The Works Presents: Fiona Shaw, Episode 4 of 8, RTÉ One, Tuesday, February 21st at 11.10pm
The interview focuses on Fiona Shaw’s famed work in the theatre. While she is known on screen for her roles in Harry Potter and True Blood, it is the world of theatre to which Fiona has dedicated most of her life.
Fiona discusses her childhood in Cork and making the big move to London to study at RADA in her early twenties. After graduating from there, she was lucky enough to immediately become a working actor – first with the National Theatre, and later with the Royal Shakespeare Company. Luckily, there were no years waiting tables and hoping for a big break.
However she reveals that tragedy entered her life in her mid-twenties with the death of her younger brother, Peter, in a car crash. This moment had a profound impact on Fiona’s family as well as her acting career. Until then, she had mostly been known as a comedy actor but after Peter’s death she delved into more serious roles and innovated greatly in the theatre, becoming one of the leading talents of her generation. John discusses her most famous parts and what they taught her about life and the craft of acting.