Culture That Made Me: John McColgan on Elvis, Heaney, and theatre greats
John McColgan, Riverdance.
Born in 1945, John McColgan grew up on a farm in Co Wexford before moving with his family to Dublin at the age of 12. His career as an award-winning producer and director began at RTÉ Television where he became Head of Entertainment. He later worked as Head of Weekend Entertainment at TVAM, ITV’s breakfast television service.
He is a founding director of Tyrone Productions, and co-creator of Riverdance along with his wife, Moya Doherty. Riverdance: The New 25th Anniversary Show is at the Gaiety Theatre, Dublin, until September 11.
The first time I saw a live theatre performance was when I was brought by my Auntie Mae to the Gaiety Theatre aged 11. I remember being up in the gods looking down and seeing Maureen Potter and Jimmy O’Dea. I remember thinking what amazing magic this is. It began my love affair with variety. That also triggered my love, which I've always had, for Maureen Potter. I went on to work with her many times. I did a documentary on her life, Super Trouper.
Maureen Potter was really clever. She was just a fantastic professional. Before she went on stage, she was so nervous, she‘d nearly be sick. One of the most extraordinary people I've ever met. She was in the pantos at the Gaiety Theatre for 25 years. She did the summer season for 25 years. I speak to the audience at the Gaiety before the performances of Riverdance. I tell a few stories. I say, “You know, Maureen is still here. I can feel her presence. There's rumours that we've seen her around the building.”
One day growing up, I was listening to the radio and I heard the opening bars and lines of Heartbreak Hotel. It changed everything. I thought what is that? Who is that? It was the beginning of a lifelong love affair with Elvis Presley. He was an extraordinary singer, an extraordinary entertainer. I branched off him to all sorts – classical, folk, jazz; I've a wide-ranging interest in music – but he was the fuse that lit by passion for pop music.
I was a teenager when the showbands – The Freshmen, The Royal Showband and so on – were at the height of their popularity. I remember going to crowded halls and seeing what the showbands did – they were like a human jukebox. They played the hits of the day, and they did it very well. There were great entertainers. They hit a sweet spot. By the time The Beatles and others came along, their moment was gone, but while they were hot, they were very hot.
I was always entranced with Leonard Cohen. I've seen him live about four times. One time I went, I brought Gay Byrne, Kathleen Watkins, Brian D'Arcy and Gabriel Byrne to the 3Arena. It was like a religious experience. At the end of the concert, we were all standing and everybody had tears in their eyes. He was an extraordinary storyteller. He had an extraordinary presence on stage. I love his songs and his lyrics.
The playwright Brian Friel was extraordinary. I knew Brian. I went to see Translations, Philadelphia, Here I Come! and all of his great plays. I loved that he was Irish and so, so talented. He really got under the skin of Ballybeg, Co Donegal, the fictional town where he set most of his plays. He wrote about what he knew about. His work is timeless.
I love the poetry of Séamus Heaney. The last time I saw him was at some big gathering in Ireland. He was invited to appear at lots of different Irish-American or Irish events. He always lent his presence and turned up. I remember saying to him, “Séamus, why did you work so hard? You turn up to so many things. You’re so good.” He said, “Ah, you have to give something back.” He read his poems so beautifully. He was a modest man. He carried his genius lightly. I never heard him say a bad word about anybody. I never heard him being cynical. A beautiful man and obviously an extraordinary poet.
I remember my father brought me on the crossbar of his bicycle to the Castle Cinema in Ferns when I lived in Wexford. I recall seeing William Boyd in a black-and-white version of Hopalong Cassidy. I remember the magic of that. It was the first time I'd seen the cinema. I thought there were people behind the glass screen. I remember silly things. They were sitting around the campfire, singing The Yellow Rose of Texas. I wrote to Hopalong Cassidy, naively, because I was such a fan. He wrote back to me and sent me a 10x8 black-and-white photograph. It said: “To John, from Hoppy”.
I love Humphrey Bogart movies. On screen, he had such a presence. He never worked very hard at the acting. He assumed the character. He was the character. There are actors the camera loves and they draw you in. He was certainly one of them.
One of my favourite actors is the incredible James Dean. He only made three movies: Rebel Without a Cause, Giant and East of Eden. He died aged only 24 in a Porsche 550 Spyder sportscar. His on-screen presence was electrifying. In Rebel Without a Cause – alongside Natalie Wood and Sal Mineo – I was at an age close to the central characters, who were teenagers, in the movie. I identified with them. He was a sensational actor. We can only imagine what he would have gone on to achieve.
One of my favourite movies is the original West Side Story with Natalie Wood and George Chakiris. I remember going to it in the cinema. If I wanted to go to a movie, and I really wanted to see it, I went by myself. I didn't want to bring a date. I didn't want to bring a friend. I didn't want to be talking or amusing somebody during the movie. I wanted to sit there and be part of it and absorb everything. I went to West Side Story two or three times. The Leonard Bernstein music, with lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, are unmatchable. If you listen to America, if you listen to Maria – they’re great. I still love it.
I loved all of those great, great musicals in the 50s and 60s. I love Rodgers and Hammerstein. I love South Pacific. Carousel. Oklahoma: “Oh, what a beautiful morning…” Each tune: the lyrics, the storytelling is so specific. They’re magnificent. When I think where I’ve ended up now – directing variety shows, musical shows – all of that was a huge influence.
