Master of all trades, Deirdre O’Kane, brings tour to Sligo
SHE was all over our screens earlier this year as she reached the final of Dancing With the Stars on RTE, and now comedian Deirdre O’Kane is set to take over the stage of the Hawk’s Well Theatre when she visits town this Friday, October 12 th.
Her first ever professional acting job was in Sligo, so it’s a nostalgic place for Deirdre.
She even lived in Cartron Bay for six months, and is well able to do an impression of a Sligo town accent.
Deirdre starred in Conor McDermottroe’s ‘Halal Daddy’, which was filmed in Sligo.
‘A Line of O’Kane’ is currently touring the country and has received rave reviews. Deirdre said: “A good deal of the show is me recounting the days of Dancing With the Stars, turning 50 and having kids.”
She’s had a hectic two years, but managed to find time in her schedule for ‘Dancing With the Stars’. It was tough, long, and gruelling, but something Deirdre really enjoyed.
“People kept asking me ‘did you have a ball?’ on Dancing With the Stars and I always say ‘it was the most gruelling ball’. I did have a ball.
“It was worth it but there’s no point pretending that it wasn’t tough work. You can’t go from a couple of hours of exercise a week to eight hours a day, without considerable pain.
“After week seven we were doing eight hours a day. I haven’t danced since, it’s weird you kind of move on from it.”
Her career as a stand-up comedian began in the 1990s. She had been acting long before that, and was involved in theatre, TV, and even film.
You might know her from ‘ Intermission’, ‘Moone Boy’, or as the voice of the Irish ‘Gogglebox’, or even from her theatre days.
“Stand-up isn’t the hardest thing to get into. I used to go along to the International Bar, where everyone used to start out and you’d put yourself down for ten minutes and it sort of took off really fast for me.
“Before I went into stand-up I had ten years’ experience on stage which definitely made a difference. It was scary. I thought I was going to have a heart attack. I was on stage and I was thinking ‘ this is not normal’.
“I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m easily bored. When I come back from touring with stand-up I’m dying for an acting job. I’m doing a bit of presenting now as well.”
She’s a jack of all trades, but unlike most, she’s mastered them all. Whether it’s radio, theatre, television, film or stand-up comedy, Deirdre ticks all the boxes.
“People often say you can’t crossover things but I have and it’s worked for me so far.
“I haven’t done theatre for a long time, my schedule has been so full on.
“The last couple of years have been pretty manic. I returned from the UK with a panicked feeling of re-establish- ing myself, I was keen to land here and make it clear that I was back. I take on work because you never know when your next job will be.”
Tickets for this event are €20. All tickets will have a €1 Development Fee surcharge and are available from the Hawk’s Well Theatre box office on 071-91/61518 or book online at www.