Dillie Keane

Dillie Keane
Photo of Dillie Keane performing with Fascinating Aida in 2000.
Born	Louise M. Keane 23 May 1952 (1952-05-23) (age 59) United Kingdom[1]
Awards	Perrier Awards 2 Times Nominated (Once with Fascinating Aida, 1984; again for her one woman show, 1990
Website
http://www.fascinatingaida.co.uk/

Louise M. "Dillie" Keane (born 23 May 1952^[2]) is an Olivier Award-nominated actress, singer and comedienne. She is perhaps best known as one third of the comedy cabaret trio Fascinating Aida since its 1983 inception, but she has also had a prominent solo career.

Career

Theatre and Fascinating Aida

Keane was nominated for a Perrier Award at the Edinburgh Festival in 1990 for her one woman theatre show Single Again (Sean Hughes would go on to win the award), returning the following year with Citizen Keane. Between 1999 and 2001 she toured a one woman show, Back With You, taking in the UK and Germany, and winning the Best Comedy Award at the Moers Comedy Festival in 2001.

In 2002, Keane wrote the songs for Sandi Toksvig's musical comedy Big Night Out At The Little Palace Theatre (starring in the show itself at the Palace Theatre), Watford with Toksvig and Bonnie Langford. Other works include the plays A Slice of Life (1981) and Boat People (1983). She has written songs for two pantos with Adele Anderson.^{[citation needed]}

Fascinating Aida performing in 2008.

Keane continued her acting career, including touring versions of Dancing at Lughnasa and Charley's Aunt, Juno and the Paycock at the Leicester Haymarket; The Plough and the Stars at the West Yorkshire Playhouse in Leeds; Accommodating Eva at the King's Head Theatre in Islington and Present Laughter at Birmingham Repertory Theatre. She was included in the premiere production of The Vagina Monologues in Dublin in 2002. She appeared with Kit and The Widow in Tomfoolery during 2005 and in the premiere one night only staging of a new musical version of Little Women at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane.^{[citation needed]}

Keane with Jenny Eclair and Linda Robson in the final performance of Grumpy Old Women Live

Keane has recently been (2006) appearing alongside Jenny Eclair and Linda Robson, in Grumpy Old Women Live and she appeared as The Duchess in Me and My Girl (2006) on a new national tour. She is currently performing the role of Dolly in Frank and Dolly a new play by Lizzie Hopley at the Edinburgh Festival 2007, for which she has been nominated for The Stage Best Actress Award, before getting back on tour with Grumpy Old Women Live. She then toured round Ireland performing the role of Lady Bracknell in The Importance of Being Earnest, before returning to England, and beginning to write new songs for the 25th anniversary of Fascinating Aida, which performed for a few weeks at the Jermyn Street Theatre.^[3] On 29 June 2008, she appeared in (as well as produced with Barb Jungr) The Lovely Russell Concert, which celebrated the life of her friend and colleague Russell Churney.^[4] As of 2009, she is touring England with Fascinating Aida, and they have just completed a new CD.

Television

As well as a television version of Fascinating Aida, Dillie has appeared with Richard Griffiths and Samantha Janus in Pie in the Sky, and with Phil Cool on a number of his series as well as The Truth About Women.

Radio

Keane has written and presented on radio for shows such as Stop the Week 4th Column, Booked! and Call Me When You're in Something (which won the Prix Monte Carlo).

Writing

Keane was a columnist for the Mail on Sunday (1993-95), and published two books connected with 'Aida': The Joy of Sequins - The Fascinating Aïda Songbook (1995) and Fascinating Who? (1985).

Personal life

Keane was born to Frank Keane, a doctor from County Mayo, and the former Miriam Slattery (from Tralee, County Kerry). Dillie Keane was raised in Portsmouth as a Roman Catholic,^[5] and described her mother as something of a "dragon".^[6]

She currently lives in Oxfordshire with her partner. She travels for her work, and particularly enjoys working in Ireland, the homeland of her parents.^[7]

She drives a Ford Transit: "I'm colossally uninterested in cars... but vans are different. They're incredible fun to drive. You are practically always the bigger dog. People always back up in small country lanes to let you pass. And even lorry drivers are much nicer; they'll flash you to let you in."^[8]

Education

Expelled from the Woldingham School (Sacred Heart) as a teenager, Keane studied music at Trinity College, Dublin, but left the four-year course after three years. She went on to study acting for three years at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. She was made an Honorary Doctor of Letters at the University of Portsmouth in recognition of her career and her continuing links with the city.^[9][10]

See also

• Fascinating Aida
• Grumpy Old Women Live
• Liza Pulman
• Adèle Anderson

References

1. ^ Birth in England confirmed at findmypast.co.uk
2. ^ Kennedy, Hannah (14 July 2003). "20 Questions With...Dillie Keane". Whatsonstage.com. http://www.whatsonstage.com/interviews/theatre/london/E8821057947347/20+Questions+With...Dillie+Keane.html. Retrieved 29 June 2010. 
3. ^ Jermyn Street Theatre, the official online home of London's leading Off-West-End venue
4. ^ The Lovely Russell
5. ^ Interview with The British Theatre Guide
6. ^ "The Importance of Being Funny", Irish Times
7. ^ Dillie Keane's Video Diary on the set of Importance of Being Ernest
8. ^ Dillie Keane interview with The Daily Telegraph
9. ^ http://www.port.ac.uk/departments/services/graduation/honorarygraduates/
10. ^ http://www.thisistheatre.com/regional/grumpy-old-women.html

External links

• Interview with The Theatre Guide
• A Dillie Keane Column at The Stage
• Fascinating Aida Official Website
• Jermyn Street Theatre Fascinating Aida Notice
• Dillie Keane at Gavin Barker Associates
• Interview on Grumpy Old Women Live
• Grumpy Old Women interview with the Lancashire Telegraph

Persondata
Name	Keane, Dillie
Alternative names	Keane, Louise M.
Short description	Actress, comedienne
Date of birth	23 May 1952
Place of birth	United Kingdom
Date of death
Place of death