"Beautiful and harrowing,,,This account of a Roman Catholic boyhood interrupted retains a luminous, novelistic complexity that sets it apart from similar tales of stolen childhoods. It is, in its way, a mystery story, in the richest sense...Moran makes sure we acknowledge and respect what is unspoken and perhaps undefinable...14 years after 'The Tricky Part' was first staged, the dialogue between the two continues with full eloquent and ambivalent force. It is unlikely to end — ever."
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"The passage of time brings additional wisdom, and this revival finds Moran fearlessly interrogating his own work in an effort to dig even deeper. It's a frank, shocking, and beautifully sincere look at the psyche of a child on the cusp of adulthood, the older man who took advantage, and the difficulty of healing deep wounds...'The Tricky Part' is more than a play...It is as deep and connected an experience as we can have in the theater."
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“’The Tricky Part’ is a stealthy piece of construction; it sneaks up on you when you're not looking and leaves you emotionally poleaxed...Under Barrish's infinitely tactful direction, Moran handles this story entirely without sentimentality or bathos; ‘The Tricky Part' is so honestly written that each word, however painful, feels like a benediction. In the end, it is Moran's candor that saves him, opening the door to the understanding that forgiveness begins with himself.”
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"Moran's deeply affecting account has lost none of its potency in the intervening years, and 'The Tricky Part' is a timely reminder of the healing power in sharing and receiving traumatic histories...Moran is a gifted raconteur with a talent for making the audience lean in closer even as they want to pull back when the memories become so excruciatingly personal and disturbing. Indeed, the strength of the play stems from its simplicity."
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“Overbearing nuns, eccentric priests and confusing religious tenets are detailed with stand-up comedy gusto...What distinguishes ‘The Tricky Part’ is Moran’s fierce writing that clinically describes what happened with poetic realism...Moran is a captivating storyteller who effortlessly switches from light-hearted to seriousness with vivid facility...It’s all spellbinding due to Moran’s polished performance, his rich writing and the accomplished presentation.”
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"Feels not just timely but also refreshing, a necessary reminder of the humanity that can be found in even the most traumatic of events...'The Tricky Part' is not the 'child sex abuse show' you might think. It’s a story of reckoning, yes, but also one of grace and kindness, one that suggests that there might be value in even the worst experiences...It’s an essential piece of theatre, and we are lucky that Moran and the Barrow Group have brought it back—see it if you can."
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"What Moran has achieved with his play, is that it is indeed a play, and not a monologue or something that could as easily be read, and not necessarily performed. Smartly directed by Seth Barrish, what they bring to the piece with humility and humanity is undeniable...There wasn’t a moment in the play where Moran did not have my full and total attention."
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"The writing and performance are amazing. Moran speaks to us personally, confiding in us his deepest wounds as though we are each alone his closest friend. The show is impeccable. But I find the idea of the show troubling. And odd. What is it in a person that motivates him to tell this deeply personal and painful story over and over to rooms of strangers all around the world? What does it feel like?"
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