Books are My Business: Aoife McMahon, actress and voiceover artist
Aoife McMahon Picture: Sam Irons DPA Management
Aoife McMahon is an actress and voiceover artist from Clarecastle, Co Clare. She is based in London, where she trained at RADA, and has narrated more than 200 audiobooks.
It was through my agent, originally. Back in the day, you might pick up one or two a year but now because everything comes out in audio as well as print, it has become really busy, and especially so since covid. I had just converted a little summer house in my garden to a studio and I was ready to go — it got very, very busy. It has become my main income stream.
It's a good mixture, I do like going into the studio because it is nice to see other humans. I had enough of my own company over the pandemic. I have just knocked the summerhouse we converted and built a decent studio in my garden so I am recording the first book in there at the moment. I get the odd aeroplane but it is pretty quiet, I’m pleased with it.
Obviously, you prepare the book beforehand so I do that on my iPad, using an app called iAnnotate. I highlight people’s names, where they’re from, any indication of how they might speak — the tone of their voice, education, if they’ve travelled or not, any clue at all that might help me get their voice and character.
There are also things you have to research, place-names, there might be another language, pronunciations, all of that. Once that is all done, I go back and compile a list of characters, who they are, how they relate to each other. And of course, I map out the dialogue, who is speaking and when, so you get a good flow when you are reading it.
Yes, you would nearly spend as much time prepping as you would recording.
Usually three to four days.
I’m a qualified yoga teacher so I do a yoga warm-up in the morning, the breath is the most important thing. I mix that up with a voice warm-up. I try to avoid drinking coffee and eating chocolate when I’m narrating. I have plenty of herbal teas.
I have always been an avid reader, I love delving into that world of books. At the moment I am doing a debut novel, which is always lovely. It is called , by Mairin McSweeney, which shadows in a modern take. I sit back in awe of the talent of our Irish writers. It is a joy to be part of that storytelling.
The time constraints. It is a bit of a marathon, whereas other acting work, you have time for rehearsal and developing a character. But you develop the skill of jumping into characters pretty quickly, finding their truth and getting the emotion across, without indulging in it. You have to try and find a middle ground where you are not interfering too much with the listener’s experience.
No, I don’t do the busman’s holiday. I love a paper book, that is how I relax.
I am a fan of quite lyrical storytelling, I love Jess Kidd and I was lucky enough to do which was a fabulous story. by Molly Aitken was another book I really enjoyed, again it is quite lyrical, almost magical realism. Also I have been able to tell real stories, like Vicky Phelan’s book, , and by Mary Creighton, a dark slice of Irish history, about the Madgalene homes. More recently, I did by the journalist Sally Hayden. I want to hand that to every politician in Europe, it is so important. I really admire that brave exposing writing, so it is great for me to be able to give voice to that.
Yes, I have written a novel. I’m in touch with an agent and at the very beginning of that process. Hopefully one day.
