THE VERSATILITY OF ROSALEEN LINEHAN

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS n Madame Arcati in Noel Coward’s

Blithe Spirit. “Is there anybody there?” said the batty clairvoyant Madame Arcati. There’s nothing like a seance for a bit of drama. Linehan played her at the Gate with great aplomb. No wonder it’s one of her favourite roles.

n Feste in Twelfth Night. She can do Shakespeare too, and how. After ditching the comedy revues, this was one of her early straight roles. It was directed by Joe Dowling at the Gate Theatre. Straight? Serious? She was dressed as a man, complete with moustache and had them howling in the aisles, once more.

n Mother of All the Behans — Kathleen Behan was a unique character who lived through stirring times in Irish history. Raised in an orphanage, she took part in the 1916 Rising and went on to rear one of Ireland’s famous families. “What makes her so appealing to me is her sense of fun and her extraordinary repertoire of songs,” said Rosaleen. She may as well have been talking about herself. It opened in the Abbey in 1987 and subsequently toured to London, Edinburgh and New York.

n Des and Rosie — These revues were comedy gold. Cleverly crafted with comic timing and music, they were wonderful shows. They poked fun at politicians, and anyone else in sight. Co-written by Rosaleen and her husband Fergus, generations of Irish people are ever grateful for the laughs.

n The Hi-Country — Just when you thought you knew her type of role, Rosaleen appeared in this western film, complete with cowboys and trouble at the ranch. It was directed by Stephen Frears. She starred alongside Penelope Cruz and Woody Harrelson. There were no laughs but it was a gem of a cameo role.