HURRICANE Higgins was a hero to those who believe talent will always triumph over disaster - and in his later years, a parable of talent wasted.
The snooker star had it all and lost it all, seemingly without regret. His triumphs were legendary - and the depths he sank to equally extreme.
And on Tuesday, Hurricane, an extraordinary new one-man show written and performed by Richard Dormer, brings back the effortless talent that brought the green baize back to the masses.
Dormer said: "Nobody can put their finger on what makes Alex tick. He is a mystery and that is what drew me to him.
"It was terrifying doing it for him for the first time. He came in to see 20 minutes of it in rehearsals. That was the hardest performance of my life.
"He told me I reminded him of himself when he was young. I think it was because I held eye contact with him when we were arguing.
"He's small and slight but he's most intimidating and his eyes would burn through metal.
"He's a whirlwind. He's never still. He'll tell you that he keeps moving even when he's asleep.
"And he has this walk at the snooker table, a sort of sharp angular strut, a mixture of a dancer, a gladiator, and a boxer.
"From the moment I say the first line I have this momentum, like a pinball pinging about a table.
"It's exhilarating at the time but it leaves me shattered the next day."
But Higgins himself surprisingly approves of the show. He said: "The only way to tell my story is to do everything - warts and all.
"I think it is very human, with human strengths and human frailties."
Hurricane comes to the Sherman Theatre, Cardiff, on March 2. Tickets are £13 or £10 concessions from the box office on 02920 646900.
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