A powerhouse of theatre from the heart of west Belfast

AN PHOBLACHT MEETS TONY DEVLIN OF BRASSNECK THEATRE COMPANY | FROM WORKING WITH STEVEN SPIELBERG AND TOM HANKS TO TOURING WITH HIS H-BLOCKS DRAMA

 » BY PEADAR WHELAN

BRASSNECK Theatre Company was created in April 2007 to address the lack of professional theatre in west Belfast, the company’s main man, Tony Devlin, tells An Phoblacht on Belfast’s Falls Road in a busy schedule.

Sitting in the coffee shop of the bustling Cultúrlann McAdam/Ó Fiaich community arts centre, Tony is taking time out from rehearsing for Sam Millar’s production of Brothers in Arms and directing  the Gary Mitchell play, Love Hurts, for the Irish-language drama group, Aisling Ghear. This is a ground-breaking development for Mitchell, who is from loyalist Rathcoole but no longer lives there as he has fallen foul of loyalist paramilitaries over his portrayal of loyalism in his dramas.

Tony Devlin was born and raised in west Belfast. He attended St Paul’s Primary School and St Mary’s Grammar School. Performing in many school productions, it was clear from an early age that acting was to be the path he would pursue. He attended Mountview Theatre School in London, graduating with a BA Hons in Acting in 1999.

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