by Rose Rushe
JOINING the army for writer/ actor Pat McGrath as a young man was a natural progression to his proud family line, a grandfather having fought in World War 1 with the Munster Fusiliers. McGrath left in a few years to take out an Arts degree, working in teaching and community art projects since.
But his time in uniform left him with a passion for making model vehicles and tanks, and he was better equipped than most to script this original one-man show in which he plays a dozen characters.
“I pitched the idea to the ‘Show in a Bag’ scheme, not having done any stage acting in years. There were 80 submissions, 11 were shortlisted and four chosen. Two of the other productions are over in Edinburgh [festival] now and packing them out the doors. I have been touring since early May when ‘Small Plastic Wars’ opened for Bealtaine festival”.
Theatre at Savoy this Thursday 28 at 1pm and 6pm and Friday 29 at 1pm are his Limerick dates.
“This is a show about a guy who had loads of work and then who, in the downturn, loses it”. Airfix modelling soothes the hours, plumps the emptiness.
“Joe, the character, connects online with the modelling community and discovers that they meet up monthly. He becomes obsessed, has to go to these and goes on to develop a rival at it”.
Pat McGrath plays this antagonising chap Herman, ‘real’ name Brian, and Joe’s wife and the other characters, engaging in the obstacles to excellence in making plastic models – such as the pile up of bills and his kids’ irritation. Tension builds as the International Plastic Models Society’s competition robs more of Joe’s attention, as does plotting vengeance for Herman’s superior airs.
“In a sense, this is about obsession, about control,” McGrath feels, himself a fully invested geek in model vehicles.
We can glue ourselves to this sought-after show and its knowing laughs through eventbrite.ie or emailing [email protected]
