TALK TIME:You're appearing in the second run of Bisi Adigun and Roddy Doyle's version of ' The Playboy of the Western World'.How did that come about,? asks Eoin Butler
Well, I happened to see the play during its original run in 2007 and really enjoyed it. I'd also worked previously with Roddy on The Woman Who Walked into Doors. So when Jimmy Fay offered me the role of the Widow Quinn, I was delighted to accept. This is my first time acting in the Abbey, so it was wonderful to be asked, particularly since it's a Dublin play.
As you mentioned, the play has been relocated to Dublin. Has the Widow Quinn character changed very much?
Not an awful lot. Obviously, the dialogue isn't exactly the same. It's set on the northside of Dublin in the present day, so it's very much that dialect. But it's amazing how much of the original material transposes. One of my favourite lines is 'It's true all girls are fond of courage and hate the like of you'. That's taken verbatim from the original text.
The Widow Quinn is still manipulative and cunning. But she uses her sexuality a little bit more in this adaptation, certainly my version of the character does.
That's interesting because the Widow Quinn, at 30, would have been practically an old woman in Synge's day. But these days she'd still be in her element.
She's in her prime, yeah. She's certainly a lot saucier and a lot sexier.
Paula Spencer in ' The Woman Who Walked into Doors'was a much darker role.
That was a huge challenge. The show was an hour and three quarters long with no interval. And the majority of that was Paula's dialogue. It was a very, very tough role. The play was about domestic violence. So there would have been women coming to see it for whom Paula was their story, their life. Luckily, Roddy did a great job on the writing and it was very successful. So while it was a gruelling experience, it was also very rewarding.
On foot of that success you were asked to open shelters for victims of domestic violence. Was that something you were comfortable doing?
To be honest, it was something I was slightly uncomfortable with. Because domestic violence isn't something I've ever experienced myself, except through Roddy Doyle's writing.
But I suppose, because I have a high profile or whatever, my involvement increases awareness of these charities. So I'm always happy to help any way I can.
You're also a nine-year veteran on 'Fair City'. Do you still enjoy doing that?
It's a hugely challenging environment, to be honest, because you're shooting at a very fast pace. There isn't an awful lot of rehearsal time. You have to work hard, think on your feet. There isn't a lot of time in advance to generate chemistry with your fellow actors. So it's always going to be a tall order when you're working at that speed.
Is it true that, if an actor there fluffs his or her lines, the only way to make sure the take isn't used regardless is for them to immediately swear loudly?
Oh no, no . . . I don't know where you heard that, but you wouldn't last long in the job if you did that very often. You certainly wouldn't be too popular on the set. There isn't any time for any kind of messing around.
They're usually fine about reshoots, though. I think the protocol is that, if you've watched the scene back, and you feel like you could add more, there's usually space to do it again.
The Playboy of the Western Worldis at the Abbey Theatre, Dublin, from December 16th to January 31st.