Latest news with #3OlympiaTheatre
RTÉ News
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
Tom Vaughan-Lawlor on starting out: 'I did everything'
Tom Vaughan-Lawlor has told The Brendan O'Connor Show about the early days of his acting career, recounting that he "did everything" to make ends meet. The Love/Hate favourite is back home in Dublin to star opposite Brendan Gleeson, Owen McDonnell, Seán McGinley, and Kate Phillips in writer-director Conor McPherson's The Weir at the 3Olympia Theatre from 8 August. While choosing his five favourite songs on The Brendan O'Connor Show on RTÉ Radio 1 on Sunday, Vaughan-Lawlor discussed his early years in London after graduating from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). "I did everything," he told the host. "Building sites, hotels, coffee shops, secretarial work, furniture removal, everything, gardening." "But you meet the most amazing people who teach you amazing, amazing lessons," he continued. "This time 20 years ago, I was working in a hotel in Euston, on the Euston Road. And I was grumbling about not having an acting job. And there was a woman there who was from Ethiopia who'd two kids, [aged] six and four. She hadn't seen her kids for two years. "We were getting paid after tax, like, £200 a week. She was in shared accommodation. She was sending home 50% of her wages every week to her family. And she was amazing. "She was fun and light and really hardworking. And I was kind of moping around, 'Oh, I don't have a job! Why won't anyone give me an acting job?!' And she was like, 'Oh, you know, I'm just doing my thing!' "So you meet amazing people with amazing stories. In a way, I'm so grateful for all that non-acting work. You're living and you're seeing the world and you're meeting incredible people." Looking ahead to The Weir at the 3Olympia Theatre, Vaughan-Lawlor said: "It's scary. As opening gets closer, you're like, 'Oh, we've actually got to get up and do this!'" He said it is "a real honour" to be working with "great people" on "a great play." "It's a joy to be in rehearsal," he added.
RTÉ News
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
Rosie O'Donnell saves choking woman at Dublin restaurant
American comedian and actress Rosie O'Donnell has shared how she sprang into action to assist "a 90-year-old woman" who started choking during dinner in Dublin. The 63-year-old, who moved to Ireland earlier this year with her 12-year-old child, had just wrapped up a set at the International Comedy Club, where she was honing her act for her upcoming 3Olympia Theatre show and Edinburgh Festival Fringe. After the show, she headed to a nearby eatery for dinner with her cousin Mary and her friend Kiki. Calling herself a "hyper-vigilant person", she recounted the incident to her TikTok followers, explaining how she noticed an elderly woman in distress. "I see a 90-year-old woman choking," O'Donnell told her followers. "She's with two women who are in their 50s, I'd guess. And I jump into action like I'm an EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) – which I'm not, I'm a stand-up comedian and actress. "So I'm eating my tuna tartare and I go, 'That woman is choking, that woman is choking!' I get up, nearly knock over the table, and run over with Kiki and my cousin Mary. "We run over to the woman and stand her up. We put Kiki behind her, and I put her fist in the right place. She starts to give her the Heimlich, which she hadn't done before. "I'm holding her hands and talking to her, saying, 'It's okay, it's okay. Can you breathe?' I put my hand near her, and she could not breathe at all. "She started getting caught red in the face. My heart is going and I'm one of those people who is great in a crisis, but after the crisis I'm a mess." The woman's daughters had become upset with the stress of the dramatic incident but were quickly relieved when O'Donnell began to instruct her friend Kiki on how to carry out the Heimlich manoeuvre. "My cousin Mary put a napkin in front of her and told her to get it out," she added. "I pushed Kiki's hand, and she got it, and something came out, a big wad of stuff. "It was unbelievable to me. I was thinking, 'Am I going to have to do a tracheotomy?' Because I took a course and they told you what to do if it wasn't working and you were in a dire situation – and we were in a dire situation. "In panic mode, I go into thinking I'm Superman or something, and I'm not. I'm not an EMT. But when I see something like that, I spring into action." O'Donnell shared that the woman, named Angela, went back to finishing her meal and said the events that unfolded were "unbelievable". "We were all kind of in tears, and I was doing my best to stay composed," she said. "I say, 'God bless you and God bless all of us that we were able to help each other'. So I go back to my table and I can't eat." She continued: "I can't eat, I'm teary. I look over and there's Angela finishing her meal! God love her, it was unbelievable."
RTÉ News
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
Imelda May 'fine and resting' after hospital stay
Imelda May has told fans she is "fine and resting" as she thanked the staff of St Vincent's University Hospital in Dublin for taking "the best care of me" last week. In a post on Instagram, the singer and actress wrote: "So I ended up in St Vincent's University Hospital last week for a few days. I'm fine now and healing well but I must say a huge thanks (sic) you to all the Amazing people that took the best care of me. Absolute legends. (Pictures are a few of those legends) "Forever grateful. Imelda X "p.s. I'm fine and resting and with all your warm good vibes flying my way I'll be fighting fit for play rehearsals next week." Imelda May returns to Dublin's 3Olympia Theatre from Tuesday 29 July for a new run of performances of the acclaimed one-woman show Mother of All the Behans.
Irish Post
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Post
Eileen Walsh and Risteárd Cooper among stars who turned out for Dancing at Lughnasa opening night
ACTORS Eileen Walsh and Risteárd Cooper were among the stars who turned out for the opening night of Dancing at Lughnasa in Dublin this week. The Gate Theatre production of Brien Friel's classic is running at the 3Olympia Theatre until July 26. It is the first time a Gate Theatre production has transferred to the 3Olympia in 35 years. The last show to do so was a version of Sean O'Casey's Juno and the Paycock in 1990. Eileen Walsh attended the production of Brian Friel's masterpiece Dancing at Lughnasa at 3Olympia Theatre (Pics: Rolling News) "We are thrilled to rekindle our historic relationship with the Olympia Theatre", said Gate Theatre Executive Director Colm O'Callaghan ahead of the show's opening. "Our strategic vision is that of an 'Open Gate' where everyone has access to great theatre, and playing to 3Olympia's summer audiences is a great way to help us realise this and to expand our audience." Risteard Cooper pictured with daughters Sadhbh and Nora at the opening night O'Callaghan added: "Collaborating with 3Olympia also means that our own stage is available to deliver on other key strategic goals such as premiering contemporary international plays." This week stars were out in force to watch the show, including Cork native Walsh, Dublin born Cooper, costume designer Joan Bergin and television presenter Maia Dunphy. TV presenter Maia Dunphy attended the opening night performance The critically acclaimed production is directed by Caroline Byrne, with a cast that features Lauren Farrell, Peter Gowen and Pauline Hutton. Set in Friel's fictional town of Ballybeg in Donegal in 1936, the story follows the lives of the five Mundy sisters. The award-winning costume designer Joan Bergin was also in attendance The play originally premiered in 1990 at Dublin's Abbey Theatre. A revival at the National Theatre in London in 2023 featured Ardal O'Hanlon and Siobhán McSweeney.
Irish Post
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Post
Kate Phillips, Tom Vaughan-Lawlor and Seán McGinley join Brendan Gleeson in The Weir
A STRING of top acting talent has been announced among the cast for a West End revival of Conor McPherson's The Weir. Seán McGinley, Kate Phillips and Tom Vaughan-Lawlor will all feature in the play, which also stars the previously announced Brendan Gleeson, who will make his West End debut in the production this September. The award-winning actor, who has starred in the likes of The Banshees of Inisherin and Paddington 2, will lead the revival of McPherson's 1997 play, which runs at the 3Olympia Theatre in Dublin before making its way to the Harold Pinter theatre in London. Brendan Gleeson will make his West End debut in The Weir 'Conor McPherson's The Weir is one of the rarest plays around,' Gleeson said of the role. 'The last time I appeared on stage was ten years ago, at the Olympia Theatre in Dublin, where I started my career. 'I can't wait to be back there, and then to play in the West End for the first time, at the beautiful Pinter Theatre – and to work with Conor on his profoundly moving, inspiring and ultimately hopeful play.' The full cast includes Brendan Gleeson, Owen McDonnell, Seán McGinley, Kate Phillips and Tom Vaughan-Lawlot The full cast has now been announced for the new production, which has been written, and directed for the first time, by McPherson. Owen McDonnell, of Bad Sisters and Killing Eve fame, will star as Brendan, with McGinley, playing Jim, Phillips as Valerie and Vaughan-Lawlor, who first shot to fame as Nigel 'Nidge' Delaney in the RTÉ One series Love/Hate, as Finbar. Running at the 3Olympia Theatre from August 8 to September 6, The Weir transfers to London's West End from September 12 to December 6. Tickets for the West End run are on sale now via
