Welcome to the innermost thoughts of Dagmar Döring. Okay innermost when it comes to tiger herding on boats and time travel. You might know Dagmar as Nina Lawlor in RTÉ’s Fair City but I know her as the woman who introduced me to the concept of treppenwitz. And I thank her.
Introduce yourself please. You can even describe yourself in the style of a chat show host describing your whole complex life in two sentences if you are feeling like a life-affirming challenge.
I’m a half-German Dubliner who spent over ten years in London pretending to be other people for money. Now I’m back in Dublin and I’m still pretending to be other people for money, currently on the most Irish programme on the telly. Feels like home.
Have you participated in The 24 Hour Plays in aid of Dublin Youth Theatre before? If yes what is your fondest/ most nightmare causing memories? If no what are you looking forward to/ terrified of?
No, this is my first time and I’m in a state of abject terror. I’m looking forward to the paroxysms of fear though. It’s the actor’s paradox.
When you were a teenager what was your greatest interest?
For a long time it was split evenly between acting and horse riding. Then I realised that I was less likely to smell of creosote all the time if I stuck with the acting. Also I was better at it.
If you were stuck on a boat with a tiger what play would you act out for him to keep him at bay?
Kvetch by Steven Berkoff. Unlikely to keep him at bay to be honest, but it would make me happy in my final moments.
If you could time travel would you go forward or back and why?
You know those times when you don’t think of a hilarious/pointed/witty rejoinder until it’s too late? (Germans marvellously call it Treppenwitz). I’d go back to every single one of those moments so that I slay it every time.
Don’t miss Dagmar Doring’s contribution to The 24 Hour Plays in aid of Dublin supported by BNP Paribas Real Estate. Book your ticket now and see you on January 31 in the Abbey Theatre.