Latest news with #OlympiaTheatre
Irish Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
Rosie O'Donnell's Dublin world premiere review: Head-scratching stand-up set has a weirdly rose-tinted view of Ireland
Rosie O'Donnell: Common Knowledge 3Olympia Theatre, Dublin ★★☆☆☆ Rosie O'Donnell 's new show opens not with jokes but with a long, sad story. It's St Patrick's Day 1973, and young Rosie is called home from a play date to find her Irish-American Catholic family gathered with devastating news: her mother has died. 'I know what you're thinking,' the actor and comedian quips to the audience at 3Olympia Theatre on Sunday night, where the set is getting its world premiere. 'Did I buy tickets to the wrong show?' It's a good opener, but it's a question I find myself asking in earnest as the show goes on. O'Donnell is an assured presence on stage, and the production is polished: sound effects, well-timed slide shows, family photographs, archival footage. Her comic timing and rhetorical skill are considerable, even when the content veers more towards memoir than comedy. READ MORE The show is structured around her fifth child, adopted later in life, whom O'Donnell presents as a nonbinary, autistic, truth-speaking prodigy. Photographs of this undeniably cute kid accompany her anecdotes, which she delivers with warmth and reverence. The show's title, Common Knowledge, comes from a line O'Donnell's child uses whenever correcting their mother with bemused exasperation: 'It's common knowledge, Mom.' It's touching stuff, though not side-splitting. If the show were reframed not as stand-up but as an autobiographical monologue by a witty, charismatic performer, the expectations would land more fairly. Rosie O'Donnell at 3Olympia Theatre in Dublin on Sunday. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill Rosie O'Donnell at 3Olympia Theatre in Dublin on Sunday. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill Eventually, O'Donnell moves to the show's emotional core: her loathing of Donald Trump . Here the tone shifts. A slide show features paintings of the US president, his face rendered demon-red, words such as 'TRAITOR' and 'HYPOCRITE' etched across them. These are paintings O'Donnell began to make during his first term; they now apparently number in the hundreds. There's a comic opportunity here to say something about the quality of the art, but she doesn't rise to it. [ Rosie O'Donnell: 'People say, you moved to Ireland, just forget about Trump. I can't. The crimes are endless' Opens in new window ] Given recent, more interesting reckonings on the left about how liberal discourse may have helped fuel Trump's re-election, this section feels not only dated but counterproductive. O'Donnell's rage and disbelief, however sincere, feel lazy. Rosie O'Donnell at 3Olympia Theatre in Dublin on Sunday. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill Rosie O'Donnell at 3Olympia Theatre in Dublin on Sunday. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill Rosie O'Donnell at 3Olympia Theatre in Dublin on Sunday. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill What's missing is a deeper confrontation with the possibility that such disdain might not only fail to persuade but also, in fact, deepen the fractures it claims to lament. Admittedly, it would be difficult to craft a comedy capable of confronting these tensions but not, you'd like to think, impossible. Perhaps a less complacent-seeming comedian might attempt it, or at least gesture toward complexity, rather than defaulting to familiar material that flatters the audience but challenges nothing. [ Are we really going to pass up the chance to do the most hilarious thing in the history of world leaders? Opens in new window ] O'Donnell's vision of Ireland, meanwhile, is ridiculous. She praises the lollipop lady, the kindly pharmacist, the atmosphere of 'calm and peace', the country's incredible 'hospitality'. Has she read the news? 'I think Sandymount is amazing. We ended up buying a home there,' she says. Her joy at no longer paying $78,000 a year for her child's US education also rankles. It's easy to sentimentalise from within a bubble. O'Donnell closes the evening with a little homily on how we must get through the hard times with endurance and laughter. Then Angels, by Robbie Williams, booms from the speakers as a slide show shows her kid hugging a dog in their nice Sandymount home. It's the most I laugh all night.
Extra.ie
12-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Extra.ie
Rosie O'Donnell's $100million fortune, Donald Trump, and a new life in Ireland
The American actor, comedian and 'Trump fugitive', Rosie O'Donnell who moved to Ireland on a work visa is not short of a few dollars. Now residing as an 'exile' in Ireland, O'Donnell revealed this week, she 'already had $100million in the bank' when she turned down a further $100m to extend her 1996 US daytime show writing, 'if you have $100 million and you're thinking you want more, then you are missing the point of your life' . But her extreme wealth hasn't seen the chat-show star retire as she is currently preparing to open her one-woman show 'Common Knowledge' at the Dublin's Olympia Theatre later this month. LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JULY 16: Rosie O'Donnell performs onstage during FRIENDLY HOUSE LA Comedy Benefit, hosted by Rosie O'Donnell, at The Fonda Theatre on July 16, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by) In August, the show travels to the Edinburgh Festival for 10 nights but she is quick to dismiss the notion that she will make money from Edinburgh, saying it will probably cost her money. There is also the prospect of a podcast in the mix. Under the Irish tax system O'Donnell is entitled to benefit from the very generous Artists Tax Exemption, when she gets her Irish citizenship. Daniel O'Donnell and Rosie O'Donnell on The Late Late Show. Pic: RTÉ In her show O'Donnell apparently speaks about how depressed she became when Donald Trump was elected US President first time around and she knew she couldn't handle a second incarnation. So she took to TIKTOK to announce she was packing up and moving to Ireland -her ancestors were Irish-to escape his second term. Trump disparaged her during Taoiseach Micheál Martin's annual St Patrick's Day trip to Washington, saying Ireland will now have to put up with Rosie 'O'Donnell. 'Who?' said the puzzled looking Taoiseach. 'You don't wanna know,' Trump replied in a characteristic put down. Ellen DeGeneres and Rosie O'Donnell (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic) Apart from her daytime TV series O'Donnell also had a bit part in the Meg Ryan/Tom Hanks romantic comedy 'Sleepless in Seattle'. In her recent documentary 'Unleashing Hope', the mother of five wrote about the power of service dogs for autistic children, as one of her children is autistic. In the new show she talks about how depressed she became when Trump got into office the first time around. She knew she couldn't handle a second Trump term. Actress and comedian Rosie O'Donnell attends Comedy Central's 'Night Of Too Many Stars' benefit for Autism education at the Beacon Theater in New York City on April 13, 2008. (Photo by Michael Loccisano/FilmMagic) She is living in Dublin and in the process of applying for citizenship as her grandparents were Irish.
Irish Examiner
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
Colm O'Regan: Horrible Histories is grand, but what about our own horrible history?
Booing Queen Elizabeth the first is always a good idea to get an Irish crowd going. But it feels hollow. We're being asked to boo her for other bad things. But there's not a mention about Ireland. The actors carry on oblivious, but I know I'm not the only one thinking WHAT ABOUT THE PLANTATIONS? We're at Horrible Histories: Terrible Tudors in the Olympia Theatre. Five minutes in and I thought maybe we should have gone to the other one: Awful Egyptians. Cleopatra, pyramids, King Tut are more accessible. (I'm assuming they don't go into too much detail on brother-sister stuff). We're sort of bogged down at the battle of Bosworth Field. Henry Tudor defeats Richard III and he's buried in what will become a carpark in Leicester. The reference doesn't really land for us. The battle of Bosworth Field doesn't even make it into the 'development squad' for Irish history taught in schools. The Tudors don't really get going for us until they start taking our wild oaks. But the children are still into it and fairly soon we get onto Henry VIII's wild oats and we're on familiar territory. By the interval, a full Thr-Olympia is singing 'Divorced, Beheaded, DIED/Divorced, Married, SURVIVED' as a tuneful way of remembering the fate of Henry VIII's wives. After two hours of English history, Irish children have loved it. Even though some of the jokes don't land, the acting's good, the songs are good and the brand is so strong that people are willing to overlook the fact that 50 yards from Dublin Castle, we are hearing the doings of English kings and queens without a scintilla about plantations, Kings County, Queens County, Desmond Rebellions. I don't blame the Horrible Histories people — they've a lot to get through. And they might reasonably assume that in a country full of people who can talk about 800 years for 800 hours might be already well covered in terms of funny Throlympia-filling, stage shows for children about our 300 rebellions, our Celtic past, our saving of literacy in the dark ages. After all, we sustained musical comedies about Saipan, Munster beating the All-Blacks, Mattress Mick. Surely we can muster something for the kiddies about paying homage to Celtic chieftains by sucking their nipples. Actually we have done it (okay, not the nipple thing). There were two very good series of Blasts from the Past, a funny, well-made children's TV show where a girl goes back in time to help out. That finished in 2022. We watch it on RTÉ Player. That's the good thing about history. Even though it's all dates, it doesn't date. But nothing since or at least definitely nothing to fill the Olympia. I get it. TV is expensive. Ireland is small. But time is now big money. At the moment The Rest is History podcast with its 11 million downloads, 1.2 million monthly YouTube views andover 45,000 paying subscribers is wending its way through the Irish War of Independence. And in the past two years, over the course of about 10 hours, the podcast has gone through Irish history in an entertaining way. For millions of English people it's amazing watching them finally find out 'What was the problem with you Irish, eh?' With Horrible Histories, my children now know more about the various Queen Marys than I ever did. I realise I was never taught much about English apart from what they done on us. But let's fill the Olympia with our own history. Tales of Irish monks inventing the space between words, the time the Irish tried to invade Canada, fights over eel-fishing rights, Grainnuaile shocking Queen Elizabeth I (booo!) by throwing a snotty lacy hankie into the fire, the English banning-14th century hipster haircuts in Kilkenny. The past is a funny country. Let's make some jokes. Read More Bernard O'Shea: Observe the Constitution of the Irish Family Holiday
Sunday World
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Sunday World
Domhnall Glesson says he'd ‘love to' act alongside his dad and brother again
FAMILY MATTERS | As he plays his darkest character in new film Echo Valley, Domhnall Gleeson looks back over the highlights of an incredible career. But the actor reckons sharing the stage with famous father Brendan and equally successful actor brother Brian at Dublin's Olympia Theatre has been his proudest moment in the spotlight. Treading the boards together at the start of 2015 in Enda Walsh's comedy The Walworth Farce, the trio were critically hailed for their comic timing and chemistry. Domhnall as Armitage Hux in Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens 'I did a play with my dad and my brother in Dublin in the Olympia about ten years ago and I thought the work was stunning,' Gleeson said. 'The play was absolutely insane — it was bananas and it was amazing working in Dublin every day. But getting to go out and do that with my dad and my brother every night was a very, very proud thing in my life. 'I still when I think about that; I think it's amazing that we did it. And I'm proud of the work I did in that one as well.' The thespian dynasty, led by legendary patriarch Brendan (70) who was nominated for an Oscar in The Banshees of Inisheerin — has since reunited on the small screen for hit TV series Frank of Ireland in 2021, written by Domhnall and Bad Sisters' star Brian. Domhnall as Bill Weasley in Harry Potter And Domhnall admits the family are due another performance because he 'always wants to work with them'. 'We've done it a few times and if the right thing came along, I'd always want to work with them. They're amazing. I'd love to work with them again.' It's full circle for Domhnall, who enjoyed one of his first screen roles opposite his dad in Martin McDonagh's short movie Six Shooters while barely in his early twenties. Now 42, the star has taken the opportunity to reflect on his impressive, more than two decades on the stage and screen while promoting his latest role in Apple TV+ thriller, Echo Valley alongside Julianne Moore and Sydney Sweeney. Speaking to Magazine+ from London, Domhnall cuts a relaxed figure in jeans and a navy cardigan just before the film's release. While pondering some of his most memorable roles, including turns in Lenny Abraham's The Little Stranger and in Enda Walsh's play Medicine, the actor admits some of most physically punishing roles belong to Angelina Jolie's WWII epic Unbroken and Leonardo DiCaprio's blockbuster The Revenant. Domhnall with Rachel McAdams in About Time But playing Irish icon Bob Geldof in 2010's When Harvey Met Bob left the deepest impression. 'I mean, I lost weight for a role in Unbroken, and that was challenging, and The Revenant was a really, physically tough shoot. 'Then I also played Bob Geldof in a thing years ago and so that was a different sort of physical transformation, but also fun to do. And, you know, doing somebody who exists trying to get their voice down, and the look down, that was all different.' Did Geldof see his performance? 'No, I met him and he was very nice, but I don't think he ever saw the thing. And maybe that was for the best.' Married to longtime partner, producer Juliette Bonass, since 2023, the actor has enjoyed a spectacularly diverse career, including the aforementioned turns in the Star Wars franchise as malevolent Genera Hux, to fan favourite Bill Weasley in the Harry Potter universe. But when I ask him about a role that audiences and critics had misunderstood, he offers a surprise response with 2013 About Time with Bill Nighy and Rachel McAdams, which was one of Gleeson's first forays into romantic comedy. 'About Time, when it came out, it wasn't like critically reviled or anything like that. I think it did fine with the critics, and it actually did okay at the box office. But it's been really heartening and amazing to see how over the years, it's sort of grown and grown in stature. That's been like, amazing to see. I guess as time has gone on, the reception to it has warmed comparative to how it was when it came out. And so I think that's always a good I always remind myself of that. 'If you're in something and it doesn't find an audience when it comes out, that doesn't necessarily mean it'll just never have an audience forever, you know.' Brian, Domhnall and Brendan in The Walworth Farce A sci-fi romance about a young man with the ability to time travel who tries to change his past in hopes of finding his true love, About Time was initially criticised for a lack of coherent storyline and gaping plot holes. However, the British production went on to make over €76m at the global box office and Gleeson admits he'd love to see a sequel down the line. 'I could do scenes with Rachel McAdams and Bill Nighy and all those amazing people again. So maybe I'd pick that and I'd get to hang out with Richard Curtis again, which would be nice.' After his character — spoiler alert! — ends up happily ever after with McAdams' character, does he think they'd still be together in the follow-up? 'When we finished the film, that's what I felt. Yeah. When I finished the film, I thought, this is a guy set up for happiness. And that made me very happy for him.' In Echo Valley, Julianne Moore plays a lonely rancher who covers up a murder to protect her addict daughter, played by Hollywood It Girl Sydney Sweeney. In a brooding turn, Gleeson is Jackie, a scheming lowlife who stumbles on the truth, and becomes hell bent on destroying the family. And the actor relished the chance to play nasty in the thriller, which also stars Irish acting legend Fiona Shaw. 'He's a guy, he was pretty dark. He was a pretty, you know, a pretty awful character. And it's nice to do something as a reactionary against that.' With an upcoming role in TV series The Paper, a highly anticipated offshoot from Ricky's Gervais' iconic comedy, The Office, Gleeson has worked tirelessly non-stop for the past two decades. But the actor has learned the important lesson to slow down. 'I've done roles where I end where I had been working so much that I went into it tired. And it's not good to start a job tired, you know what I mean? I've done jobs where I entered into it tired because I've been working too closely up before. 'But then again, if you have something locked in that you have to do and then, you know, Paul Thomas Anderson comes calling, it's not like you're going to say, 'no, sorry, I need time to rest for the right opportunity'.'
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
