We had a chat with DYT alum, Conor Murray on his show ‘Just a Minute’ and his journey to his first self-written show!
Conor Murray is an actor from Dublin. He joined DYT in 2012 and went on to study Drama and Sociology and later Acting at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts. His first self-written show runs at this years Dublin Fringe Festival at Bewleys Cafe Theatre from the 14th-17th of September.
Just a Minute – Dublin Fringe Festival – 14th-17th September, Bewley’s Cafe Theatre
Meet the intern.
Alienated, delusional, and with a monumental crush on the straight boy in the office, our intern is the ultimate corporate flop. Join him for one life-changing day as he attempts to suppress his queerness and rise through the ranks at the Greenwich Meantime Museum.
If you’re a recovering workaholic, a Colin the Caterpillar fanatic, or simply looking for a laugh – this is the show for you!
This is a riotous new comedy written and performed by Conor Murray and directed by Emma Finegan.
Where did the inspiration for ‘Just A Minute’ come from?
The idea for Just A Minute came from my own experience working in Internships, as well as some reading I’d been doing on Queer Temporalities and alternative relationships to time. I’d never really even thought about time other than it being a matter-of-fact thing. So the combination of those two things resulted in Just A Minute!
You were a member of Dublin Youth Theatre as a teenager, when did you know you wanted to pursue theatre/performance professionally?
I didn’t really consider theatre and performance professionally until 5th/6th year in school. I’d been in DYT since 3rd year. Up until then I’d loved the social aspects of doing a show a lot more than any artistic aspect! I met some of my best friends in DYT and I think finding out where ‘your people’ are is half the battle when choosing what you want to do. As I got a bit older, saw more theatre, did more shows, I started to really fall in love with the artistic side of it and began to consider it as a career.
Do you have a favourite DYT production that you were a part of?
It would probably be Spring Awakenings which was in the Dublin Theatre Festival in 2014. The whole cast just gelled and the script was challenging and also left room for a lot of fun to be had on stage. Honestly every production in DYT was special in its own way, my FYOAF show introduced me to great friends. It’s very hard to narrow it down!
Last year you were a part of the production ’24/7 Bliss’, how does it feel being a solo performer versus being in an ensemble?
It’s HARD! For me, nerves are better when they’re shared. Half the fun of a production is the people you meet and bouncing off other actors on stage. So it’s been a real learning curve just having yourself up there. I’ve loved the challenge, but definitely miss the craic of sharing pre-show nerves with people.
This is your first time writing AND performing for the one show, can you see yourself doing it again in the future?
I would love to do it again. I find writing very difficult, it is not something that comes naturally to be in any way. But there has been something nice about getting over that obstacle and doing it anyway. It sounds like I did it all on my own but it’s been a super collaborative experience, getting feedback constantly and working with Emma Finegan, the director. So it’s nice to write something and then watch it change as other people come into contact with it.
The show is for recovering workaholics, what do you like to do on breaks from work?
I’m a big fan of a sit-outdoors-and-stare-into-
What is coming up for you after the Fringe?
I’m working on writing a two-hander with a friend that explores queerness and nationalism in Ireland in the 90’s. So after a little break I’ll get cracking on that!
