'He Dies in the End' comes to life in Longford's Backstage Theatre

Liam McCarthy's preview of 'He Dies in the End' was in Longford Backstage Theatre on August 24. Imitating a studio space, as expected for the Dublin Fringe Festival, this quirky, existential piece that thrives off the little details shows a great deal of care in the writing.

Read more: PICTURES | Huge support for Longford's Heritage Homes and Oral History

Using sound effects and lighting to build space, the words came alive with Darren Yorke's passionate, lively but dimensional acting. 'He Dies in the End' relies on the numerous, reflective emotions of its central character, Matty Maguire. It exposes the meaning of life: the ups, downs, wants, difficulties and disappointments.

'He Dies in the End' covers the importance of a single day, and the domino effect of events; through conversations, actions, inconveniences and disasters. Matty is a reflective character, a man driven by where he would like to see himself, but is going through a time of personal turmoil. Yorke brings the character to life through his experienced acting talents.

Playwright of the piece, Liam McCarthy, quoted:

"It was wonderful to be able to preview our work in progress in Backstage Theatre, Longford. It's always a challenge to debut brand new work, but we were delighted with the warm supportive atmosphere at Backstage, the encouragement of their team and the support from the audience on the night. We're excited to keep developing our show."

The play was performed in a very intimate setting behind the curtain, rather than the audience be seated on the tiers.
Despite being alone on the stage, Darren Yorke's presence is able to hold its own. The audience found laughter and ended with a round of applause as the lights dimmed.

Read more: Award winning Kila set to headline special Longford Culture Night concert

The Dublin Fringe Festival is from September 6 to 21.