Being Frank

Being Frank flatters to deceive. In the early stages of a self-directed solo performance that runs to just over an hour, Frank Moran seems destined to tell the story of the Marx Brothers.

That swiftly falls by the wayside as the New Yorker with Irish- and Italian-American roots instead relates his own family history, using photos almost like puppets.

Rather than telling a sometimes tragic story of addiction and showbiz straight, Moran enlists the help of the Marx brothers, primarily Groucho, to lighten the mood and tell a few gags.

From a young age, Frank seemed destined to become a performer and, in the fullness of time, made a career in show business, acting, singing, dancing and often portraying—yes, you guessed it—Groucho Marx.

As the performance develops, it can seem like a slightly incongruous combination of family history, Marx Brothers style gags and, by the end, a therapy session to which a paying audience has been invited.