Ashleigh Dorrell joins The 24 Hour Plays Dublin in aid of Dublin Youth Theatre supported by BNP Paribas Real Estate as an actor on Sunday January 28th 2018 in The Abbey Theatre, Dublin. Ashleigh’s theatre credits include Lydia Languish in ’The Rivals’, Sarah Walters in ‘Animalia’, Anne Brontë and Cathey Earnsahw in Polly Teale’s ‘Brontë’, Woman in Philip Ridely’s ‘Tender Napalm’, Paige Turner in Theatre Lovett’s ‘The Absurd Cat Quiz’ and Meg March in ‘The Wise Wound’. Most recently she has appeared in ‘All Honey’ and ‘The Grimm Tale of Cinderella’.
Film work includes ‘Nightshift’ by Steve Hall and Greenflash Pictures.
She was nominated for Best Performer at the Dublin Fringe Awards, for ‘Animalia’, which won the Stewart Parker BBC NI Radio Drama Award, the Fishamble New Writing Award and was nominated for the Bewley’s Little Gem Award. Ashleigh is a graduate of The Gaiety School of Acting.
Introduce yourself please. You can even describe yourself as if you are being introduced as a guest facilitator at a DYT workshop.
Hiya, I’m Ashleigh, I’m an actor from Limerick living in Dublin. I like making plays with likeminded people. When I grow up I’d like to be Mikel Murfi.
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. Most things make me nervous, shopping, people, 24 hours plays, but I’ve found if you just get on with things, more often than not, they turn out fine.
If you could give your teenage self a piece of advice what would it be?
Read more. Stop wearing O’Neill’s with everything.
What theatrical experience has had the biggest impact on you?
The Man in The Woman’s Shoes and I Hear You and Rejoice. Sublime from beginning to end.
Describe the craziest costume you have ever worn. I had to wear a waistcoat on stage once. I’m still scarred.
I once played a character who was blind and building a rocket. My ensemble consisted of a tear-away smock dress, sunglasses, a tinfoil hat, white stick and a mini keyboard. I was also singing the Elton John classic, Rocket Man.
You can follow Ashleigh on twitter @ashleighdorrell, but she warns us that it’s mostly dog videos and The Office memes… I’m down with that!
See you at The 24 Hour Plays in aid of Dublin Youth Theatre supported by BNP Paribas Real Estate. Tickets available online or call Abbey Theatre Box Office on (01) 87 87 222.