EDINBURGH 2021: Review: MY LEFT NUT, Summerhall Online

Originally staged at Summerhall in 2018, My Left Nut is the true story of Irish teenager Michael Patrick and is written by Michael Patrick and Oisin Kearney.

Mike lost his father as a young boy and when he discovers a swelling on his testicle, he is too scared to approach his mother about it.

My Left Nut is storytelling at its finest. Patrick is an engaging performer balances the humour and severity of the situation so well. While there is some playful language about his giant testicle, it is clear that this could potentially be very serious. Mick is going through normal teenage things as well as trying to cope with the death of his father and fears about his own health. In this solo show, Patrick switches between characters and expertly changes mannerisms to reflect whether he is speaking as his younger self, his mother or as the doctor.

What is particularly touching about this story is how Patrick's relationship with his mother develops. As Patrick was young when his father passed, he didn't know much about his diagnosis process and he grows much closer to his mum as she talks about how she coped with that time while pregnant and with a young child.

The quality of this digital production is high and it is easy to find yourself fully immersed in the story. My Left Nut has been filmed in a garage and aside from some sound effects to set the scene of the '90s, it leaves all of the work up to the captivating writing and performance.

My Left Nut is available on demand from 6 August.

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