Age: 29.
From: Born in Dublin, grew up in Boston, and now based in Dublin.
Bitten: “Acting is a bug that bites and I kept pursuing it. I was serious about it,” says passionate actor Matthew Malone. There was no acting in his family but he got involved in school plays and choirs. “Music was my way in. I’m finally making a living from acting. It’s exciting not knowing what happens next.”
Busy: After a degree in English and drama at Trinity, he studied at the Lir. Then, after a spell working as a tour guide, he started to make his muscles in the acting world. Currently, he is in the quirky family musical Gold in the Water, which is at the Project Arts Centre until March 26.
Debut: He will be making his debut in the Abbey Theatre, on the Peacock stage, in An Old Song, Half Forgotten by Deirdre Kinahan. It is a co-production with SoFFt productions about an ageing actor, Seán, who is living in care and has Alzheimer’s disease. The play runs from April 14 to May 6. The lead role is played by Bryan Murray, who was recently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. “I play a younger version of Bryan’s character,” says Malone.
Poignant: “The premise may be heartbreaking but there is a lot of humour in it and live music too. Bryan will be reading his part. He can still act beautifully and he has such a distinctive voice.”
See abbeytheatre.ie