Paul Mescal's Acting In Last Night's Normal People Came From A Very Real Place

While the sexual content of 'Normal People' might have provided fodder for Liveline callers, the programme's depiction of contemporary masculinity and the crisis in male mental health has been truly groundbreaking. These issues have never been broached before by television makers on this island. To be honest, we haven't ever really seen any programme tackle them with the intimacy and intensity of Episode 10, which aired last night on RTÉ.

In the episode, Connell's schoolmate Rob commits suicide over Christmas. The loss of an old friend plunges Connell into a depression. He eventually seeks out the help of a therapist, to whom he explains his guilt over Rob death's, as well as his own feelings of isolation and misery as he tries to make his way in Dublin. It was an emotionally devastating thirty minutes of television and Paul Mescal really is brilliant as Connell tries to cope with a tidal wave of emotions.

If there was a candour to Mescal's performance, it was no coincidence.

Just like most young people in this country, sadly, Mescal had firsthand experience in coping with suicide as a student, as he told the Independent back at the beginning of the month:

“Three people killed themselves at my school,” says Mescal. “So it’s not fictional to me, it’s real, and I was really nervous portraying it.” After the first death, Mescal’s mother took him out of lessons for a week because he “wasn’t equipped to cope with that level of devastation”.

This scene in the therapist's office felt like a breakthrough moment in our understanding of the emotional trauma that many young Irish men cope with. Communication is not really Connell's strongest attribute but laid bare by personal tragedy, he finds refuge by speaking of his emotions, and sharing them.

There was so much love for Mescal after the episode aired this week.

We imagine the scene will be played in the promo reels when Mescal is up 'Best Actor' nominations at the end of the year. It was remarkable piece of acting that will hopefully be shown to all young people. Sharing your feelings and emotions helps.

If you were were affected by any of the issues discussed in this article, you can contact Samaritans at any time on 116 123