Waterford actress makes ‘Druid’ debut
Waterford actress Éilish McLaughlin makes her debut with the acclaimed Druid Theatre Company this summer, playing ‘Nuala’ in Billy Roche’s classic play The Cavalcaders, which comes to Theatre Royal on 24th June as part of a national tour.
Originally from the Dunmore Road, Éilish is a former pupil of St Angela’s Ursuline Secondary School in the city. She’s been involved in theatre since the tender age of 9, when she first started attending stage school locally, and previously performed at the Theatre Royal while a teenager, in South Eastern Theatre Group’s Phantom of the Opera. Éilish went on to attend The Lir National Academy of Dramatic Art in Dublin, from where she graduated in 2019. “No-one in my family is directly involved in theatre but my paternal grandfather was hugely into amateur dramatics in Lurgan in Armagh”, Éilish says. “My parents are very proud and supportive of me and I know my dad would love if his father were alive to see me working in theatre.”
The Cavalcaders is a comic and tender portrait of life in small-town, pre-Celtic Tiger Ireland and the men who lived there. Terry and his friends Josie, Rory and Ted spend their days as cobblers and their nights as The Cavalcaders, a barbershop quartet of local renown. But life has taken its toll on Terry and past betrayals cast long shadows. Billy Roche’s classic memory play takes you on a journey back in time to the 1990s, to heartache, companionship and the redemptive power of song.
REVIEWS
“A resolutely feelgood drama… will have you singing … all the way home” – Irish Times
“These are ordinary humans … but the drama carved is a drama of kings and queens. That is the achievement of Roche…” – Irish Independent
Book here
More from Behind the scenes
Culture Night launch for new ‘flipped’ venue
We're reimagining our historic auditorium this Culture Night by ‘flipping’ the venue and creating a large dance floor area...
SEVN artist bursary winner
Palestinian circus artist Fadi Zmorrod has been announced as the recipient of the 2023-24 South East Venue Network (SEVN) artist bursary.
A climate conscious collaboration between Waterford’s Theatre Royal and artist-in-residence Nick Kavanagh, of Curious State Theatre Company, is one of 43 recipients to be awarded funding under th...
Theatre Royal’s ‘The People’s Parade’ brought a 100-strong cast of crabs, whales, evil polluters, earth protectors and other colourful characters with a clear environmental message on to th...