First Haughey, now Aidan’s the bold Dave
HE famously portrayed the late Charlie Haughey in the RTÉ drama Charlie and now Aidan Gillen is stepping into the shoes of another controversial Irishman, the late comedian Dave Allen.
The 49-year-old will play the eponymous role in the biopic Dave Allen At Peace, a show commissioned by the BBC in association with RTÉ which will be broadcast this Easter.
Produced by Darlow Smithson Productions, the hour-long factual drama will focus on the obstreperous funnyman’s 40-year career, from performing alongside his brother as a Butlin’s Redcoat to becoming one of Ireland and the UK’s comedy greats
Got death threats from the IRA
before his death in March 2005.
The show addresses how the satirist and controversial comedian survived decades of the Catholic Church’s wrath, death threats from the IRA and a ban by Irish and Australian TV before his television career ended in discord when he used the f-word telling an innocuous joke.
He joined the BBC in 1968 and starred in The Dave Allen Show, a blend of entertainment and comedy sketches. It introduced TV audiences to his signature presenting style where he told jokes and sipped drinks as he sat on a high stool.
Dublin-born Allen regularly provoked outrage with his quick wit and uncensored quips about political hypocrisy and religious authoritarianism.
From 1971 to 1979 he hosted Dave Allen At Large where his religious satire landed him in hot water and earned the show a risqué reputation.
The upcoming film will be structured in a way that is an affectionate homage to Allen’s TV format. From a bar stool, Gillen’s Allen will reflect on his formative years and showbusiness career.
Flashbacks, some viewed as comedy sketches, will be interwoven with his bar-stool repartee.
Comedian and RTÉ presenter Tommy Tiernan will play Allen’s father in the feature which also stars Pauline McLynn.
Dave Allen At Peace will air on RTÉ One on Monday, April 2, at 9.30pm.