How I missed out on chance of an acting career when I turned down a role that was made for me
This was a role with a difference. It was being specially written for me. I was to be the weatherman on the high seas, pointing the pirates in the right direction.
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BBC News
16 hours ago
- BBC News
Rocky Horror Show cast get ready to Time Warp in Belfast
The cast of the touring production of the Rocky Horror Show have paid homage to one of the show's original stars, who is from Belfast. Patricia Quinn starred in the original stage production and in the film. It is also a "full circle moment" for Connor Carson, from Killinchy in County Down, who is playing Brad Majors in the touring Rocky Horror Show first opened as a stage production in the Royal Court in 1973 and then became a film starring Tim Curry and Susan Sarandon. The popular show has built up a huge cult following over the years as fans follow the adventures of Brad Majors and Janet Weiss who accidentally find themselves in Frank-N-Furter's country mansion living alongside the perfect man Rocky and domestics Riff Raff and Magenta. The iconic Time Warp dance is also a hugely popular feature of the show. Patricia Quinn played Magenta and the Usherette in the Royal Court production and subsequent film. Natasha Hoeberigs is now playing Magenta and the Usherette and is proud to be part of a show with such an important legacy. "Incredible people have come and gone through the show over the years, like the amazing Patricia Quinn," she said."To step into the shoes of a role that she originated, it's a blessing, it's a dream come true," she said. "I grew up as a child in New Zealand watching the film and watching her portrayal and thinking that's amazing,". In Hamilton in New Zealand there is a statue of Riff Raff. Rocky fans have tried to get a Magenta statue organised in Belfast. Ms Hoeberigs believes it "has to happen". "I think we need to start a petition and I think everyone who is a fan of Rocky Horror needs to get on board with this and we must pay homage to Patricia Quinn and her Magenta," she said. "Richard O'Brien has his statue in Hamilton in New Zealand and it would be so special to have one here in Belfast." Connor Carson used to perform in amateur shows in Belfast and Lisburn before training professionally. He has now performed in the West End and Rocky Horror is his first UK tour."The first professional show I ever watched as a little kid was here in the Grand Opera House so it's definitely a full circle moment to come back here and be playing one of the leads in Rocky Horror - it's a pinch me moment," he says it is very comforting to hear Northern Irish accents in the crowd and meeting him at stage door. "It's such an iconic show and people love it so much so it's great to bring that to Belfast as well," he said. "There is pressure here as I've a bunch of family and friends coming to see it this weekend. "It's amazing to be part of something that means so much to people and that they can connect with. It's really special."One of Connor's favourite bits of the show is getting to perform the Time Warp, particularly during the finale. "Doing the Time warp is an iconic piece of choreography, everyone has been doing at primary school discos since they were five years old," he added. The Rocky Horror show is currently playing at the Grand Opera House in Belfast before moving on to Dublin and then the Millennium Forum in Londonderry.
The Herald Scotland
15-07-2025
- The Herald Scotland
Stunning exhibition celebrating artist Paula Rego hosted in Kilmarnock
A public preview evening will take place at the Dick Institute on Thursday 19 June from 5pm, providing visitors with an early opportunity to experience the exhibition. One of the great printmakers and storytellers of our time, Paula Rego drew inspiration from a vast range of sources - from traditional folklore and fairy tales, to literary classics and nursery rhymes. (Image: ● Captain Hook and the Lost Boy, 1992, Coloured etching and aquatint on Somerset paper) Paula Rego: Visions of English Literature will present three of the artist's most ambitious and profound series of works in printmaking: Nursery Rhymes, Peter Pan and Jane Eyre, made across a decade of the artist's life. Each series will be accompanied by a variety of personal items from the artist, many of which have never been publicly displayed before. Unseen preparatory sketches, etching plates and Rego's very own childhood copy of Peter Pan will offer audiences an intimate portrayal of the artist's lifelong fascination with literature and insight into how the artist transformed this material into startlingly original and unexpected pictures. From menacing oversized creatures etched into life from children's nursery rhymes such as Little Miss Muffet and Three Blind Mice, to the almost hallucinatory depictions of Neverland from Peter Pan and the tumultuous relationships based on power read about in Jane Eyre, Rego's work tells stories that combine fantasy and imagination, innocence and cruelty, in order to explore the complexities of life and the experience of women in particular, in all its strangeness and mystery. Paula Rego: Visions of English Literature aims to spark new ways of seeing the world from audiences in relation to these seemingly familiar, age-old stories. Hayward Gallery Touring is the UK's largest contemporary art organisation producing exhibitions that tour Britain. As part of the Southbank Centre, an engine of creativity for the nation's artists and audiences, Hayward Gallery Touring is passionate about the important role that cultural institutions play in providing access to the arts. Paula Rego: Visions of English Literature will bring a unique cultural experience to new audiences up and down the UK, providing an opportunity to step into the world and mind of one of the most important figurative artists of her generation. Brian Cass, Senior Curator, Hayward Gallery Touring, says: 'Throughout her life, Paula Rego used print-making as a central tool of her art. Taking inspiration from literature, she connected with stories in very personal ways, using them to articulate the conditions of her own life and draw her desires, dreams, fears, and traumas into sequences of remarkable pictures. "Hayward Gallery Touring had the honour of working with Paula Rego on a small travelling show in the 1990s. We are absolutely delighted to continue this relationship 35 years later, and by collaborating with a range of exhibition patterns, celebrate her unique art and vision with audiences across the UK.' Geraldine Green, Visual Arts Development Officer, East Ayrshire Leisure, says: 'We are honoured to present Paula Rego: Visions of English Literature at the Dick Institute. Rego's work resonates deeply with audiences through its powerful storytelling and emotional intensity. "This exhibition offers a rare opportunity to explore her printmaking in depth, revealing the creative processes behind some of her most iconic series.' (Image: The Dick Institute, Kilmarnock) Paula Rego's Estate, says: 'Life with Paula was filled with stories, humour and mischief and she always seemed to have her own, surprising twist on the books she read. She often said that she had the most fun making the prints for these series because the stories were already laid out for her, but there's no question that she made them her own. "We'd like to thank Hayward Gallery Touring for mounting this exhibition.' Paula Rego: Visions of English Literature will be a long-standing touring exhibition, taking residency at further locations following its presentation at Lakeside Arts. These locations will be announced at a later date. Paula Rego: Visions of English Literature is a Hayward Gallery Touring exhibition. It has been developed with the support of Paula Rego's Estate. For more details, click here
Belfast Telegraph
12-07-2025
- Belfast Telegraph
How I missed out on chance of an acting career when I turned down a role that was made for me
I missed the boat to my acting career when I refused to board the good ship Jolly Roger. The opportunity came about 20 years ago when I was offered a part in the legendary Peter Pan Grand Opera House pantomime. This was a role with a difference. It was being specially written for me. I was to be the weatherman on the high seas, pointing the pirates in the right direction.
