Edinburgh Fringe | Solo show, new writing
- Son of Motherwell pub owners rediscovers the true meaning of home
- TV and screen actor John Anthony Gorman’s autobiographical story
Watch a clip here.
Returning from the USA to clear out his childhood home in Glasgow, John Anthony Gorman finds the rooms aren’t just packed with their possessions – they overflow with memories.
His dad John and mum Ann were strong characters, well-kent in Motherwell where they ran The Woodcutter pub for half a century.
The play reflects Gorman’s real-life experience, it’s packed with laughter and sadness, as he recalls key moments in family life.
He recalls how he stole his mum’s diamond earrings to look like David Beckham. And in a hilarious mix up of assumptions, he finally gets the words out, revealing he plans to move to the US.
Or there’s the heart-wrenching memory of serving his terminally ill father a final Guinness.
Gorman said: “After my parents died and our family home was packed up and sold, I found myself isolated by grief, seeking the sense of home I had lost.
“My wife Mickele encouraged me to share my experiences as a one-man show, and The Woodcutter is the result.
“I realised that what makes a true home is not the four walls, it’s the people. The memories, the celebrations, watching your team score the winning goal, but it’s also all the shit, getting through the hard times and never giving up on each other, even when it gets ugly.
“That’s the ‘home’ that lives in me now, that shaped me. While the story is uniquely mine, it’s also everyone’s. We all face the death of our loved ones and making peace with it in our own way.”
Gorman had a staunchly Catholic upbringing and was sent to the Jesuit St Aloysius College. While training for a career in golf he spent vacations working behind the bar in The Woodcutter.
Gorman has found success in the USA, appearing in TV shows such as NBC’s The Blacklist, and alongside Nicole Kidman in Paramount’s Lioness, as well as Disney’s Daredevil: Born Again. His recent Off-Broadway credits include: The Parlour (The Rattlestick Theater) and Nowhere Man (Theatre for the New City.)
Listings details
The Woodcutter
- Venue: Triplex Studio @theSpaceUK (Venue 38)
- Time: 16:05
- Dates: Aug 7-9 (preview), 11-15, 18-22, 25-29
- Duration: 50 mins
- Prices: Full price £12, concession £9. Preview £10 full, £8 concession
- Age: 18+
- Tickets: 0131 226 0000 / www.edfringe.com