Confessions of an Irish Rebel, now at the Irish Arts Center on West 51st Street, gives us the real flavor of Ireland in a show full of wit and wisdom in story and song. You're in a pub with a charming, smart, marvelous storyteller who sings the old tunes and becomes the many characters he talks about, each with a unique persona and voice. As Behan, Shay Duffin is the guy you'd actually love to meet in an Irish pub. He's a master storyteller, and this show, full of tales, action and song, is totally entertaining, even as it tells a rather sad story: At sixteen Behan was sent to jail for IRA activities, and as he aged and began to write and eventually become well-known, he gradually, over time, sank into the dreary self indulgence of alcoholism until his death at forty-one. Still, what a delightful time seeing unique character after unique character fully embodied. Not only does Duffin capture the essence of Behan, his own essence as a great entertainer shines through.
