This much I know: Jim Mulcahy

Theatre is in my blood, there’s no two ways about it.

Every year I say this is it, I’m retiring — but the draw is still there.

This is my fourth time in Red Riding Hood in 20 years and to me it’s the best panto, hands down, even over Cinderella. It’s a classic fairytale that every child knows.

Down through the years the kids got a bit scared when the wolf came on but there’s nothing worse than the sound of children crying in a theatre, so now we get them shouting at the granny and the wolf.

I’m very involved with CADA Performing Arts, helping the academy by teaching theatre skills. For me, it’s about giving something back.

My advice to anyone who wants to get into showbusiness is to get your education first — make sure you have something to fall back on as it’s a very unpredictable world.

I was tempted to go into acting full-time but I looked at pals of mine who were doing it and decided that as I wanted to get married and have kids, I was going to need a more secure income.

Once you go into a show, the director owns you. Luckily my wife understands that — we met in the Cork Operatic Society. I’ve always thought it must be very hard for an actor if your other half doesn’t understand about the commitment involved.

I worked for Dulux Paints for 35 years, a full on 7.30am to 6pm job. Then I’d say hello to the wife and kids and run out the door to rehearsals.

I was a shy child. It was only when my teacher at the North Mon, Denis Harrington, suggested I’d be good on stage that I began performing. He put me into a play when I was nine or 10 and something just clicked. Later, when I joined the Collins’ Musical Society, things kicked off for me. My first big break was in Show Boat. I was caught, hooked.

The best advice I ever received was to always be myself. That’s what I taught my kids. It was hard, but I developed the skill of never interfering too much in their lives.

I’ve a son and a daughter and they’re both living in Australia now. We keep in touch by Skype but it’s not the same as having them here.

I live in Ballincollig and it’s my favourite place in Cork. When we moved out here it was still a village of course.

I’m not very health conscious but my wife is, she walks a couple of miles every day of the year and always tries to drag me along.

I’m a very precise person. My day job was all about systems and working things out and making sure everything was in its place and doing things properly the first time. Strangely, for someone who is so precise, I have the bad habit of leaving a lot of things to the last minute.

I’m not very spiritual but I do believe there is something after we leave this world. I hope so as I’d love to see all the friends and family who have gone before me.

I would never go out to insult anyone on purpose and I don’t like aggression, but I’m a straight talker and I do like to lay my cards on the table.

People have always told me that I’m a good judge of character. I admire honesty and sincerity. I get it right about 99% of the time.

Jim Mulcahy is in the Red Riding Hood panto at the Everyman Palace Theatre, Cork until Jan 6, 2013.