Opening 25 May 2006
Directed by:
Neil Jordan
Writing credits:
Neil Jordan, Pat McCabe
Principal actors:
Cillian Murphy, Liam Neeson, Ruth Negga, Laurence Kinlan, Stephan Rea
From Neil Jordan, the director of The Crying Game, comes another wonderful and surprising story about a transvestite cabaret singer in the 70’s: Patrick Bradent (child played by Conor MvEvoy, adult by Cillian Murphy). Born in 1958, he grows up in a small village in Ireland, raised by a foster mother who is a hard woman and owner of the local pub. His parents are the village priest Father Bernard and his mother was Bernard’s housekeeper, whom he raped. Patrick’s mother hit the road soon after the birth. Patrick likes women’s clothes and as a teenager, glam rock and mascara. Finally in the 1970s he moves to the big time of London to become a male transvestite prostitute. He constantly tries to imagine his mother, and realizes at an early age that he is different. He is also quite lucky to have a gang of three unusual friends who accept him the way he is and the feeling is mutual.. The story works on several layers with the base theme of trying to belong and being loved for who you are. Cillian Murphy is absolutely gorgeous and it is hard to believe that she is a man. The costumes are great and the story is certainly a winner! (Shelly Schoeneshoefer)
