Colin Morgan. Need I say more? Those two simple words are enough to make any Merlinian jump about five foot in the air. As soon as I found out he was going to be in a play at the Royal Court Theatre I just HAD to get tickets. Because I live in Windsor it was an hour’s train journey to Sloane Square, via the underground. And if you have ever been ‘lucky’ enough to travel on the underground trains, you know what I mean when I say it was a tad cramped. But Colin was worth it.

As EllenofCamelot mentioned, the upstairs theatre it pretty much just a studio set. Even if you were in the back row you would have been able to see everything in detail. I managed to get me and my Mum, yes I am THAT cool, second row seats.

Within a few minutes of getting in and settling down, the lights went out and the stage lights went on. The screen pulled back and there stood Colin. Wearing a cardigan. Oddly cute, actually. I think I nearly had a heart attack.

I’ll go over the plot line, for those of you who don’t know it. “Our Private Life” is about a respected Columbian family whose name goes to trash when a rumour starts up about the Father ‘fiddling’ with a twelve year old boy. The story may sound a little dismal, but the script is hilarious. Carlos, played by Colin, is his youngest son. He’s a gay bipolar compulsive fantasist, along with many other things. You name it, he’s got it. But of course, being a compulsive fantasist, he’s convinced his Father did the same to him, but he can’t remember.

He goes to the Physiatrist who reveals, through hypnosis, that Carlos was abused as a boy. After that it all gets a little out of control. But it ends up that the Father never abused his sons, and the twelve year old he was ‘fiddling’ with was actually his lover.

I know what you’re thinking. And trust me, I was thinking the same. How on Earth is this realistic? Well, it wasn’t, but that didn’t stop me nearly wetting myself through the entire thing. From laughter, not excitement. Well…

Colin, of course, was the highlight for me. Now, if you’re a little young for swearing or such like, divert you eyes now. I’m going to quote some of Colin’s moments that had me in stitches. They probably won’t make you laugh out of context, but I’ll give it a shot.

When the family are having an argument at dinner, Carlos starts crying because everyone’s shouting. I couldn’t breathe from the laughing. Colin was hysterically crying, jogging his legs up and scrunching his face up into a ridiculous expression. Just imagine it in your head, and I defy you to keep a straight face. Then he tries to kill himself. With a butter knife. Need I say that it didn’t work?

One of my other favourite moments is when he is calling his older brother Sergio, and asking his whether he can remember anything about their childhood. Carlos ends up shouting down the phone “Tell me my dad used to touch me!” which was met by a long awkward silence. I have to say I almost fell out of my seat when Colin says “Don’t worry, Mum and Dad don’t have sex anymore, they’re dead to the world.” I almost had to run up onto the stage and cover Colin’s ears screaming, “No! You shouldn’t know such language!” I managed to refrain from doing so.

I have to say kudos to the entire cast who had to memorise colossal monologues. They spoke with such conviction! I was honestly sitting there opened mouthed at their skills. It was one of those amazing plays that you just get sucked into, and then when they finish you’re like “Hey! Where did my hour and a half of Colin go?!” All seven characters where so realistically and humorously portrayed. It was absolutely amazing!