The Toronto Theatre Review: Tom Moran Is A Big Fat Filthy Disgusting Liar
By Ross
Tom Moran takes the stage with a big grin, and we can tell, from the get-go, that he really, really wants us to like him, and laugh uproariously at all his big shout-outs and self-deprecating jabs. But there’s something else in his bravado that takes its time for us to fully become aware of. And although the road he takes to get there is not the one that we imagined, walking in and seeing a lone mic stand center stage at Theatre Passe Muraille, Toronto, the journey forward is straight from the heart and unexpectedly emotional. He calls himself a big, fat, filthy, disgusting liar, but I would have to disagree with the man. He’s none of the above, as the tale he weaves with Tom Moran Is A Big Fat Filthy Disgusting Liar, although sprinkled with stories of all of the above, takes a whole heap of vulnerable bravery and honesty to admit to a room full of strangers, even as he claims he genuinely doesn’t want to tell us.
“Have you ever told a lie? How bad was it? And how far would you go to keep it a secret?“
That’s the tag line from Tom Moran’s critically acclaimed, award-winning solo show that arrived in Toronto for a speedy two-night run at Theatre Passe Muraille, brought to us by the Canada Irish Foundation. A run that unfortunately ended the very night I saw it, after being performed to sold-out crowds at the Dublin Fringe Festival (2022), Edinburgh Fringe Festival (2023), and a celebrated stint with the Abbey Theatre, Ireland’s National Theatre (2024). But is he really the liar he claims to be? Is it accurate? It seems to be, in the past tense, in the biggest of cutting ways, but inside this unwavering unpacking, I might disagree wholeheartedly with this very appealing, complicated man.
Overflowing with humor and honesty that borders on self-deprication mixed with clarity and strong contemplation, Tom Moran Is A Big Fat Filthy Disgusting Liar throws out heaps and heaps of heart and complex confessionals. Moran spills forth, veering off to the side almost instantly with the microphone stand, placing it out of the direct spot light as if to make a point that this isn’t going to be your typical stand-up story, where the comic paces and performs the jokes that amuse. He has another angle in mind, one that leaves us a bit more off-centered as Tom tries his best to set things right, while battling his internal need to please and be liked.
Moran hypnotizes us gently by simply telling us the truth about being a liar, which is, in itself, an incredibly smart and off-balancing thing to do to us. Moran takes the stage to share his captivatingly funny and ferociously honest story of being both an expert in empathy and in ‘doing’ therapy, hoping he is forever getting five-star reviews for his ability to be a good patient. (Trust me, as a therapist in my real life, this is definitely a common trait, regardless of how it sounds.) And in this deeply personal tale of telling and holding onto lies, one lie in particular, against all odds, the framing and rapid-fire delivery, mixed with side steps into an amplified confessional, is hilariously revealing and completely captivating.
He weaves his way through, making us laugh and stop dead in our tracks with care and concern, as he unpacks and tries to comprehend ideas around masculinity, alcohol, sex, food, childhood, and all the ways one can mess up before trying to clean up. And the act works its magic over the crowd. He shares loving news and ideas of growth that make us care for this smart, sharp Irish man, and I hope Toronto gets another chance to give him, and his show, Tom Moran Is A Big Fat Filthy Disgusting Liar, all the love he says he so desperately needs. And deserves.
