Frances Healy
Frances Healy (born 24 August 1970) is an Irish actress, comedian, radio personality, TV presenter and voice-over artist. Her credits include The Serpent's Kiss (1997), The Magdalene Sisters (2002), River City (2006-2008), Taggart (2003), Fair City (2005), Moone Boy (2015), and Lulu and the Electric Dreamboat (2023).
Education
[edit]She attended Trinity College Dublin, graduating with a Batchelor in Theatre Studies in 1999.[1]
Career
[edit]Theatre
[edit]Theatre performances include The First Cosmonaut with Blue Raincoat Theatre[2] and The Candidate at The Beltable, Limerick;[3] and Bewleys Café Dublin; The Big Beautiful Woman, as part of the Limerick City of Culture 2014; Desert Storm and Misterman at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music, The Birds at The Abbey, Vagina Monologues and Her Big Chance at The Cottiers Theatre Glasgow, and were part of John Breen's play Alone It Stands.[1]
Film and television
[edit]Her first screen appearance was as a nun in the 1997 film The Serpent's Kiss.[1] She played Sister Jude in the Peter Mullen directed Miramax film The Magdalene Sisters (2002),[1][4] Other film and television credits include playing Niamh in River City (2006-2008),[5][1] Taggart (2003),[1] Fair City (2005),[4] and Moone Boy (2015).[1]
In 2023, she starred in the Limerick based film Lulu and the Electric Dreamboat (2023), where she plays the protagonist's mother.[6]
Healy is also a voice-over artist doing ad campaigns for TV, film and radio.[1]
Comedy
[edit]She was the winner of the best new comedy act at The Govan Celtic Fringe Festival in 2004 and a semi finalist in Channel 4 "So You Think Your Funny" competition. After winning best new comedy act at Govan Celtic Comedy festival, Frances was a regular on the stand-up circuit for over 8 years. She has appeared in stand up venues all over the UK, including Jongleurs in Glasgow, Edinburgh and London, The Stand Comedy Club in both Glasgow and Edinburgh, Comedy Café, Banana Cabaret and The Comedy Store in London. In 2022, she starred in "Red Army" at the Lime Tree Theatre, Limerick.[7]
Business
[edit]In 2015, she set up a school of acting in Limerick, called "Acting Up in Limerick".[8]
Filmography
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | The Magdalene Sisters | Sister Jude | |
| 2003 | Taggart | Naomi McKellan | Episode: "Penthouse and Pavement" |
| 2005 | Fair City | Clare Whelan | 12 episodes |
| 2006-2008 | River City | Niamh Corrigan | [5] |
| 2010 | Mattie | Sonya | Episode: "1.4" |
| 2015 | Moone Boy | Ali | Episode: "3.1 - Where the Streets Do Have Names" |
| 2023 | Lulu and the Electric Dreamboat | Ellen McDonagh | film |
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g h "Frances Healy". mandy.com. Archived from the original on 4 August 2021. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
- ^ "First Cosmonaut". The Irish Times. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
- ^ "Search for a Play – Playography Ireland". irishplayography.com. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
- ^ a b Enya Mcintyre (2 March 2021). "Limerick actress Frances Healy discusses career beginnings, running an acting school". Limerick Voice. Archived from the original on 2 March 2021. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
- ^ a b Kris Green and Darren Shelley (18 September 2007). "'River City' celebrates fifth anniversary". digitalspy.com.
- ^ Norma Prendille (4 September 2021). "Limerick-born actress to feature in film which will be set and shot in Limerick". limerickleader.ie. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
- ^ "'Rugby is theatre' - the Red Army take the stage". rte.ie. 17 October 2022.
- ^ "Frances Healy launches acting school Acting Up in Limerick". I Love Limerick. 28 September 2015. Retrieved 14 January 2021.