Cork actor and playwright wins a coveted Edinburgh award

CORK actor Pat Kinevane has won a major award for his contribution to the prestigious Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

At a reception in the Festival Theatre in Edinburgh yesterday, the renowned actor and playwright from Cobh was awarded a highly coveted Herald Archangel Award for his “sustained and excellent contribution” to the festival.

Pat is currently performing in Fishamble: The New Company’s production of Before — written and performed by Pat and directed by Jim Culleton — at Dance Base in Edinburgh as part of the Fringe Festival. The acclaimed production runs in Edinburgh until August 25.

This award coincides with the month that Pat celebrates 30 years working in theatre as a professional actor. Previous Archangel award winners include Olwen Fouere, Enda Walsh, Alan Cumming, and The Wooster Group.

“The work that we brought over here is really the product of a beautiful working relationship between me and Fishamble,” said Pat.

“It’s been a huge creative team effort, so this award is something that is really reflective of that in a lovely way. It’s about people minding each other, looking after each other, caring for each other, and protecting each other in that really creative space. That sort of angelic feeling is really important to me, and this award is just so appropriately reflective of that.

“Jim Culleton taking my writing under his wing, that’s the main thrust of it really for me, he took it and he fully developed it and gave it all that care, and it’s very reflective of this award.

“I always carry my cards with me, and I happened to have brought my card of the Archangel Michael with me to Edinburgh! Archangels are fierce protectors of us all, but also very childlike, and that’s how I feel about the fun we have, and the work we do. That process is really loving and very protective as well, almost childlike in its creativity. It’s lovely, it’s really lovely.”