Person to Person: This is my seventh panto at the Everyman

TELL us about yourself;

My name is Anth Kaley. I’m a pianist/composer/musical director/arranger.

Originally from the UK, I have been living in Ireland for the last 32 years. I have spent most of my career either in theatres, recording studios or touring the world with bands, so I suppose I’ve actually spent most of my adult life living in hotels and dozing off in airport departure lounges.

I first toured Ireland in around 1986 with Cissy Stone and the Sad Café Band and came back in 1991 to work on an album in a studio in Dublin. Once the album was finished and mixed in London, I gathered my worldly possessions in a carrier bag and moved to Dublin.

Since moving over, I have had the great pleasure of working with some of the finest artists this country has, including Dolores Keane, Niamh Kavanagh and Colm CT Wilkinson, who took me to China with Arnold Schwarzenegger (long story).

In 2002, I headed south for the climate and have lived here ever since.

Where were you born?

Sunderland, in the north-east of England.

Where do you live?

Cork city

Family?

My mother, who is 91 and bright as a new pin (I hope that’s hereditary), two brothers and two sisters all living in various parts of the UK. I have a wife, a daughter and a stepson.

Best friend?

My wife.

Earliest childhood memory?

I was quite poorly when I was four years old and was in hospital a few months. All the nurses spoiled me because I was the only constant patient. Finally, they told me that I could go home on Christmas Eve and all the nursing staff brought me gift-wrapped presents. My parents suggested I give one of the gifts to the boy in the next bed as he would be in hospital over Christmas, and to this day I still wonder if that was the Meccano set that I always wanted but never got! It obviously had a long term effect because I’m useless at DIY.

Person you most admire?

My mother (despite the possible Meccano travesty), she was practically orphaned as a child, survived a war and a somewhat horrid upbringing and yet reared a medium-sized happy family with good diction so that we didn’t all end up sounding like Ant & Dec.

Person who most irritates you?

I tend to ignore people who irritate me, life’s too short.

Where was your most memorable holiday?

I haven’t had too many holidays in my life, most of my travelling has been for work, but earlier this year my wife and I and two friends spent 10 days travelling through the Swiss Alps by train, which was spectacular and hopefully not a ‘once in a lifetime’ experience as I would love to do it again.

Favourite TV programme?

Fawlty Towers.

Favourite radio show?

Lyric FM I find it very calming.

Your signature dish if cooking?

I do a very nice (if I do say so myself) chicken and coconut curry. I do a lot of cooking in the house but I make quite a mess (ask my wife), somehow, when making a warm chicken salad, I manage to use every pot in the kitchen… what can I say? It’s a talent!

Favourite restaurant?

Thali on Maylor Street. It’s a Nepalese restaurant and I highly recommend the lamb dishes and the vegetarian dishes are delicious.

Last book you read?

The Hidden Life of Trees. It’s way more interesting than it sounds!

Best book you read?

Tricky one this… if I had to choose I would say Lord of the Rings.

Last album/CD/download you bought?

Time by Hans Zimmer, from Inception.

Favourite song:

Impossible to choose. Moon River..er..I Dreamed A Dream... er... Invitation To The Blues… Bridge Over Troubled Water... you choose!

One person you would like to see in concert?

Tom Waits.

Do you have a pet?

We have two cats that are brother and sister called Bart and Lisa but they hate each other.

Morning person or night owl?

Due to a life as a musician I’m a night owl and two years ago my wife and I opened a bar called The Belle Vue Bar opposite Collins Barracks in Cork, which has somewhat ruled out my chances of ever becoming a morning person.

Your proudest moment?

Becoming a father.

Spendthrift or saver:

At the moment, I’m saving up to be a spendthrift.

Name one thing you would improve in your area in which you live?

An Indian restaurant and some litter bins.

What makes you happy?

Apart from Indian restaurants and litter bins, my family, my friends and my career.

How would you like to be remembered?

Why? Where am I going? Just someone who brought something to the table of others’ lives.

What else are you up to at the moment?

I’m currently in rehearsal as Musical Director for Beauty and the Beast in The Everyman Palace Theatre, which opens on December 2. This will be my seventh panto at The Everyman. I love this art form and how particular it is to Irish and UK audiences and what fun it is to work on.

It’s difficult to call it work when you are collaborating with the highest standard of directing (Catherine Mahon Buckley), choreographing (Phil O’Callaghan), dancing, acting and singing that I am this year. I’m really looking forward to this season. Happy Christmas everyone!

For more information on this year’s panto and bookings, see https://everymancork.com/