POPULAR English actress and star of a number of TV series, including Bergerac and Midsomer Murders, Liza Goddard is coming to Bord Gais Energy Theatre this June to play Miss Caroline Amory in Agatha Christie’s play, Black Coffee.
The Gazette spoke to Liza about an average day in her life, both at rest and at work.
She said: “Well, of course, when I’m working in a play my day is taken up with the theatre, really, getting up in the morning and making sure I have a bit of exercise like a walk or something and then I have breakfast.
“If it’s a matinee day, it’s good to have a late breakfast/brunch and then go into the theatre, and do the matinee – I’ll probably do another show [in the evening].”
When she’s preparing for a play, she will read the script every day for at least a month beforehand, “preferably two [months]; not learn it, just read it every single day.
“Then, when you come to learn it in rehearsal, it goes in incredibly quickly because your brain has already got used to seeing those words.
“When I’m home, I rush about all day long, doing millions of things. Yesterday, for example, I emptied some of my garden pots and rushed out and bought some petunias and put those in, and did a bit of weeding.
“I drafted some more rocket seed in the vegetable garden and went to visit [a friend] in hospital and fed my pony.
“My running days are behind me, and now I love to walk, so I walk the dogs [in the countryside, where she lives].
“And then, when I’m not walking I ride my pony, although I haven’t ridden him in a year and a half. I got him in Connemara when we were on holidays – we went to Connemara and came back with a pony!” she laughed.
“When I’m at home, I normally turn in at 10pm but, of course, when I’m working in the theatre it’s about midnight [that I retire to bed].
“My life is very different when working in the theatre – when we come offstage, we like to meet up and have a chat, go to the pub – you know, have a laugh. It’s very important to wind down.
“I’m looking forward to the one we’re in [Black Coffee, at the Bord Gais Energy Theatre]; the new one. I love Ireland and Dublin and my husband and I often [come here] on holiday,” she said.
Liza Goddard appears in Agatha Christie’s Black Coffee at Bord Gais Energy Theatre, from June 23 until June 28, and tickets, ranging from €17.50 to €45, are available from the box office at bordgaisenergytheatre.ie/tickets.
