Very moving play ‘My Real Life’ is about love, life and death

FOUR Rivers returns to the stage this year with a nationwide tour of Eoin Colfer’s blackly comedic and very moving play about love, life and death, ‘My Real Life’.

In this “stunning” one-man play directed by Heather Hadrill, Wexford man Noel records his thoughts for a friend to provide ‘a bit of a speech for the afters’.

We soon learn the ‘afters’ in question concern Noel’s own funeral. He has been diagnosed with MS and decides to spend what are possibly the last hours of his life reliving the highs and lows of the past forty years.

‘My Real Life’ is shot through with writer Eoin Colfer’s trademark humour and compassion. It promises to be a night at the theatre that will stay with you for a long time.

Noel will be played by one of Ireland’s leading actors, Gorey-born Garrett Lombard, who last featured for Four Rivers in Jim Nolan’s ‘Castel Gandolfo’ in 2024 which sold out in record time.

Garrett is a regular performer at the Abbey and Druid theatres and has many celebrated television and film credits, including Scobie from ‘Pure Mule’, Father Harkin from ‘Quirke’ (with Gabriel Byrne), Leonnatus from ‘Alexander’ (directed by Oliver Stone) and Gary Kirwan from ‘Love Is the Drug’.

Heather Hadrill has recently directed Britten’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ for Wexford Festival Opera following her sell-out success for WFO with Donizetti’s Le Fille de Régiment in 2023.

She was Artist in Residence at Wexford Arts Centre in 2021 and also staged ‘Thomas Moore at Bannow’ at Bannow House in August 2024.

This one-man show runs for 90 minutes with no interval.

This week, The Echo sat down with Garrett to discuss ‘My Real Life’, which performs in the Civic Theatre at 8pm on June 17; booking information is available on the Civic website.

What can you tell us about ‘My Real Life’ without giving too much away?

My Real Life by Eoin Colfer is the story of Noel O’Brien as he records the memories and stories of his life onto a cassette recorder for his best friend, Richard.

So that Richard can “put together a bit of a speech for the afters”.

We soon learn that the “afters” in question are Noel’s own funeral.

He has been diagnosed with MS and has decided to end it all.

He has apologies to make and messages to send. He has love in his heart and he wants to declare it.

What inspired you to try out for this role?

After reading the play, I immediately wanted to play the part of Noel.

The character was so rich and detailed and had such heart that I completely fell in love with him.

When you heard that this production would be a one-man show, meaning you would have to perform the full 90 minutes without any supporting actors to work with, was the idea interesting or challenging to you?

The fact that it is a one-man play is both interesting and challenging.

Having never done a one-man show before, I was eager to find a piece that would suit me, and when ‘My Real Life’ fell into my lap, I jumped at the chance.

What has been your favourite part of working on ‘My Real Life’ so far and why?

My favourite part of working on the play so far has been finding out the journey of a man who has decided to end his life.

To enter into the mindset of someone that has considered their position deeply and has come to a place of peace and resolution.

What have been some of the biggest challenges involved with this production so far, and how have you navigated them?

One of the biggest challenges of taking on this part is the physicalisation of a person suffering with MS.

In researching the disease, I discovered that it affects different people in different ways.

And so the challenge was to find the specific ways it affected the character in his day-to-day routines.

What is next for you? Do you have any more projects planned for 2026?

I’m in a film coming out later this year called ‘Silverback’, starring Tom Vaughan Lawlor and Jason Isaacs.

Who would you like to thank for helping to make this one-man show possible?

I would deeply like to thank everyone in the Four Rivers theatre company: Ben Barnes, who introduced me to the piece; Heather Hadrill, for directing it so beautifully; and Carol Stacey, our brilliant stage manager.

To the Wexford Arts Centre for their wonderful support.

And to a fantastic creative team for all their amazing work. It’s been my privilege.