It’s #meetusmonday and today we’re saying hello to a long-standing member at HADS, Kane McCabe. Kane is a very familiar face to the HADS stage and always brings a smile to people’s faces during rehearsals. Here Kane talks about some of the many roles he’s performed and why he enjoys AmDram.

What made you become involved in AmDram and why did you join H.A.D.S?

Ever since I was cast as an Ugly Sister in my primary school production of Cinderella I have loved being on stage. All through secondary school and on through college I was involved either with acting in plays or writing plays. Then it all stopped. I lived alone had few friends and was struggling socially. One evening in a pub I happened to meet, now a good friend of mine, society member Richard Harris, who invited me to come to watch some rehearsals and to perhaps see if I wanted to join up, there was a small walk on part (about 10 lines or so) playing the cabbie in the play ‘Harvey’ . I spoke my lines mainly to a character played by Jane Parkyn and we laughed at every rehearsal to the point where we couldn’t look at each other even on the nights of the performance just in case! All this put me at ease with my new found friends and I joined as a fully fledged member of the society from then on. So in short, I joined HADS to fulfil the love of the stage and to make new friends both of which I did ( well I married one member of the society! Nikki and I have been married 11 years now!) and I continue to do both even now.

What is your favourite HADS play that you have been in or directed?

That’s a tough one, there are many plays I have enjoyed being a part of (and perhaps one or two not quite so much). If my memory serves me right ‘Improbable Fiction’ was a fun play to be involved with and is one of my favourites. Recently, ‘Allo ‘Allo! I thought was very good with an excellent cast. I have yet to direct a play although I am due to be directing the next play, after our current production Agatha Christie’s The Unexpected Guest directed by Jen Edwards has come to its conclusion in February. I’m hoping to be directing the comedy ‘Don’t Dress for Dinner’ by Marc Camoletti adapted by Robin Hawdon.

Who is your favourite character you’ve played at HADS?

My memory fails me here a little I’m afraid, I don’t remember names of characters or the plays they were from but I have enjoyed some of the smaller character roles enormously. As for larger roles I was quite fond of playing Billy in ‘Billy Liar’ and the young love interest in ‘Cause Celebre’

What’s your favourite non-acting activity that you like to do at HADS?

I used to quite enjoy going to the pub after rehearsals for a pint or three. (Does that count!?)

Which character from TV/Film or stage play would you most like to play?

Apart from the obvious choices from my childhood (James Bond/Superman) I rather like the character of Ray Simms from the film ‘Still Crazy’ played by Bill Nighy – A washed up singer from a once successful band from the 70s that eventually get the band back together to play a gig that they were supposed to play 30 years ago. ( A great film if you’ve not seen it) the role would cover all my bases really, rock music, singing, over the top acting and fun. Saying all that though I would love to have a go at playing Winston Smith from Orwell’s 1984.