Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
Hello, my friend, and welcome to Catch Up with Louise McSharry. This is the podcast where I do my best to keep you caught up with what's going on in the world, whether it's news on a Monday, entertainment on a Wednesday, or indeed a chat with someone interesting who's got something interesting going on on a Friday. Today's episode is, of course... an interview because it is Friday.
Um, I hope you guys are all doing okay. As I'm sitting here, the rain has just started to absolutely torrentially pour down and I was moaning about it there and I realized I am so lucky to have a house that's only slightly leaking. Um, And I hope that wherever you are, your home is safe, your family is safe, that, you know, you're not being too intensely impacted by this insane weather.
It has really been tough. It's been a tough slog, I think, just to exist in. But if you are being directly impacted by it, I can only imagine how you're doing. It's tough, man. Tough stuff. Today's chat is with Una McKevitt, who is an Irish writer and director. She is a live podcast show producer.
Chapter 2: How did Una McKevitt transition into playwriting?
She's worked with Joanne McNally repeatedly, who I know you all love. She's worked with Vogue and Spencer. She's worked in comedy. She's done all kinds of things. And it was really fascinating to talk to her about her career and how she's kind of moved around those different areas.
I was speaking to her specifically ahead of the production of her latest play, which is kicking off in the Peacock in the Abbey Theatre soon. It sounds absolutely brilliant. But it was also really interesting just to learn about, you know, how you become a playwright, how you start it, what sacrifices you have to make to be an artist in Ireland, how housing impacts us all.
And there's lots of good stuff in here, including, you know, taking a turn if your career isn't going the way that you want it to go, maybe trying something new. So I think you guys are really going to enjoy this. It's Una McEvitt. Una McEvitt, thank you so much for joining me in my home. You are sitting beside Cardboard Mountain.
I really have got to get a handle on the recycling in this place, but we're getting there.
For someone who's just moved into their home, it feels really settled.
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Chapter 3: What sacrifices are required to be an artist in Ireland?
Well, thank you. I have been gathering, I suppose, like, I think it says a lot about what's important to me because I think before there was almost anything else in this house, there was about nine lamps.
Okay.
lighting crucial no overheads as few as possible well we are sitting under overheads unfortunately i haven't managed to completely conquer the lighting in this room but we'll get there they're only those little dotty things yeah it's it's not so bad but yeah cozy is a priority and i think i've managed to get that vibe going downstairs so we're getting there yeah it's lovely plenty of dolly parton everywhere yeah including the cup i'm drinking out of yeah well she is the best person to ever live true story do you agree
Yeah, like, I mean, what came into my head immediately was, is she sick at the moment?
Okay, we don't need to panic. She has had a health issue, but she has said herself that it's not a huge deal. And it's just, she had to kind of postpone some live dates, but she just basically said she wasn't going to have the time to prep. It's not like she's sick. We're not scared for her life.
It's not Loretta Lane's style decline. According to her, no.
She says she's fine. And I am really sitting with that because when that day comes, I just don't know why she can't be immortal.
I mean, we don't know.
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Chapter 4: How does housing impact artists in Ireland?
She could return.
Maybe she will. Maybe she is. Yeah. Yeah. Fingers crossed. Um, anyway, we're not here to talk about Dolly Parton as much as I would talk about Dolly Parton all day long. Um, it's really nice to meet you because I've been aware of your work for quite some time and you have like a really varied CV. You've done lots of different things.
So before we get into your new play, let's talk a little bit about your career in general. How did you come to do this kind of work?
Um, so went back to college in my late twenties to do drama and theater. And then I graduated when I was 32. So I started pretty late.
Had you done something else in college or had you done college before?
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Chapter 5: What challenges did Una face while writing her first play?
I had failed spectacularly in UCT.
Oh my God, me too. Yep.
I remember going, oh, what will I study? Well, I'm not bad at English, but that's not what university is for. University is for studying things. you know, you aren't good at, you know, like that's how mixed up I was. So yeah, that was a crash and burn. And then. And did you do English? I did history and politics. And like, I literally don't know who's T-Shok right now.
You know, like I zero interest. Yeah. So that was a, that was like, I know nothing about politics.
Chapter 6: What themes are explored in Una's new play Fair Deal?
I'll study politics. Disaster.
yeah history I love but like when you're reopening those books they're the podcasts I listen to but when you open those books in the UCD library you're like this is not this is no fun whatsoever like I just want the headlines I don't want to go too deep into the French revolution yeah I've kind of shit talked to UCD a lot on this podcast I feel like um but I just found UCD so overwhelming I didn't really I couldn't understand how it worked I could never settle in there
I think for me coming from like South County, Dublin, thinking university was going to sort of be like a whole new world. And then it's just more South County, Dublin. I mean, it's pretty, I know it's like first world problem, whatever. But at the time, which was the 90s, the highlight was really the Dunkin' Donuts. You know, I mean, that was pretty much it.
Actually, some of my warmest memories of UCD are various things I ate from, like, on-campus cafe.
I think I can still taste the tuna sandwiches they used to make, if I put my mind to it.
What a time. Okay, so you returned to college anyway to do drama and theatre. That's great. And how was that?
Um, that was fun.
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Chapter 7: How does family dynamics influence the characters in Fair Deal?
I was the mature student. Um, like, so at 28, you're like the old lady in the class. Yeah. Although there was in fact a woman in her sixties. Um, but she, um, and which, and she was amazing. Like she had been a drama teacher and she went back cause she always wanted to do it academically. So I wasn't the oldest lady in the class, but you're still like old. Yeah.
Which is so funny when we think about it now, like 28. It is so strange. Like you feel like you've burnt out and you're on your last, last chance. And you're 28. I mean, I don't know what school does to us, but it makes us feel like, I think, you know, if you haven't got all worked out at 18, forget it. You're done.
It's, and it's so problematic because you've got nothing worked out when you're 18.
Chapter 8: What advice does Una give to aspiring playwrights?
Oh, fuck no. Nothing. Jesus. Certainly not like still on that journey.
Yeah, I mean, yeah, like I dropped out of college. I ended, I mean, I did get into radio straight away, which ended up being my career for a long time. But, you know, that was only because I'd gotten into the college radio station. Like when I was leaving school, I didn't have a clue. Well, actually, I thought I wanted to be an actor. That's what I thought.
And yeah, I didn't get my drama and theater course that I wanted. So I have nothing but respect for going back, quote unquote, late.
Yeah.
Well, at the time I was like, I was working on the switchboard in Diageo, I think. So I had all this time, which is not a hard job because, well, at the time, I don't know if it's, maybe it is difficult, but I mean, you're mostly just patching through calls. So I had time to sort of, you know, fill out forms, which is like the bane of my life is filling out forms.
So I was able to knuckle down and do it. So I kind of was like, I've nothing to lose. And fortunately, because I hadn't finished my first degree, I was eligible for a mature student grant. So, you know, it didn't cost anything to go back to college. I don't know how that works anymore. But at the time, that was pretty epic.
Yeah, that's amazing. And then were you working while you were studying? Yeah.
I was working like all like, you know, bar and restaurant jobs, things like that. But I've always kind of had a job. Like even now I'm temping as well. So I'm always sort of being like, you know, I think getting into this gig late, I never had that kind of feeling of I should only be doing this. I've always done bits of everything else.
And when you were studying, were you thinking that it would be writing that you would do or...?
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