Lorcan Cranitch (63) is an actor renowned for his great versatility. From Dublin, he trained at RADA, London and went on to have a great career on stage and screen. He has appeared in Cracker and Bloodlands and is back at the Abbey Theatre for Ibsen's Ghosts. He lives in Dublin and has a son, Robel (13).
I was a big Batman fan. One day, my friend and I borrowed our fathers’ big shirts. We jumped off the garage roof in the belief that we could actually fly. We nearly killed ourselves. I grew up on the South Circular Road. We lived quite close to the canal and I had dreams of making a little boat and heading off into the sunset, doing a Huckleberry Finn all the way down the canal to Dolphin’s Barn.
Choose three words to describe yourself.
Sentimental, stubborn and generous.
Best advice you were given?
For work, I’d say, learn your lines and don’t bump into the furniture. And the business you are in is not fair. There is only one person who is going to play Hamlet. If 15 go up for it, 14 don’t get it. It’s not anybody’s fault. It’s just the way it is.
Best advice you give?
The show doesn’t necessarily have to go on. It’s not a life and death situation. People get into such a state about this profession. Life will go on even if the play doesn’t happen. And enjoy your life as much as you can.
Why are you an actor?
It’s the most joyous thing to be able to deliver great language. There is nothing more rewarding than delivering Shakespeare, Chekhov, Friel or Tom Murphy’s lines. To give emotion to those beautiful words is the most rewarding thing in the world.
You went to Terenure College, which many people associate with teachers’ abuse of students. But can you tell us about the tradition of theatre there?
Nobody is denying any of the abuse that happened there, but before that there was lot of great stuff in Terenure College. And it’s important to say that. I had a great time there and I really loved the school. There was a tradition of drama there that went way back to Donal McCann, Bosco Hogan and Philip O’Sullivan. There were the Brennans – Stephen and his brother Paul. And the Grennells – Nick and Michael. I was involved in lots of plays.
How would you describe your role in Ibsen’s Ghosts?
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I play the father of the servant girl. The play is about the dangers of fundamentalism and narrowmindedness. It has resonances to where we are in this country in relation to the mother and baby homes.
Why do you like acting on stage?
It’s the most thrilling thing when you feel the audience come back at you with approval. I don’t mean applause. I just mean that they are listening to you. You can’t get that anywhere else.
Fondest memory of starring in the BBC’s cosy crime series Death in Paradise?
I was the murder victim. In the first shot, I was the dead body in the water’s edge. A wave gently washed over me and we had to do it again. The director came over to apologise that he hadn’t cut sooner, but I said, ‘don’t worry, mate’. The water was 32 degrees.
Memories of meeting Queen Elizabeth II?
When I was at RADA in 1981, she was its patron saint. And to celebrate RADA’s 75 anniversary, there was going to be a royal visit... All the actors were told how to behave. You were told to say ‘Mam’ – as in ham – not ‘Mawm’. And if she came into a class, we were all to carry on as if nothing happened – it was kind of weird.
The door opened and the Queen walked in, followed by John Gielgud and a photographer. We ignored them completely. It was bizarre. Then the teacher asked me to read a poem. At the end of it, the Queen asked me a question. I got tongue-tied and forgot everything that I was supposed to say. I made a total eejit of myself but I made her laugh.
Landmark Productions and the Abbey Theatre present ‘Ghosts’ by Henrik Ibsen, a new version by Mark O’Rowe, premiering April 19 (previews from April 15) until May 13. abbeytheatre.ie