COLM’S CURTAIN CALL TO BOOST AILING THEATRES
A NEW advert, starring Dublin actor Colm Meaney, is urging audiences not to forget the joy of live theatre during its long lockdown.
Meaney, a Hollywood star best known for his roles in The Commitments, The Snapper and Star Trek, is no stranger to treading the boards.
In the promotion, he is seen in many different theatre roles which have all been affected by the pandemic, from usher to bartender, confectionery dispenser to box-office assistant.
The 67-year-old actor says: ‘We are building a path back, to the theatres and live venues in Ireland, and look forward to welcoming you and entertaining you.
‘But this will be a journey of many parts, all of which will help us all get back to opening night. It takes a big team to put me here, but it takes an even bigger team to put you there… We hope you will join us, when curtain up finally happens.’
The ad, by Performing Ireland, is directed by Simon Delaney, who is known for his television roles in Bachelor’s Walk, The Good Wife and The Fall, and who is also a theatre lover, directing the Olympia panto for many years.
The idea for the ad was dreamed up and produced by Melanie King, and it will air on
RTÉ and Virgin Media One this month. Delaney, 50, said: ‘Having been involved as a working practitioner in the theatre industry for the past 20 years, it’s heartbreaking to see our business in such trouble.’ He continued: ‘We need support from the Government to ensure that the huge amount of people who are directly employed in the theatres and live venues in Ireland can survive. ‘I was more than happy to get involved in the campaign, and hope that people see our message as one of hope, and that we will be back soon.’
The project was shot in the historic Olympia Theatre on Dame Street in the heart of Dublin city.
The venue started life as The Star Of Erin Music Hall back in 1879, and the staff and crew are looking forward to reopening its hallowed doors and box office once again.
A spokesman for the campaign said: ‘The underlying message is simple: the arts haven’t gone away, we are fighting the fight and we’ll be back. Through innovation we can create new and safe ways of working to reopen venue doors, make productions happen again and all get back to opening night.’