Half a Person is the coming of age story of William, the 22 year old skinny, self-obsessed Londoner whose life is like so many of the songs written by iconic Manchester band The Smiths.
Falling head over heels in love instantly with a surly northerner who he meets on one of his solo missions to hang around coffee shops, William (Joe Murray) has to balance his swing from morose to ecstatic whilst dealing with the information that his best friend Rick fancies him but is also battling a terminal illness.
Set to the music of The Smiths, Murray takes us through a brief but emotionally charged period in young William’s life which is his chance to be more than half a person. It is a one man show in which we hear about a number of characters but never meet anyone else as it is not necessary.
Acting and singing his way through the piece, Murray takes care not to slip in to pathos but does the story justice; mixing drama with humour and capturing early 20’s angst well. People are still finding themselves and establishing themselves as an adult but also prone to feeling like certain songs resonate with them deeply.
The music of The Smiths works perfectly for this piece as Morrisey’s lyrics can be deep and meaningful and ridiculous in equal measure. For fans of The Smiths it is a chance to indulge in some great music and remember what it was like to feel that a song summed up exactly what your life was about at that moment.
Music can be such an important part of people’s lives and that is something this piece captures well. Without relying too heavily on the music, Half a Person has a story to tell which is enhanced by the music choices rather than overshadowed by it.
A definite for fans of The Smiths and one for those who enjoy an interesting story peppered with great songs performed well by ‘This Charming Man’.
