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The Nualas

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The Nualas
Formation1995
Dissolved2018
TypeTheatre group
PurposeComedy music
Location
  • London, England
Membership
  • Sue Collins
  • Tara Flynn
  • Anne Gildea
  • Susanna de Wrixon
  • Karen Egan
  • Maria Tecce
  • Josephine O'Reilly
Websitehttps://www.facebook.com/TheNualas/

The Nualas were an Irish cabaret trio, known for performing spoof songs.[1][2] The group — with characters named Nuala, Nuala and Nuala—[3][4] was founded by Anne Gildea, Sue Collins and Tara Flynn in 1995. Flynn was replaced at several points since 2002 by Susanna de Wrixon,[5][6] Karen Egan,[7][8] Maria Tecce,[9][10][11] and Josephine O'Reilly.[1][12] Performing predominantly in the UK and Ireland, including the Edinburgh Fringe in 2001 and 2014,[13] they also performed in New York and The Melbourne International Comedy Festival Gala.[1][14][15] The group last performed in 2018.[11]

In 1998, they produced a series for BBC Radio 4, featuring Paul Tylak,[8][16] and a Christmas special.[6]

In 2015, they created a song Yes 2 Love promoting a 'yes' vote in the Irish marriage equality referendum.[17]

Members

[edit]

Anne Gildea

[edit]

Anne Gildea is an Irish writer and comedian. Anne's brother is Kevin Gildea, known for his work at the International Comedy Cellar.[18][19] Gildea is a survivor of breast cancer.[20] Her show "How to get the Menopause and enjoy it".[14] In 2024 she joined podcaster Dr. Louise Newson on the Hormones and Menopause: The Great Debate tour.[21][20]

Sue Collins

[edit]

Sue Collins is an Irish actress, known for parts in Fair City and Raw.[22] Since 2016, she has performed with Dundalk stand-up Sinead Culbert, as the DirtBirds writing, sketch comedy and podcasting duo.[23][24][25] She is married to actor Phelim Drew, with whom she has four children.[26]

Tara Flynn

[edit]
Main article: Tara Flynn

Tara Flynn is an Irish writer, actress and broadcaster.[27][28]

Critical reception

[edit]

David Benedict of The Independent described the group in 1999 as "daffy" with a "ludicrously varied musical style", attributing their success to "a cunning mixture of sternness and silliness".[29] Ian Shuttleworth of The FT, in 2000, described their turn of phrase as "gloriously daft", but that their material suited a "large club" rather than a "medium-sized theatre", but that the signs were there for bigger things.[30]

Lawrence Van Gelder, writing for The New York Times in 2001, declared that "New Yorkers in need of laughter can be happy that the Nualas are here", and that, despite their tastelessness, their "wackily original songbook" was a sign of their "undeniable overall talent".[1]

Shows

[edit]
  • Hello, We're the Nualas – 1997[31]
  • Big Shiny Dress – 1999[32][33]
  • Older Wiser, and Heftier – 2011[34]
  • Glitterbomb – 2016[35]
  • Lock Up Your Husbands! – 2015[36]
  • One Night of Dignity – 2012[37]
  • Hello Again - We're the Nualas – 2014[9]

Discography

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d Van Gelder, Lawrence (17 October 2001). "COMEDY REVIEW; Irish and Making Fun Of 'Riverdance'? O.K.". The New York Times. New York City. p. 8. Retrieved 3 September 2024.
  2. ^ McGrattan, Ciara (March 2011). "LADY POWER!". Gay Community News. No. 255. p. 24. ISSN 0791-7163 – via EBSCOHOST.
  3. ^ "SOTCAA Say Nice Things About: The Nualas". sotcaa.org. December 2000.
  4. ^ The Nualas (25 August 1998). "Destination '98 Trabolgan". The Irish Times.
  5. ^ O'Shea, Joe (3 November 1999). "being a woman comic is no laughing matter". The Irish Daily Star – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ a b "New Year's Eve Thursday Radio". The Guardian. London. 19 December 1998 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Boom? That busted flush". Limerick Leader. 18 November 2017. p. 88.
  8. ^ a b "The Nualas - Show 1, BBC Radio 4 (11 August 1998)". 19 June 2012 – via YouTube.
  9. ^ a b Burgess, Marissa (2014). "The Nualas: Hello Again, We're The Nualas : Reviews 2014". Chortle.co.uk.
  10. ^ McDonald, Leah (22 July 2018). "Comedy trio the Nualas promise madcap new tour for fans this summer". The Irish Sun.
  11. ^ a b Bennett, Steve. "No more Nualas : News 2018 : Chortle : The UK Comedy Guide". Chortle.co.uk.
  12. ^ Herbert, Kate (8 April 2003). "Dynamic duo know the meaning of diversity". Herald Sun – via EBSCOHOST.
  13. ^ "Where have you been?". Edinburgh Festival Guide 2014. Edinburgh Festival. 2014 – via issuu.com.
  14. ^ a b Hennessy, David (16 October 2023). "A funny journey through 'the change'". TheIrishWorld.com.
  15. ^ "The Comedy Festival Gala". ComedyFestival.com.au. Archived from the original on 14 February 2002. Retrieved 31 December 2019 – via Wayback Machine.
  16. ^ "Radio Wednesday August 26". The Guardian. 22 August 1998 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ "Watch: Irish comedy trio The Nualas release a catchy new single on Marriage Equality". Entertainment.ie. 1 May 2015.
  18. ^ Smith, Andrea (3 September 2024). "Kevin Gildea: 'Making Anne laugh is a real thrill for me'". TheTimes.com.
  19. ^ Jarlath Regan (10 September 2017). "Kevin Gildea". An Irishman Abroad (Podcast) (208 ed.). Retrieved 7 November 2017 – via SoundCloud.
  20. ^ a b "Anne Gildea: 'I'm 58 and had two get-your-affairs-in order moments. Now I feel like a lucky person'". The Irish Times.
  21. ^ Newson, Louise (4 June 2024). "All about Dr Louise's theatre tour Hormones and Menopause: The Great Debate" (podcast).
  22. ^ Masterson, Eugene (14 December 2020). "Fair City's newest character Teri is The Nualas and Dirtbirds star Sue Collins". SundayWorld.com. Retrieved 3 September 2024.
  23. ^ Hanley, Saoirse (3 September 2024). "Comic duo DirtBirds say beauticians Dee and Andrea are their favourite characters". SundayWorld.com.
  24. ^ Walker, Meg. "Meet Irish comedy duo Sinead Culbert and Sue Collins, aka DirtBirds". Image.ie.
  25. ^ DirtBirds on YouTube
  26. ^ Ciara Dwyer (11 August 2014). "Actor Phelim Drew: I miss the love of my parents". Independent.ie.
  27. ^ Sweeney, Tanya (11 June 2022). "Tara Flynn: 'It's frustrating to be 53 and still hustling for gigs'". Irish Independent. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  28. ^ Smith, Andrea (8 December 2014). "Happily, it all turned out grand for Tara and Carl". Irish Independent. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  29. ^ Benedict, David (1999). "The Nualas: a cunning mixture of sternness and silliness". The Independent – via archive.org.
  30. ^ Shuttleworth, Ian (November 2000). "The Nualas - Lyric Hammersmith, London W6". Financial Times – via Cix.co.uk.
  31. ^ "Wednesday August 27". The Guardian. 9 August 1997. p. 244 – via Newspapers.com.
  32. ^ "Going Out". The Independent. 11 September 1999. p. 156 – via Newspapers.com.
  33. ^ "The Nualas - the Big Shiny Dress Video". 25 May 2013 – via YouTube.
  34. ^ "Competitions". Gay Community News. No. 255. March 2011. p. 15. ISSN 0791-7163 – via EBSCOHOST.
  35. ^ "Saint Patrick's Festival" (PDF). Armagh. 2016.
  36. ^ "The Nualas say 'Lock Up Your Husbands' at Nenagh Arts Centre |". Nenagh.ie.
  37. ^ Andrews, Kernan (29 March 2012). "The Nualas: One Night of Dignity". Galway Advertiser.
  38. ^ Live & Available at Discogs
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