Entertainment

Weekend Q&A: Paula McFetridge on movie night, eggs in a cup and John Toal

Paula McFetridge, artistic director of Belfast-based Kabosh Theatre company

Paula McFetridge – Friday night's best, as I love the end of the week
Paula McFetridge – Friday night's best, as I love the end of the week Paula McFetridge – Friday night's best, as I love the end of the week

How do you unwind at the weekend?

I love a good glass of red wine. Since lockdown my husband [actor and director] Vincent Higgins and I take my niece Molly (15) and my nephew Cormac (11) for a movie night. We've been watching a different film every weekend – we have a novel way of choosing a year and pick the name of a movie from that year from a hat each time. The kids have enjoyed watching things they didn't know, like Bugsy Malone; we've included Love Story and Saturday Night Fever, Annie Hall, Smokey And The Bandit and Star Wars, which I really remember going to see. It's great fun. We have ice creams and sweets. We then go for a walk and give our opinion on the film.

What do you recall about weekends growing up?

I come from a very sporty family. My parents played golf on Sunday, with my father playing in the morning, my mother in the afternoon so he was in charge of dinner. We'd have an egg in a cup with toasted slices of bread, cut into fingers... It was our favourite thing. My dad also used to take us window shopping in Belfast. One of my sisters played football for Northern Ireland, the other ran marathons. I didn't fancy blue legs and decided to do theatre.

Friday night or Saturday night?

Definitely Friday night, as I love the end of the week. Saturday is dependent on family commitments.

Do you have a must-listen weekend radio show?

On Saturday morning I catch John Toal's show at eleven o' clock. You never know what you're going to hear. I've known him a long time, he's such a people person. Also Elaine Paige's Songs From The Shows – she has the maddest dirty laugh.

Must-watch weekend TV show/box set?

I wouldn't miss Gogglebox – I love it. The box set is Call My Agent on Netflix which I recommend to anyone who hasn't seen it.

Favourite eatery – or is it a takeaway?

We don't tend to do takeaways. I love home-cooked food, although we went to Belfast restaurant Home before lockdown which was a treat. And I love the squid at Mourne Seafood Bar, my go-to place.

Is Sunday still special?

It is. We like going down to Ormeau Park for a dander, and what could be nicer than a wee gin while you're making the Sunday roast on your return?

How do you feel on Sunday night about Monday morning?

It depends if Kabosh is going into rehearsal, in which case it's a mix of excitement and terror. If you've just finished something, it's a clean slate. It depends on where in the cycle you are.

Kabosh theatre company's new Peace 4-funded production Before You Go, written by Laurence McKeown, is accessible for free from March 2-4. See kabosh.net