When it comes to drama, the busy Catherine Mahon-Buckley is one of Cork’s leading lights, and we managed to catch up with her as she is gearing up for the opening of the Cinderella pantomime at The Everyman.
The daughter of a designer mum and bank manager dad who was also a musician, Catherine grew up in a creative household in Turners Cross and knew from a young age that she ultimately wanted to be involved in drama. She went on to study at the London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art, and has had a stellar career as an actor, producer and director.
Catherine met her husband Ted in Kinsale in 1978. They were complete opposites as she was the lively creative creature with a passion for the dramatic arts, and he was a quiet accountant. It was a match made in heaven, both in the romantic and business spheres, as their complementary strengths have ensured that their productions run smoothly.
When asked about what made her fall for Ted, Catherine says she knew implicitly that she could trust him. “I knew that he would be very solid,” she says. “I could have never lived with somebody who would have been possessive and obsessive, but with Ted, I could go anywhere I wanted to go, and he always supported me and that gave me that freedom.”
Like all artists, Catherine who founded the Cork Academy of Dramatic Arts (CADA), will attest to the annoying but necessary need for a cool, mathematical hand on the creative tiller. Which is why having Ted by her side is a great asset.
“You need somebody to keep an eye on the budget, because when you get involved in a show, you don’t give a sugar about what you’re spending,” laughs Catherine. “But at the end of the day, somebody has to pick up the tab. So many people in the arts can become quite poor and stressed out, so you definitely need somebody to keep the ropes on you.”
Indeed, Catherine, who is directing her 31st pantomime, Cinderella, at the Everyman Theatre this year, was worried they’d break even in the first year but the panto has gone from strength to strength, and this year is no exception. Written by Ciaran Bermingham in association with Catherine, The Everyman panto has become a beloved staple of Christmas for so many Cork families.
Putting on productions is always demanding, risky and challenging business, as there is no security in the arts. You have to mind your health, and Catherine is very much aware of this, having had some health challenges in the past.
She was diagnosed with cancer of the womb in 2012, which resulted in the removal of her womb and ovaries. Then, she developed diabetes in 2023 and also had asthma and chest problems,
“The consultant said to me that we could reverse my diabetes, but it would mean a bariatric surgery operation, and at the time, my mum had just died , and I wasn’t into having an operation,” says Catherine. “And then I got the Covid vaccine, which didn’t work out, and I had to be brought in and my lungs had to be washed out.”
Catherine realised then that her diaphragm and breathing was being affected by her weight, so she phoned her consultant, Dr Colm O’Boyle in Bon Secours Hospital, to say she wanted the surgery.
Bariatric surgery involves reducing the size of the stomach so you eat less, but it isn’t for the faint-hearted. Catherine had to go through numerous tests and see various consultants in advance, as well as a psychologist, dietician and physiotherapist.
She had the surgery in June 2023 and went from a size 22 to an 8-10. She looks amazing, but, most importantly, she is feeling strong and healthy. She admits that it hasn’t been easy as she can only eat small amounts and her eating habits have changed dramatically. While she is happy with the weight loss, what’s most important is that she is no longer diabetic or asthmatic and she feels full of energy and vitality.
“When I went in, my sugar counts were reading 8.6, and when I was leaving the hospital, they were 6.4,” she says. “They’re now 4.6 and I’m off all medication for diabetes as I don’t have it now. I was all the time being treated for asthma, but I haven’t had an antibiotic or steroid over the past two years and haven’t even had the flu. It’s turned my life around and I should have done it years ago.”
Catherine trains for 20-25 minutes in Ketogym every day and finds it great for getting her head set for the busy day ahead. She is keen to stress that even though the surgery helped her greatly, she still has to exercise self-control. After all, even if you can only eat small amounts, it would be easy to opt for chocolate and high-calorie food.
“Even though you may have had this operation, your brain hasn’t changed,” she points out. “I find I gravitate sometimes to the cakes and all the things that you shouldn’t be eating in the supermarket. And I actually have to stop and say, ‘You’ve worked too hard so walk away.’
“I would have been a chocoholic, but actually if I ate it now, I would be very sick,” she adds. “Your partner suffers too when you go down this journey because going out for dinner is no longer the same pleasure. So what we do when we go out is that Ted orders and I pick from his plate.”
With CADA, Catherine is kept busy as it has a music department, drama department, dance department, and competition department, and there are shows and competitions running all year ’round. She says the children love being involved and dressing up, and it means that they are engaged in activities rather than being glued to their phones.
Meanwhile, with panto season about to be in full swing, Catherine is delighted to get the opportunity to sprinkle some magic and joy over another set of Cork families this year. She pays tribute to the talent of the cast and creatives, including musical director Anth Kaley’ and choreographer Kelly- Ann Murphy.
So what can the audience expect this year?
“It’s a panto very much for the generation that we live in, as every five years, we have a different generation and that’s the truth,” she says. ” Children love the tradition and the slapstick, but things that you said ten years ago, you couldn’t say today so we have to make sure that we’re politically correct and friendly, but there’s still a storyline that children can identify with. I love to keep the tradition of panto but the storyline has to be brought up to children who would understand it in this world today. So we would sit down and map out the songs that are very relevant to them now, and I love to workshop with children around that too.”
Catherine will be extremely busy for the next month but you get the sense that she wouldn’t have it any other way. In the midst of the hard work, she also likes to have a lot of fun along the way. ” I always say that if you can laugh at yourself, then the world will laugh with you and you’ll never get hurt,” she smiles.
Cinderella runs at The Everyman from Saturday November 29 – Sunday January 11, starring Britain’s Got Talent semi-finalist Leah Barniville as Cinderella, Zach O Brien as Prince Charming; Fionula Lenihan as the Dame, and Lily Carey Murphy and Roisin Lane as the Ugly Stepsisters Zowie and Chloe. Book tickets here
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit The Everyman here.
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