Coming to The Civic NEXT WEEK…. The Manny, a dark comedy about an Irish male nanny who works for rich single mums in West London. The show has sold out shows in London, Smock Alley and The Viking. Critics have been RAVING about the show :
“McArdle offers a full-throttle performance but knows exactly when to slam on the brakes” ★★★★★ The Recs
“The writing is sure-footed, switching between the hide-and-seek game and the colourful backstory.” ★★★★ Irish Independent
“This work is particularly well crafted and delivered with some panache.” ★★★★ No More Workhorse
“Captivating, enthralling & meaningful… with a dash of dark & brilliant banter” ★★★★ Fringe Theatre Reviews
We had a chat with actor, writer & producer of the show, Sam McArdle.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself? Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Dublin, and moved to London just after college when I was 22 to go to drama school.
Tell us about your interest in the arts and writing/ performing? How did it come about?
I originally wanted to be a musician as a teenager. I wrote songs and sang and played guitar in bands with songs like Toxic Demise (jesus). I got into acting when I busted my shoulder playing rugby and started reading plays to calm down in the evenings. I moved to London in my early 20’s to go to drama school and ended up doing Shakespeare in a few different cities like New York Milan and Madrid, and did some TV and Film, but I ended up getting burnt out with acting and moved back to Dublin. I took time off from acting, and got a 9-5 job. When COVID hit, I decided to write about the time when I was a male nanny working for rich single Mums in West London, but also wanted to write about the themes of anxiety, societal pressure to have “made it” by your 30’s, and the transactional nature of dating apps.
Where have you performed before?
I’ve been lucky enough to play at Brooklyn Academy of Music in New York, Theater Bellevue in Amsterdam, and Chekhov International Theatre in Moscow.
What can Tallaght audiences expect from this show?
On one hand its a black comedy about vain Irish male nanny, rich single mums, a disenfranchised actress, and a walking Durex ad of a seven year old. On the other hand, it’s a commentary on the vacuousness of dating apps, with choice replacing romance, and the sense of anxiety and lonliness that can occur in a big city.
Tell us a random fact about yourself?
I could probably still name 1-150 of the original pokemon ( my god I’m going to die alone, and as a spinster).
What’s next for you?
After mid-may we finish the Irish tour, so I’ll be finishing off the tv adaptation of the play, having written the pilot script. I’ll probably try and take a holiday at some stage too.
The Manny plays at The Civic 30 April – 4 May
CLICK HERE TO BOOK NOW
Image Credit – Jonathan Goldberg
