Colm O'Regan: What a joy to replace existential angst with traditional angst

Colm O'Regan's first gig since lockdown included mics in sterilised bags, green rooms and - for the first time in a while -adrenaline 

Colm O'Regan find his feet once more as he embarks on his first gig since lockdown. File image.

It was just one gig. But still, there’s a big difference between nothing and anything at all. There’s a lot of suspended animation in the Going Out And Doing Something industry at the moment. Everyone’s waiting for some foolah at a golf-do or the Carnivale De Killarney to bring the virus home and Typhoid Mary it around the village. Waiting for those in charge to realise that this is an Actual Industry, and not “something we do because we’re a bit, you know, that way inclined”.

The Theatre Royal in Waterford decided to say: "Feckit let’s see what we can do within the constraints", and put on some gigs in August and September. And they gave me one.