BELFAST actor/writer Michael Patrick brings his one-man play My Left Nut back to the MAC this week following awards success at the Edinburgh Fringe festival.
Having debuted at Dublin's Fringe Festival last September prior to its sold-out run at The MAC in December, the autobiographical play received a Summerhall Lustrum Award during its recent Edinburgh run, where it also made the Guardian and Sunday Times lists for 'best shows'.
My Left Nut tells the true story of how Michael developed hydrocele testis when he was 14, a condition which caused one of his testicles to swell up to the size of a Coke can.
The Belfast man's father died from Motor Neurone disease when Michael was very young and the play shows how he slowly comes to terms with his father’s death while dealing with his own illness, which he hid from others for as long as possible.
The play touches on the inability of men to talk about their problems and on the difficulties single mothers can have in raising young boys. In sharing his tale, Michael hopes to encourage men to seek help for their problems and remove stigma from such issues.
"We need more stories that tell men it’s alright to be vulnerable and talk about their problems," he says.
:: My Left Nut, The MAC, September 7-15. See Themaclive.com
