In the present production of ‘Folk’, Tam Bloomfield plays Winnie, a smoking, Guinness-swilling and swearing nun.
When I asked Bloomfield how her character got that way, she said the play doesn’t give a back story, the character has just always been like that and after all she is Irish and if she didn’t appreciate Guiness that would be very nun-usual!
Already in her life are Stephen and Kayleigh. Stephen is a guitar player who has ‘lost’ his way somewhat. Kayleigh, whose name is a variation of ‘Ceili’ the name given to the celebration of Irish song and dance, is a student Sister Winnie has encountered at a school assembly, and thinks fondly of.
These three characters are on a journey together to discover the healing and energising power of music. Unfortunately, because she is so chatty Winnie doesn’t get to play the penny-whistle which Stephen and Kayleigh do. As for Winnie she gets to play the spoon.
For Bloomfield it is not the first time she has played an Irish character. She did it before in a production of Brian Friel’s Dancing at Lughnasa with the Old Nick Company.
As to the accent, well, Bloomfield has a talent for mimicry. As a child, she remembers watching episodes of Irish comedian ‘The Dave Allen Show’ and copying his accent and as an adult using it in an encounter with a young Irish woman and her grandmother, who couldn’t pick Bloomfield as not being a native speaker. It’s not only Irish. A Scottish fellow also gave her a thumbs up!
‘Folk’ can be seen at Playhouse Theatre from now until the 22 February.
