November 2007
An Unpredicatable Life
Tara Breathnach (Acting, 2004) talks about her life as an
actress in Ireland.
“My first gig after college was being a
villager for Druid Theatre Company in their production of
Well of the Saints. It was a fantastic opportunity
to observe actors I admire, particularly Marie Mullen. I must have
glorified the scenery somehow as shortly after the show ran in
Dublin I finally found an agent. Since then it has been an
eclectic mix of straight theatre, theatre in education,
television, street theatre, short films, Irish language work
and fringe plays. Ireland is a much smaller market than the UK
so most actors work across the genres.
This has been a very fortunate year for me and
I finally feel confident in introducing myself as an actress. I
finished a production Jude earlier in the year
which was emotionally intense, incredibly challenging and an
exciting run, however I was only too happy a week later to
work on a small puppet production. This summer has mainly been
spent in television work for TG4. Aifric is like
an Irish language version of Malcolm in the Middle
in which I play the slightly eccentric art teacher. At present I am
filming Ros na Rùn, a soap opera set in the west
of Ireland. I'll be working with them throughout the season so
it'll be as close to a regular job as is possible.
It is an unpredictable lifestyle full of
contrasts; champagne one minute, value cider the next; at least
it’s never dull! However slumps do happen, when they do I recommend
referring to the unemployment chapter in Simon Callow's
Being an Actor. I have managed to survive as a
working actress for three years now without having a nervous
breakdown! It isn't easy but I wouldn't have it any other way.”