How It’s New York: John Duddy lives in New York, and is in the 1st Irish Theatre Festival, a theatre festival created for New Yorkers.
How It’s Irish: John is from Derry, and the play For Love is set in Ireland.
John Duddy, boxer and actor from Derry, currently appears in Laoisa Sexton’s For Love, part of the 1st Irish Festival’s “Next Generation” series. Michael Fitzpatrick caught up with him
A version of this interview first appeared in Irish Examiner USA, on Tuesday, Sept. 25 as part of Mike’s popular “At the Mike Stand.” Discover what period John would have liked to live in, who he’s been told he looks like, and what book he likes to reread (hint: it’s actually Jirish, at least in its author).
Derry man John Duddy has had it tough.
Having spent several decades enjoying the rapturous support of his thousands of fans during his career as a talented middleweight boxer, he now must spend his evenings sharing a stage with three gorgeous Irish women, as they bring Dublin girl Laoisa Sexton’s play, For Love to life.
Since permanently swapping the ring for the stage, John’s made a name for himself in New York’s drama circles, starring in Kid Shamrock and Spud Munchers, before going on to take his current role as the male lead in For Love.
The play will have its world premier at The Drilling Company Theater in New York City this week (details below), before hopefully finding a home elsewhere in the city at a later date.
Co-starring Georgina McKevitt, Jo Kinsella and Laoisa Sexton (1st Irish Best Actress Award Winner) herself, For Love could well be described as a dark blue comedy about a bunch of thirty (or is that dirty?) somethings, navigating their way through Dublin’s torturous dating scene.
For Love will play for four performances (September 25, 27 and 30 at 7pm and September 29 at 4pm) at The Drilling Company Theater (236 West 78th Street, between Broadway and Amsterdam), and tickets are available by contacting smarttix.com.
So head along and find out if there is indeed more than a one night stand in Val’s future, whether Tina can find the right dress if she’s got the wrong man, or even if Bee should jump into bed with a married man, or just visit the zoo. Mr Duddy, welcome to the ‘Mike Stand’.
When’s the last time you laughed out loud?
The last time I laughed out loud was during rehearsals with Laoisa, Georgina and Jo for the play, For Love.
What act would you like to have seen perform live?
Elvis Presley performing at Madison Square Garden.
What period in history would you most like to have visited?
I’d loved to have been in Rome when the Gladiators where still fighting at the Coliseum.
What song would you most like to have written?
‘Fairytale of New York’, by The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl.
Who or what, would make you leave a room?
I have left a subway car when somebody has left a terrible smell behind them.
What decade rules (and why)?
The ’60s. The movies, the plays, the sports and music, when all the greats were still performing.
What movie role would you like to have played/play?
Mel Gibson’s William Wallace in Braveheart. Or Jake LaMotta, played by Robert DeNiro, in Raging Bull.
Have you ever been told you looked like somebody?
Holt McCallany from Lights Out on FX. I had dinner with him on Thursday night and somebody at another table asked me for a photo and then said they enjoyed the TV show. Holt had a good laugh.
What’s the first album you remember buying?
‘LA Woman’ by The Doors.
Who’s your favorite Beatle?
George Harrison.
What’s your favorite Christmas song?
Dean Martin’s ‘Let It Snow’.
What artist/song/genre do you secretly enjoy listening to?
Joe Dolan.
Who would you most like to meet/have met?
Marlon Brando or Jim Morrison.
What book can you read again and again?
Trinity by Leon Uris.
What’s the greatest album ever recorded?
Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon.
What artists would you most like to have played with in the band of your dreams (supergroup)?
Kris Kristofferson, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings.
What sitcom character can you most identify with?
Tony Danza’s character (Tony Banta) from Taxi.
What movie can you watch over and over again?
Cool Hand Luke with Paul Newman.
Who’s your favorite cartoon character?
Johnny Bravo.
What’s the greatest place you’ve visited?
The Atlantis Hotel in the Bahamas.
What’s mankind’s most wonderful invention?
Skype.
What’s mankind’s most irritating invention?
Mobile phones.
Who’s the funniest person who ever lived?
Richard Pryor.
