Nuala McKeever
Encyclopedia
Nuala McKeever is a comic actress from Belfast
, Northern Ireland
. She grew up in the west of the city and graduated from Queen's University
with a degree in languages.
for eight years, initially as a secretary before becoming a researcher. One of the first projects she worked on after quitting her research job was The Wilsons, for BBC Radio Ulster
. This was followed by Two Ceasefires and a Wedding, a film made for the BBC by The Hole in the Wall Gang. The resulting television series Give My Head Peace
made McKeever a household name in Northern Ireland. She played the character "Emer" for two series.
After leaving Give My Head Peace she was hired by UTV
. Here she wrote and produced McKeever, a sketch show
. Her first play, Out of The Box, directed by Andrea Montgomery, premiered at the Belfast Festival in October 2005, and subsequently was performed at the Riverside Theatre, Coleraine, at the Lyric Theatre
in Belfast in April 2006., on tour across Ireland before closing with a week as the first production in the new Belfast Grand Opera House Studio in December 2006. Subsequently McKeever and Montgomery produced It's Not All Rain & Potatoes, a sketch comedy about Ireland for Terra Nova Productions, and Is It Me?, a sitcom for BBC Northern Ireland
.
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. She grew up in the west of the city and graduated from Queen's University
Queen's University of Belfast
Queen's University Belfast is a public research university in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The university's official title, per its charter, is the Queen's University of Belfast. It is often referred to simply as Queen's, or by the abbreviation QUB...
with a degree in languages.
Career
After graduating from Queen's McKeever worked at BBC Northern IrelandBBC Northern Ireland
BBC Northern Ireland is the main public service broadcaster in Northern Ireland.The organisation is one of the three national regions of the BBC, together with BBC Scotland and BBC Wales. Based at Broadcasting House, Belfast, it provides television, radio, online and interactive television content...
for eight years, initially as a secretary before becoming a researcher. One of the first projects she worked on after quitting her research job was The Wilsons, for BBC Radio Ulster
BBC Radio Ulster
BBC Radio Ulster is one of two Northern Irish BBC radio stations, the other being BBC Radio Foyle located in the city of Derry. BBC Radio Ulster is located at Broadcasting House in the Ormeau Avenue area of Belfast city centre...
. This was followed by Two Ceasefires and a Wedding, a film made for the BBC by The Hole in the Wall Gang. The resulting television series Give My Head Peace
Give My Head Peace
Give My Head Peace was a satirical television comedy series on BBC Northern Ireland that pokes fun at political parties, paramilitary groups and the sectarian divide in Northern Ireland...
made McKeever a household name in Northern Ireland. She played the character "Emer" for two series.
After leaving Give My Head Peace she was hired by UTV
UTV
UTV is a television channel based in the UK region of Northern Ireland. The channel is the Channel 3 or Independent Television licensee for Northern Ireland and is operated by UTV Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of UTV Media.- Terrestrial :* Analogue: Normally tuned to 3 * Freeview : 3...
. Here she wrote and produced McKeever, a sketch show
Sketch comedy
A sketch comedy consists of a series of short comedy scenes or vignettes, called "sketches," commonly between one and ten minutes long. Such sketches are performed by a group of comic actors or comedians, either on stage or through an audio and/or visual medium such as broadcasting...
. Her first play, Out of The Box, directed by Andrea Montgomery, premiered at the Belfast Festival in October 2005, and subsequently was performed at the Riverside Theatre, Coleraine, at the Lyric Theatre
Lyric Players' Theatre
The Lyric Players' Theatre, more commonly known as The Lyric Theatre, or simply The Lyric, is the main full-time producing theatre in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The theatre was first established as the Lyric Players in 1951 at the home of its founders Mary and Pearse O’Malley in Derryvolgie Ave.,...
in Belfast in April 2006., on tour across Ireland before closing with a week as the first production in the new Belfast Grand Opera House Studio in December 2006. Subsequently McKeever and Montgomery produced It's Not All Rain & Potatoes, a sketch comedy about Ireland for Terra Nova Productions, and Is It Me?, a sitcom for BBC Northern Ireland
BBC Northern Ireland
BBC Northern Ireland is the main public service broadcaster in Northern Ireland.The organisation is one of the three national regions of the BBC, together with BBC Scotland and BBC Wales. Based at Broadcasting House, Belfast, it provides television, radio, online and interactive television content...
.