The Bad Arm: Confessions of a Dodgy Irish Dancer

Theatre Asylum as part of the Hollywood Fringe Festival

Reviewed by Dany Margolies

June 22, 2010


Trained as an Irish dancer, Máire Clerkin is also a gifted writer-actor, whose tales (directed by Dan O'Connor) of growing up the imperfect daughter of a perfectionist dance teacher touch the underappreciated in all of us. That wayward bent elbow kept young Máire from winning dance competitions, but as she grew up she put the arm to use swilling beer and sucking cigarettes. All's well at the show's end, as Clerkin shows off her dance chops during her fast-forward recap of those tales, while we realize the fleeting nature of all our pain and all our triumph.

Presented at Theatre Asylum, 6320 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood. Sat., June 19, 4 and 11:30 p.m.; Sun., June 20, 7 p.m.; Fri., June 25, 5:30 p.m.; Sun., June 27, 2:30 and 7 p.m. (866) 811-4111. www.maireclerkin.com.
 

 
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