Katherine MacAlister meets TV’s Father Ted actress Pauline McLynn, starring in classic modern drama East is East

The legendary Pauline McLynn is on cracking form when we speak ahead of her East Is East performance at Oxford Playhouse.

The Father Ted stalwart is hurrying through her tax forms, so she can escape to Bath Spa for the day and spend the rest of the afternoon in the open air pool looking at the sky, on a rare day off.

“I just hope I don’t run into anyone I know in my swimming costume,” she squeals.

The rest of the time she is touring with this classic modern drama about a multi-cultural family coming to terms with modern life and all it throws at you, and loving every minute.

“I didn’t think I’d like touring and told them we might not come back alive, but it’s finishing too soon for me,” she admits, Oxford being their last port of call.

Last time she was here it was to film Quills with Michael Caine and Geoffrey Rush, “playing an awful bitch” but says she only saw the inside of a courtroom so will have more time to look around Oxford this time.

And while her CV is largely dominated by comedy roles, Pauline says she has never worried about being typecast: “I did a degree in English and history of art but when I graduated in 1983 there were no jobs in Ireland because of the recession, so I became an actress instead,” she says, as if it’s the most natural progression in the world.

“But I always joke that I’m the handiest person to play the old crone and that if I’m ever asked to play a romantic lead it will be in Cocoon 5,” and she howls with laughter.

Pauline didn’t leave Ireland until she landed the part of Mrs Doyle in Father Ted, which was ironically filmed in London, and after that life changed for ever.

“People knew me in Ireland before because I did a satirical political radio show, but after Father Ted everything was a bit different,” she agrees. “My wacky showbiz lifestyle really took off. I started knitting and everything.”

Did she know how successful Father Ted would be? “Well no because we only did six episodes and didn’t think anyone was interested and then we got a BAFTA and the rest is history.”

Roles as Libby Croker in the Ch4’s Shameless, and Yvonne Cotton in EastEnders followed.

To get into her current East is East character Pauline didn’t watch the film or see the West End show when she took on the role, preferring to mould the character herself. “I didn’t want to see anyone else in the part in case something in their performance stuck in my subconscious. I wanted it to be my interpretation,” she explains.

So tell us about it. “East is East doesn’t outstay its welcome. It throws everything at you and has a great storyline. It’s funny and touching and unexpectedly violent at times with some terribly bad language, a real roller-coaster ride of a show.

“So it’s joyous to see the audience’s reaction every night which mean we give it 110%.” I can’t imagine Pauline McLynn doing it any other way.

SEE IT
East is East is at Oxford Playhouse from Monday, September 21, to Saturday, September 26.
Call 01865 305305 or see oxfordplayhouse.com