{"version":"1.0","type":"rich","provider_name":"Acast","provider_url":"https://acast.com","height":250,"width":700,"html":"<iframe src=\"https://embed.acast.com/$/b2fb5f0b-0ce7-4e5c-b6e0-9b1febd06aea/69975a0b435569254b4a474f?\" frameBorder=\"0\" width=\"700\" height=\"250\"></iframe>","title":"Is The Monk a play, a pity party or PR spin for Gerry Hutch?","description":"<p>What started as a one-man play about the life and times of Gerry Hutch became a two-hander this week when, in a curtain-raising surprise, Hutch himself <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/stage/review/2026/02/17/the-monk-review-rex-ryans-one-man-show-about-gerry-hutch-is-a-most-peculiar-experience/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">appears on stage to deliver a prologue</a>.</p><p><br></p><p>Rex Ryan premiered his play The Monk – called after the widely used nick-name of his subject – last summer but for its second outing it moved to a much larger Dublin venue, The Ambassador, for a weeklong run.</p><p><br></p><p>Ryan, who produces, stars and directs The Monk is, says Irish Times crime and security editor Conor Lally, a powerful presence on stage.</p><p><br></p><p>Hutch, adds little says Lally – except audience pulling power. He went along to a performance to see how Hutch, whose career he has followed closely, is portrayed. He gives his plain-speaking review here.</p><p><br></p><p>Lally found the section on the murder of journalist Veronica Guerin deeply distasteful and the extent to which RTÉ journalist Paul Reynolds lives rent-free in Hutch’s head simply bizarre.</p><p><br></p><p>Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey.</p>","author_name":"The Irish Times"}