X Factor's Mary Byrne is delighted to be bringing Menopause the Musical to Cork
INGER Mary Byrne, who shot to fame in 2010 when she got to the finals of The X Factor, says that starring in Menopause the Musical has been a huge learning curve.
While the Ballyfermot-based former Tesco checkout worker has had numerous stage appearances in the course of her singing career, with three albums under her belt, it’s her first time doing a musical with dancing and dialogue, as well as learning 23 songs.
“I already knew the music of the songs but we changed all the words. And I had never acted in my life before — apart from fecking acting all my life — but never live, on a stage.
I think the best way for me to do anything is to be thrown in at the deep end and battle my way back up. It nearly always works.”
Learning the script for the comedic high-spirited show, also starring Linda Nolan, Niamh Kavanagh and Sue Collins, was initially a challenge for Byrne.
“I never had to study in my life. I left school very young at twelve and a half years. When I was given the script for Menopause the Musical, I couldn’t believe how much I could take in, how much my brain was willing to absorb.
"I was frightened and nervous but when I went down the stairs for the third time, I suddenly went — I know this and I know what young people are feeling doing exams.
"But the brain is strong. Even at 55 years of age, it can still be taught to compute so much stuff.”
X FACTOR ADVENTURE
On the first X Factor live show in 2010, Byrne gained the most public votes when she sang ‘It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World’.
And yes, Byrne thinks that showbiz (and not just the Abbey Theatre) really is a man’s world.
“Women seem to be forgotten about when we get to a certain age. It seems to be changing slightly in that there are more parts being written for women.”
But showbiz is a very hard business to be in, she says.
“I would say to any young person going into it to really know that this is what they want to do. The industry in Ireland isn’t that great.
"The country music scene has become huge. That’s where it’s at. But I’m not a country singer; I’m a big belter.”
But Byrne is following her dream, despite the difficulties, which include managing depression and tightly budgeting her money.
“I was always a dreamer but my feet are firmly on the ground. My friends and family keep me grounded.”
Byrne is a single mother to Debbie who’s in her twenties. I’m too old now to be day-dreaming and I realise that life is more reality than anything else.
But from when I was a child, I had a dream to sing. I never had the courage or the push to get up and do it.
“When I was working in Tesco, things kind of hit me when I was 47. I was singing in the pubs and clubs with my brother.
"My confidence started to go up slightly. I started the change of life and I became another woman. I don’t know where she came from.
"I was sitting at the till one day and I said to myself that there had to be more to life than this. God gave me a talent. I could either follow the dream or put it to bed.
"So I decided to follow the dream, as hard and frustrating and tiring as that was. I’m still following it.
"As long as God gives me the strength, I’ll try to keep going.”
WORKING FOR A LIVING
However, financial security hasn’t come Byrne’s way.
The 2013 accounts from her firm show that Byrne earned just over €12.60 an hour based on 40-hour weeks.
“When I came from The X Factor, I earned a good lot of money. A lot of tax went back out but I was able to bring my family on holidays.
"I’m not a millionaire by any means. I lived what I got and I enjoyed it. If I had stayed in England, I’d probably have more money and more work. I chose to come home to be with my family and friends.
“Work went up and down so there were times when money wasn’t coming in. I’ve always been a budgeter, used to living on a weekly wage. That’s the way I live now.
"Even though I’m getting a bulk of money for Menopause the Musical, I have to budget that out for each week for three or four months.”
Byrne says money is tight but she’s not complaining.
“I love what I’m doing. I got this great opportunity from going on The X Factor. I hold my hands up and say — thank you God.
"I’m still able to pay the bills and keep a roof over my head. I’m not up in the morning going to work five days a week. It’s a completely different way of living.”
Byrne ploughed about €20,000 of her own money into the making of her third album but it didn’t make back the money. But she has no regrets.
“I’m very proud of the album. It was my project. It got to No 10 in the Irish charts for Mother’s Day last year.
“I never thought in my worst moments that I’d be better off back in Tesco. But if work dried up to the extent that I wasn’t earning anything at all, I’d have no qualms about going back —if they’d have me back.
“Believe it or not but I actually miss the camaraderie of the people I worked with and the customers. I miss being part of a group of people and having a steady wage coming in every week.”
Future plans may include recording an album with Don Mescall in Nashville.
“I want to do it in memory of my father who was a big country fan.”
Despite occasionally having stars in her eyes, family always comes first for Mary Byrne.
Due to *phenomenal* demand, an extra performance of Menopause The Musical has been added on Sat 28th November, 5pm! pic.twitter.com/QMfNj6yEFn
— The Everyman (@EverymanCork) November 11, 2015
