By Reena Dutt
Arizona Daily Wildcat
January 22, 1998

Two's company: 'A Couple of Blaguards' packs a crowd

Photo courtesy of Periaktos Productions Arizona Daily Wildcat Graham Thatcher (L) and Alan Austin (R) star in "A Couple of Blaguards" at the Tucson Center for Performing Arts. The show is presented by Borderlands Theatre, in conjunction with Periaktos Productions.

"A Couple of Blaguards," the tale of an Irishman's life from Limerick, Ireland to the United States, is presented by Borderlands Theatre in association with Periaktos Productions and performed by a well-experienced cast of two - Alan Austin, as Frank McCourt, and Graham Thatcher, as his brother Malachy McCourt. While Austin is a native of England, Thatcher is an American performer. Both do an excellent job with their varied roles; it's no surprise that Thatcher has performed his role before, including at the play's premiere at the Great American History Theatre in St. Paul, Minnesota in 1991. Austin's performance as Frank is no-holds-barred, and the two actors make a great team on stage.

The play is organized in what seems to be a common style of modern performance: a couple of actors represent several characters throughout the show. Although a lack of variation in faces can become tiresome, the actors pull it off fairly well. The plot takes place in an American bar, where the two brothers recall their life stories to each other. They cover topics including birth, death, accomplishment, failure, prejudice and, of course, women. With each story, the men take on different characters, using props in the bar to become better representations of their new subject. For example, in one scene they both impersonate Irish women who are high on chastity; their napkins become shawls, then, after they finish making fun of the women's abstinence, they break out of character with a flick of the wrist.

Although some women may take offense at the exaggeration, the actors add a disclaimer to their performance - they are "Equal Opportunity Offenders" - a statement firmly adhered to. The play rags on Christianity, prudishness, grandparents, parents, funerals, first communions, smuggling, languages, prejudices and more, leaving a virtual guarantee that every person in the audience will have at least one joke aimed at him.

When the joke is on immigrants, Frank is told, "Go back to where you came from." In response, he asks, "Madam, do you happen to know the size of the average womb?" Such retorts exemplify the wit and appeal of the show, which is ultimately good for guaranteed laughs, as opposed to any sort of offense.

At the end of the performance, the audience is asked to sing the Irish tunes whose lyrics are given in the program: "Phil the Fluther" and "The Parting Glass." Although embarrassing for some, the songs leave the audience with a piece of Irish culture, an added memory to a well-done performance.

"A Couple of Blaguards" continues Jan. 21-25 and 28-Feb. 1, at The Tucson Center for Performing Arts, 408 S. 6th Ave. For more information on performances and ticket prices, call Borderlands Theatre at 882-7406.