My Weekend: 'When I have time off, I love to meet friends for a coffee or wander'

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your work?

I am an actor and stage manager and moved to Cork from Köln (Cologne), Germany, in 2019 to study theatre and drama at the Cork School of Music.

Me, my partner and two of our friends founded our own theatre company, Death by Cues, last year and staged our debut production No Exit: After Sartre at Cork Arts Theatre in September 2025 as part of the Catalyst Programme. It is great to be able to create with like-minded people and we all bring such different skill sets to the table, which makes creating work together easy and fun.

What is your ideal way to spend a Friday night?

I love going to the theatre with friends and having a drink afterwards, chatting about the show. However, by the time Friday night comes around, the temptation of being on the couch with a face mask and a glass of wine watching a movie, does win a lot.

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

Lie ins all the way. I wish I was the person that gets up early every morning, but that has never been my strongest suit.

Luckily, working in theatre means a lot of late-night shifts rather than early morning starts, so that definitely works in my favour. Although I can’t always escape the alarm clock…

Does work creep into your weekend at all?

Always. I usually work on weekends anyway, and even when I am off, there is always something to catch up on. I am not great at turning my work brain off, so days off are often spent working or at least thinking about work.

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

Honestly, I would love to spend more time back at home in Germany. I am lucky to be busy and working a lot, but the longer I live abroad, the more I miss my family and friends back home and realise all the things I am missing by being across the ocean.

Other than that, I love to go anywhere with a bit of sun. I recently visited Barcelona for the first time and absolutely loved it. I could spend hours walking around a new city and exploring different places. I have always wanted to go to New York, so that is definitely on top of my list.

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

West Cork will always have a special place in my heart. Allihies is my home away from home, and I always wish I could go there more often to recharge.

West Cork is just beautiful and sitting by the fire with a cuppa makes up for any cold, rainy winter day.

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

I love to! It is often times difficult with ever-changing schedules, but whenever I have time off, I love to meet for a coffee or wander around town talking about everything and nothing.

I am definitely a yapper, so time flies by when you’re with people you love.

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

I am a very social person and love meeting people, catching up with friends, going for a coffee, a drink or a dance. But I also love being by myself, reading a good book or watching a film or a play and recharging my social batteries.

I have been meaning to pick up a new hobby for a while because I love moving and dancing, but I sometimes have difficulties committing to things long-term, so it is a work in progress.

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

I love to host and have people over. I am known for my lasagna; it is my mom’s recipe and never fails. It is great for big and small groups alike and goes well with a glass of wine or two as well.

But I am also convinced that food tastes so much better if somebody else cooks it for you and puts it in front of you, so a mix of both would be my ideal scenario.

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

I love having a coffee at Dulce Bun or Coffeescapes, and you can never go wrong with Son of a Bun for some food either.

With a bit more spending money in your pocket, Market Lane is amazing for a nice evening out.

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

If I am not working, I am most likely at home trying not to think about my alarm clock going off the next morning.

I love to watch a movie or play some games in my free time, anything that recharges me from the comfort of my couch.

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

It really depends from week to week. However, Mondays are often my days off after working on the weekends, so in that case, I try not to set any alarms and take the lie in when I can.

I have the blessing and curse that I can sleep anywhere at any time, so when I can, I do indulge.

Anything else you are up to right now…

For our theatre company, Death by Cues, we are currently working on our next production, which will be coming to the stage in Cork early next year.

I can’t say too much yet, but I am beyond excited to start rehearsals and work with a great team again.

Emely Tenhagen is working as stage manager of the Cork Arts Theatre Production of Girl in the Machine,which opens on November 12, and continues until November 21.

See www.corkartstheatre.com.