The play has been an incredible success. Is that reasonable to say?
There are so many things to say about the play. Quite a few people portrayed in the play are still alive and they had to come and relive moments of their lives, and I can imagine that in many instances that would have been very difficult for people.
I did actually meet some of those people. I met the Dublin Trade Unionist who I portray. I met David Ervine’s wife, who I think must have found it very troubling at times with the image of her late husband being characterised and portrayed, night after night. She came up to me and said to me that she needed to apologise to me because she had wanted to give me something to represent something of David Ervine’s, something tangible, a tie, to wear when I was performing, but the night we met she had forgotten to bring it. She walked out of the house without it, and I do actually have that now.
Did any actors you know say anything about your performance?
I talked to Dan Gordon about the performance. I have admired him for so long, he was in The Agreement, and I think he is a genius. I thought he would hate it and I was thinking that I was no good, all the insecurities that every actor has inside them, and he said that once you reach Everest you should enjoy the view. He was really generous, and that really was a wonderful feeling to hear him say that, because at the end of the project, if I feel anything, it is that I feel accomplished.
That sounds like it was a project, whatever the difficulties were, that worked for you in the end?
I bumped heads a few times with Martin, and there were all sorts of difficulties and stumbling blocks, but Martin and Matthew brought things out of me, and they believed in my abilities, especially my ability to bring to life the larger than life character of David Ervine. They wanted excellence. That was their starting point, and they brought out the best that I had to give. And I have to thank them for that.
Where to now?
Well there is nothing immediately and I will be back to singing for a little while. But I have changed agents and I am hoping that this will be stepping stone to more work, challenging work, but work doing what I love to do.
If you want to see more of the work of Paul Garrett contact Paul’s agent – Shelly Lowry – shelley@shelleylowry.com
