The Trials of Harvey Matusow

“Y'know, the thing about McCarthy – the thing they never tell you – is this: Joe McCarthy was a
son of a bitch; but he was the nicest son of a bitch you ever met.”
England, the late ’60s. Harvey Matusow is a long way from home. Home, for the record, is New York, but it’s been a while since he was welcome there.
Still, he keeps himself busy.
In fact, there’s barely a moment when Harvey isn’t writing, broadcasting, playing the Jew’s harp, organising music festivals, inventing toys or burying pianos in the garden (his wife’s an avant-garde musician).
In fact, Harvey never really stands still.
Perhaps he’s afraid to stand still.
Perhaps if he did he’d have time to reflect on the events of the previous decade, when political flirtation with such as Joe McCarthy led his younger self from national fame to national infamy to jail – and finally into exile.
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“The best one-hander I have seen this year”
Plays International

“What is unequivocal is the sheer powerful brilliance of Cohen’s script... And then there’s the performance – pitch-perfect, adroit, vivacious and charming. Harvey’s the kind of guy you’d lend your last dime to, even if you knew damn well he’d betray you with it.” FringeGuru

Part of 8th Stroud Theatre Festival