especially delivering a masterful performance. It is a role that could easily descend into cliche, but Mr. Bean never hit a false note. He is a well-respected actor, and he shines in his opportunity to carry the bulk of the play. Anyone looking for a display of acting artistry should seem this production out. I saw another play Off Broadway this weekend, which by chance also centered on an alcoholic. For 90 minutes it labored in vain to convey the human cost of the disease a tenth as well as Mr. Bean and Mr.McPherson show in five pages of dialogue and action.
10