Can you tell us a bit about your background? Where did you grow up?
I grew up in a small village called Old Pallas in County Limerick. My childhood was a wholesome one. I spent a lot of time outdoors on the farm and galavanting in the fields (which meant going on nature walks and adventures with school friends!). I am part of a family of six and am the baby of four children. I went to primary school in a small country school called Barna N.S and my secondary education was at St. Joseph’s Convent of Mercy in Doon, Co. Limerick. I was a competitive swimmer for years with Tipperary Tiger Sharks and I played classical guitar up to grade 7. I was always busy playing Gaelic football, going to swimming competitions, football matches, learning and playing music. There was no time to ‘be bored’ in my childhood. I am so grateful that I didn’t have a phone to distract me from the real world around me.
Tell us about your acting background, have you always performed?
I was a very shy and quiet child and so, my mother thought that sending me to ‘Expressive Arts Stage school’ in Limerick city would build my confidence. I remember singing in front of a group for the first time and I hated it. Things have changed a bit since then! I took part in the local amateur variety shows in my teenage years and and was also a member of the Pallasgrean Ballad Group -we were a group of five who competed in Scór na nÓg for years and I loved it. I did my first full play in transition year in secondary school. I played the role of Alice in Go Ask Alice and I remember getting really into the part. For most people in the class, doing the play was a bit of fun. For me, it was serious. I got really into the part and poured my soul into it (in hindsight, I was definitely over-acting!). From then on the cogs started turning about acting as a potential career. When the time came to fill in the CAO form, I had Drama in UCC at the top of the list but I changed it last minute to Primary School Teaching -a more realistic career path. I got the points for teaching and went on to train at Mary Immaculate College where I spent three years learning the tricks of the trade. I won’t lie. I knew after a year of teacher training that I didn’t want to be a teacher. What kept me in Mary I was MIDAS, the drama society within the college. This is where my genuine passion for making theatre flourished. When I joined MIDAS, I was finally around people who were just as passionate about performance as I was. I loved being around enthusiastic and dedicated people who were genuinely committed to telling stories on stage in a beautiful way. I owe MIDAS so much for allowing me to explore and encourage my creative channel which I truly believe is in all of us. Having performed in three musicals and directing one musical with MIDAS, I knew that I had to work in the arts. Anything else was not an option anymore. I decided that drama school was the only realistic thing to do. In two years I saved up enough money for conservatoire training in the UK. I did a Masters in Acting at the Guildford School of Acting and have never looked back. This is my life path. It’s a tough one, but I wouldn’t do anything else.
Tell us about the Play ‘Queen of Technicolor- The Story of Maureen O’ Hara?
‘Queen of Technicolor – The Story of Maureen O’ Hara’ is a one woman show which reveals the life behind the limelight of the iconic Maureen O’ Hara. The show delves into many aspects of O’ Hara’s life -her childhood, her experience as an actress in Hollywood, her relationships, her struggles and her victories. Maureen was a fighter. She stood up for herself and didn’t allow others to put her down or control her. A frontrunner of the #MeToo movement, O’ Hara spoke out about the sexual harassment that went on the 40’s. She didn’t accept the norms of Hollywood and resisted the men who tried to get her on the casting couch. She remained dignified, confident and self-assured during her career and garnered respect as a result of this. No one wanted to mess with her. If they did, she would “give them hell” as she said herself. This show radiates the message: YES YOU CAN. No matter how many people put you down and try to get the better of you, you have the power within you to come out on top. We all have that strength within us. We just need to trust it and be true to ourselves.
What can Tallaght audiences expect from the show?
Tallaght audiences can expect to be taken on an intimate and personal journey with Maureen O’ Hara. At times they will rejoice with Maureen, and other times they sit quietly with her, absorbing the world in which she found herself. O’ Hara’s story is one we can all relate to. It is a universal story in a sense that we, like Maureen, are human beings. We experience joy, loss, happiness, grief, pride, trauma and love. Maureen’s story will speak to you in a personal way. You will come to understand that celebrities are just like you and me and that their lives, like yours, have peaks and troughs.
Tell us an random fact about yourself?
I can do a great ‘bug-stuck-on-a-windscreen’ face. I don’t think I can get more random than that. Oh! My skin turns patches of blue and orange when I swim in the sea in Winter! There you go now.
What’s next for you?
When the national tour is over I will return to London and resume my life there. I live in Balham and I have great friends around London who I look forward to seeing again.
I’m excited to bring my family to ARRACHT, which I played a role in. The film won Best Irish film at the Dublin Film Festival and the Audience award at Glasgow Film Festival. It will be released in cinemas on April 3rd. In terms of what’s next for ‘Queen of Technicolor- The Story of Maureen O’ Hara’ … that’s a secret for now but do keep your eyes peeled on the website (www.oharaplay.com) and facebook page (@OHaraPlay). Exciting announcements will be revealed soon!
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‘Queen of Technicolor – The Story of Maureen O’ Hara’
Thurs 12 March, 2020 | 8pm
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