The Shape I'm In - Cormac Mohally from Lords of Strut

Irene Feighan chats with Lords of Strut star Cormac Mohally.

HE’S one half of the comedy duo Lords of Strut, and looks the part. Cormac Mohally’s overextended spine pushes his bum out, giving him a natural waddle. “It’s comedy gold,” jokes the 37-year-old who, along with his stage partner Cian Kinsella, reached the semi-finals of ITV’s Britain’s Got Talent last year.

He hasn’t always appreciated the shape of his spine but over the years he’s adjusted to it. “I’d love to be able to stand more upright but I’m getting used to the fact that that’s just my body type and I’m OK with that. As I get older, the more accepting I am.”

The Cork man shares his home with a five-year-old collie called Trixy, his partner Francesca, who is from Italy, and their 14-year-old daughter Samhain, who is “both embarrassed and proud of her dad”.

Given that he often appears on stage dressed in clashing skin-tight Spandex, it’s easy to understand her mixed emotions.

- Lords of Strut Release the Freak, runs for four nights, including Cork, Live At St Luke’s, Saturday, April 28. lordsofstrut.com/theshow

What shape are you in?

I’m in the best shape I’ve ever been in my life. We put in a lot of training for Britain’s Got Talent last year — and you see the results. It goes up and down — if I’ve haven’t been doing anything for a couple of weeks, it shows. We use The Circus Factory space in Cork for most for our training. During the off periods, we would aim to train three to four times a week, that’s the ideal, but the reality is one to two times a week.

What are your healthiest eating habits?

When Cian cooks for me —he’s an excellent cook and grows his own vegetables. If he cooks, which is rare, he cooks really good food. My partner and daughter are both vegetarians so we have lots of veg and products like quorn and beans. I like to cook, especially if I have time which is rare. Last night I cooked pasta al pomodoro and broccolini — that’s Italian food for you, super easy and super simple.

What are your guiltiest pleasures?

My nightly packet of biscuits— chocolate chip, cheesecake flavour, chocolate coated. In the evening I’ll sit down with a cup of tea and I’ll have a couple of biscuits and before you know it, I’ve eaten half the packet and sure who would leave a half of packet of biscuits lying there? I’m worried I’ll get type 2 diabetes.

What would keep you awake at night?

The worrying state of affairs in Ireland. With the recession, my lifestyle didn’t change because I was always a struggling artist. In the last two years, I’ve seen arts centres get squeezed out — the arts budgets are not being increased — and seen more homelessness. I think it’s gone back to people in Ireland grabbing what they can. We’re told business needs the money.

How do you relax?

If I get a chance I’ll play a board game with friends or go for a walk with friends. Sharing stories, sharing anecdotes, I really enjoy that. Or we’d walk the dog.

Who would you invite to your dream dinner party?

Graham Linehan — I think he would be funny and would have good anecdotes. David Byrne from Talking Heads,

Picasso because of his Guernica painting. And I’d throw in another musician, Rufus Wainwright.

What’s your favourite smell?

Baked croissants — the ones in a can. We have them as a treat, which is which is probably most weekends.

When is the last time you cried?

I watched Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri when I was flying home from Australia after the last tour. It made me cry. Some people say I should cry more often.

What traits do you least like in others?

People who just think about themselves and not about those in the community around them.

What traits do you least like about yourself?

My personal self-doubt and criticism. I’m learning to be OK with my flaws. I could say I’ve got too much drive — but it gets things done. My procrastination? If I didn’t procrastinate how would I have spent all those hours learning to juggle?

Do you pray?

I would consider myself agnostic but spiritual. I was brought up in the Quaker tradition. I would often look at the pagan calendar for events during the year — like the winter solstice — and celebrate them. I recently

downloaded the Headspace app — that might be the 21st-century praying app.

What would cheer up your day?

Getting to the end of the day and feeling like I’ve achieved what I wanted to achieve.