My Weekend: 'I love Sundays because I don’t have that dread about work the next morning'

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your work:

I was born and raised in Cork, near Barrack Street, and come from a long line of theatre makers, musicians, composers and performers on both sides of my family. I’ve been performing myself for my whole life. I went to study musical theatre in London after school and have been lucky enough to live and perform in New York, Australia and all over Ireland. I began producing in 2007 when I returned home to Cork and set up Chattyboo Productions, a theatre company who most people know for producing The Adult Panto. In 2018, I set up Hysterical Histories, a company that primarily runs dinner theatre experiences charting the history of Cork through live music and comedic scenes from our past while serving up incredible Cork food and drinks. It’s through Hysterical Histories that I have had the opportunity to perform all over the USA and Canada, in Scotland and Germany, have featured in the UK’s What fills my heart with Ireland campaign and have been on numerous international podcasts and TV documentaries. To the people on the street, I’m probably best known for wearing a bright yellow cape while showing people around the city on our interactive “Pick your own Path” walking tours and even had the honour of sarcastically being dubbed “the Face of Cork” by some of our city’s most colourful characters after appearing in a two page newspaper spread recently... honestly that’s probably the biggest compliment I could’ve gotten from someone from Cork, so I’ll take it.

What is your ideal way to spend a Friday night?

I spend most Friday nights performing, which is what I do for a living, so working, which I suppose for most people wouldn’t be an ideal way to spend a Friday evening, but I love what I do, and it’s what I’ve done my whole life, so I am used to it. At this time of year, I might meet up with some friends for a drink or try to catch some live music in town after we finish the Hysterical Histories Dinner Theatre experience before heading home. If I do get one off, I like to hang out with my son, grab some dinner, go to the cinema or have friends over for dinner or support a friend’s production if they are performing.

Lie ins or up with the lark.. which is it for you?

Oh I love a lie-in, if I get the opportunity. They are a rarity, as most Saturdays at this time of the year, I’m up early to bring people on a Hysterical Histories Pick your own Path walking tour of the city. So when I get one, I make the most of it.

Does work creep into your weekend at all?

I work most weekends throughout the year, actually. In the summer, I’m busy performing in Hysterical Histories Dinner Theatre show, and in the winter I’m on stage every weekend in The Adult Panto. For the rest of the year, I’m generally working with other companies who have hired me for their productions. So weekends for me are actually Mondays and Tuesdays. I actually enjoy working at the weekend for the most part though because the city is really lively and you’re generally meeting people when they are in a good mood and you’re helping them to enjoy their time off, which can actually be very rewarding.

If money was no object where would you head to on a weekend city break? And who would you bring with you?

I’d actually head to London because it’s close, so you could squeeze more things in, and I’d bring my son. I went to college in London to study musical theatre, so I still have quite a few friends there. I’d treat him to a Peter Pan themed afternoon tea at The Savoy, which I’ve always wanted to do. I’m pretty sure my son would go mad shopping in Forbidden Planet and I’d spend a ridiculous amount of money on fabric for future productions in one of those stores where the staff run around after you carrying everything and serve you tea and biscuits, before visiting Shakespeare’s first folio at the V&A. And we would have to catch at least three West End shows. I know that seems like “a busman’s holiday” but I suppose I’m a bit of a theatre nerd, what can I say!

Closer to home, is there some place you like to head to recharge the batteries?

I really enjoy the beach or being anywhere near the water, really, even in the winter. I love a stroll on the marina walk with a hot chocolate and then relaxing on one of the benches to watch the world go by or read a good book. There’s always lots of space there on my days off because everyone else is at work.

Do you like to catch up with family/friends at the weekend?

It’s my favourite thing to do, but I don’t get a chance to do it at the weekends very often because I’m usually working. My friends joke that they have to buy a ticket if they want to see me on a weekend because I’m always in something. I tell them the only reason I have friends is because I need people to buy tickets to my shows so I can put my son through college. All jokes aside though, my favourite way to enjoy their company is at a picnic or BBQ with everyone’s kids as well.

Do you get to indulge any hobbies? Even as a spectator?

Apart from going to the theatre and spending time with family and friends, I love to travel, visit museums and spend time trying out new recipes.

Entertain or be entertained? If it’s the latter do you have a signature dish?

I really enjoy cooking and baking, and hosting. I find it relaxing. I’d probably be best known for my Mexican Beef Stew served in bread bowls, my chicken fajita casserole, for making my Nana’s apple tart or queen cakes and my apple and blackberry strudel.

We have so many places to eat out in Cork - where are your go to spots for coffee/ lunch/ special meal?

This is difficult to narrow down because we are so lucky in Cork to have incredible places to eat, but I’ll give it a go. I don’t actually drink coffee, but I am very fussy about my hot chocolate, so I’d say Three Fools on the Grand Parade or Cork Coffee Roasters on Bridge St would be my two favourite places to meet people for a cuppa and chat. Amicus on Paul St do incredible breakfast/brunches and Sunday roasts, actually all of their food is fabulous, no matter what time of the day, and I should know because I practically live there from March – October as it’s the venue for our Dinner Theatre experience. I also love Bella Napoli, Market Lane, and honestly, the Marina Market because friends with kids, etc., feel comfortable there, and there’s something for everyone’s taste; it’s a great amenity.

Sunday night comes around too fast.. how do you normally spend it?

Relaxing or going out for a bite to eat somewhere with friends or family because Sunday night is the beginning of my weekend. I love Sunday nights because I don’t have that dread about going back to work the next morning.

What time does your alarm clock go off on Monday morning?

It doesn’t in the summer because Monday is my day off but from September to May it goes off at 7am, then I press snooze like three times before I actually get up for the school run.

Anything else you are up to right now...

Apart from running and performing in three Hysterical Histories Dinner Theatre experiences and doing three to four walking tours per week at the moment, I’m gearing up for a very busy Cork on a Fork Festival because on top of our regular experiences we are running a once off Taste of Cork evening, a themed tour. I’ve been asked to run the Festival’s Children’s Food Trail too, which I’m very excited about. I’m working on a new walking tour with the VQ launching soon, on another project with Rebel City Gin Distillery for October, and I’m also in pre-production for this year’s Adult Panto. It’s Ireland’s longest-running adult panto, It’s actually turning 18 this year, so I’ve been joking that it’s finally old enough to come and see itself. My company, Chattyboo Productions, turns 20 in 2027, so there are lots of plans in progress for that as well.

• Get a taste of Cork’s thriving food scene at Cork on a Fork Fest from 12–16 August 2026. Angela Newman will host a number of events including The Hysterical Histories - Food, Fame and Frivolity Walking Tour, Hysterical Histories Cork - Dinner Theatre Experience and A Hysterical Children’s Food Trail.
  See: www.corkonaforkfest.ie