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STEPHEN JONES PUTS his acting career down to “a fluke”, but he’s made a fine job of showing it’s one he was born for.
The Tallaght native – who stars in This Lime Tree Bower, which opens at the Project Arts Theatre on 16 February - knows his way around the stage. You might have already caught him in Conversations on a Homecoming, Stones in his Pockets, Alone it Stands, or as Keano in the hit Comedy Musical I, Keano.
Then there’s his film work, which includes Between the Canals and King of the Travellers, and his TV work on the likes of Red Rock, Ripper Street, Damo & Ivor and Love/Hate.
“They were looking at me like I was a different person”
But Jones didn’t grow up wanting to be an actor – he initially wanted to be a writer. Today, he can count himself among the current crop of Irish actors who’ve found themselves in big-deal shows in like Love/Hate, and now he’s set to star on Broadway.
Jones was in a creative writing group as a teen when the man who ran it encouraged him to join UCD dramsoc. That’s where he met some of his fellow peers.
His first theatre role was in 12 Angry Men, and it was this that convinced his family acting was for him. (Though he recalls doing impressions and making home movies as a child, so they probably guessed he had it in it him).
“I genuinely remember their faces - they were chuffed,” recalled Jones.
They were looking at me like I was a different person all of a sudden, in a good way. They said to me ‘you should think about doing this’, which is very lucky because it’s such an unsteady kind of job, or is seen as that. You can be out of work for so long.
I was lucky in that they were really supportive and they knew after a while I was committed to doing it.
He spent years working part-time in a call centre, willing to sacrifice saving money for a house to try and get his foot in the acting door. That, too, showed his parents that he was determined.
On the way to Broadway
Stephen will make his Broadway debut in April this year in The Bloody Irish! A new musical based on the 1916 Rising.
“It’s going to be hard to believe once I’m over there,” he said about his New York debut. “I’ve seen so many of my peers, actors that I’ve worked with, going on and doing big American movies.”
“I think what happens is you realise it’s not that crazy to have big ambition and it’s not that unattainable – that you can be in these big films and be in a show on the West End or Broadway.”
He believes that “you won’t get better actors in the world” than in Ireland, and he’s up for a move abroad if his career requires it.
“I would go anywhere in the world if I knew that I would be working,” said Jones. “I think a lot of people are like myself, it’s wherever they think the best opportunities to be working are. For me right now I think it’s Dublin, but a year from now it could be totally different.”
Being a baddie
He has played quite a few baddies in his time. “It’s very far removed from myself but then
it’s nice when you can mix it up. A lot of them have come after playing softer characters. What’s fun about bad guys on TV is seeing friends’ and family’s reaction to it.”
He also played a role during three seasons of Love/Hate, and watched how the show’s profile grew. “It was interesting to see it from both sides,” he recalled. “Being on set and knowing the guys, and seeing people’s reaction to it. It really was a phenomenon. It was the right topic and right time.”
He enjoyed that it appealed to people “from all walks of life”, and the impact it had on his friends’ careers.
It was exciting and it launched so many people’s careers. We’re seeing a lot of faces now doing big work here in Ireland and abroad. I hope the next couple of years there are more shows that try and reach the same level.
He also hopes that the success of shows like Love/Hate will result in more money being pumped into Ireland’s homegrown TV industry.
This Lime Tree Bower play has a solid line up – it also stars Peter Daly (The Mario Rosenstock Show), and David Fennelly (Killing Bono).
Notably, the role is also one that he played as a student, so it’s a chance to see how his craft has changed.
“I’m a more experienced actor now and a different age,” he pointed out. “All that ties into really developing into the play.” We follow his character, Frank, over the course of a week in his life. Frank lives at home and works with his father in his chipper in a Dublin seaside town.
“In a sense he is a guy in his mid-20s but who is going nowhere,” said Jones. “His family are having financial problems; he is trying to hold the house together in this mother’s basement. He’s sacrificing his own life for his family. He has to make a critical decision in the play for himself and his family.”
Beyond his pending Broadway debut, there’s more work in Ireland ahead for Jones. Aside from This Lime Tree Bower, his play From Eden – which stars his girlfriend Seána Kerslake – will be brought back this summer, and he’s hoping to produce some new work.
It’s another avenue to explore – and more and more nowadays, actors, you have to have extra strings to your bow.
This Lime Tree Bower runs from 16 – 27 February at the Project Arts Centre, directed by Eoghan Carrick.
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Any other party losing 10% of its elected officials due to allegations of bullying etc would be considered in crisis.
@Honeybadger197:no crisis just weeding out the weak and vunerable, leaving just the killers, oh sorry that was a poor choice of word.
Usual predicable rubbish comments above
@David Huston: Usual vacuous point above, that conveniently ignores the content of the article. Deflect, deny, distract….
@Rex Butts: SF have a strict policy of weeding out all victims from their Cult/Party.
And now they need permission to voice any opinion they have. Jesus they are one step away from a full dictatorship in their ranks . The furthest thing thing from a progressive party
@David Huston: usual predictable response from you.
@David Huston: To be fair losing 10% in a party this large is a crisis. These things do happen in other parties but much less infrequent. I don’t understand when people blindly follow a political party and fail to accept their obvious shortcomings. It’s nearly treated like its fake news, which it clearly is not. If this was happening in FF or FG it would be reported just as much.
@David Huston: dessie ellis is convicted of terrorist activities. He’s a thug and has the party over a barrel. When the likes of Gerry O’neil in west wicklow are forced out to make way. The party has no real future in serious forward thinking political circles when this is the standard way of dealing with threats to other party members fron murderers and those threatening to hang the party out to dry to get a pay check
@David Murphey: the truth hurts
@Honeybadger197: All political parties went through the same thing. The more established parties encountered plenty of in house fighting during their inception and for many years after. In fact FF & FG only came about because of the difference of opinions in the original SF party. To say this type of political game playing is a SF phenomenon is utter codswallop!!!
@Paul Linehan: It claims to be the same party that was founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith. That’s a long bedding in period unless it was only founded in 1970 and has no connection with the original party?
@George Oscar Bluth: And parties like Fianna Fail and Fine Gael claim to be founded from true republican values… Who’s pulling who’s leg???
Is anyone supposed to be surprised by this?
@Rex Butts: ah sure it’s a Democratic Party that allows free speech lol lol lol
@D’Murph: The Church of Sinnfeinology doesn’t allow free thought or communication. Anyone who attempts this will be deemed an SP and treated accordingly.
@D’Murph: Free speech and living on the average industrial wage
Not as transparent as they tried to make themselfs out…
@Paddy: More transparent than your faceless fake profile at least ;)
@Stephen Desmond: typical deflection tactic used here . Wer jammin and many, mamy other faceless SF bots on the journal every day of the week . But you can ignore that fact ;) the cult has spoken ;)
@Gordon Hughes: If people want to post their vitriolic opinions why do they have to hide behind a veil of fake profiles? That’s a cowardly act in itself. Surely having such courageous opinions should warrant a real name/real profile to go with it.
@Gordon Hughes: The SF heads always want to know people names and addresses. Wonder why that is? Nothing but thugs.
@Stephen Desmond: Hahaha! The irony of a shinner complaining about faceless cowardly acts.
@Stephen Desmond: your 100% .. and the vast majority of SF contributions come faceless troll accounts that you speak of
Aaaaaand another Sinn Féin headline from The Journal to get all the people clicking :)
@Stephen Desmond: but they’re so news worthy, or should we just ignore the fact the party has major issues with bullying right across the country.
@Stephen Desmond: yes because we shouldn’t report significant things and should sweep them under the rug. Did you see the Fianna Fáil one yesterday they did. When it happens report it. It’s not the journals problem that Sinn Fein have a lot of them.
They’re always going to have a lot of these issues when theyre a party that breed armchair republicans, knakers, troublemakers, murderers, violence, bombings, terrorism, Celtic jerseys, awful economic policies and don’t recognise the law and cover up sex crimes and bullying whilst being hugely disorganised and have mess ups all the time.
I’m not saying Any other party are good they’re ALL terrible but to support Sinn Fein you’d want to be a new type of loser.
Our true freedom fighters would turn in their graves.
@Paddy: How to deal with bullying .
Threaten sanctions if they dare voice an opinion without asking for permission first .
Ask for permission first !!! A cult has less rules ffs
@Chris Finn: lol their MINISTER FOR POLICING cut off a clamp the other day like I can’t laugh hard enough at that. If that doesn’t tell all what does…….Oh wait your minister for policing went to jail for attempted bombing of innocent people.
What an absolute joke of a party. A vile organisation that also are an utter laughing stock who can’t get their sxxt to together
@Chris Finn: With anti-Republican hyperbole like that you’d definitely need to have a fake/faceless account to post here :)
@Stephen Desmond: your mean 100% facts chris has just commented with ?
@Stephen Desmond: you dont consider this worth reporting ? You might be right. Murders and drug dealing are far more news worthy activities of Ellis and his mates
@Paddy: But you all hate the party, do you not? why all the interest?
@Chris Finn: They are no more vile than FG/FF when they were part of the Irish Republican Army. Did their members not also go to jail for bombings murders etc. No difference between the old IRA and the IRA of 20 years ago. Both were fighting for their country, both had blood on their hands. The nonsense about the clamp is not even close to funny, you are easily triggered, most normal people who could get something to remove a clamp would.
@Tom&Gerry: eh no, the ‘old ira’ never targeted civilians
@Tom&Gerry: your comment suggests I think Fianna Fáil/ Fine Gael are ok. Did you not read my earlier comments saying they’re ALL bad but Sinn Fein just are an extra low.
Also are you saying ah sure we’d all do it as an argument for minister for policing taking off a clamp for illegal parking (who bet went to jail because of attempted mass murder). Lol let me get this straight this is hilarious. Can you please please repeat again your comment saying we all would do it lol!
@Stephen Desmond: you see the general public who voted for Sinn Fein are not allowed to comment on issues that affect them ,or the SinnFein party in other words we will accept your votes but not your comments
@Chris Finn: I really can’t speak for anyone else, but i think you would be a right eejit to leave a clamp on your wheel if you had the means to remove it, i know i certainly would remove it, it would be stupid not to, don’t you think?
@Tom&Gerry: If that’s your point you’re an utter joke
All parties are bad but Sinn Fein are a different type of low
@Chris Finn: Sorry, I think you mean FG, the party that only represents their own class, and detest the underprivileged. Now that is a different kind of low.
@Tom&Gerry: it’s bad by Fine Gael sure but I’d take it over a party that has a policing minister who was put in jail for attempted bombing of people lol. How is that so hard for you to grasp
Stalin would be proud of SF tactics
There really is a fear of the growth of SF..
@Willy Malone: What growth Willy?
@Willy Malone: there really isn’t.
@MK76: their is a strong possibility Miss O’Neill could be your next first minister…you will self combust with rage.
@Jane: Oh but there is, the desperation is pathetic, almost every single day.
Why not some other political party to bash? The answer is very easy, no other political party are a threat to FG’s hold on power, so the media print negative stories almost every day on SF. and FG devotees who are also scared their party will lose power use this forum to spout their venomous hatred.
@Tom&Gerry: in 2007 Sinn Fein got 6.9% of the vote, in 2016 it got 13.8%.
In the 10 years between FF brought us to the brink of collapse and FG brought in crushing austerity which was seen by many as grossly unfair. We’ve had health crisis after health crisis, the mess that is Irish Water, a homeless crisis, a housing crisis etc etc. In the midst of all that SF have increased their vote by 6.9%.
FF, the party that is generally accepted as having ruined the country increased their vote by 6.9% from 2011 to 2016. The same amount SF has grown in 10 years. Why are SF not hovering up votes? They put themselves up as the alternative to FF and FG but people aren’t buying it. I don’t see this fear that you talk about.
@Jane: lol super comment. Nail on head. Facts and stats. No progress even when opportunity was put on a plate for them. A weak party that will have the same numbers in 100 years time. Nothing to strive for
@Jane: It’s here on the journal, almost every day. FF are no threat so no attacking them, everyone knows this to be the truth, why all that energy attacking a party that are no threat to your hold on power, if you really believe that.
Sinn Fein will forever stay as a third party. They will go nowhere. 30 years from now nothing will have changed. Mark my words. Excited about the party now.
@Chris Finn: Don’t fool yourself Chris, you are terrified that SF will take the power from your masters, you are so desperate your fingers are being worn out making negative remarks about them, why do that if they are not a threat? Glad to hear you are exited about the party so am i.
@Tom&Gerry: literally nobody is terrified of that. The clowns couldn’t do it during the financial crisis, it’ll not happen now.
This dictat to gag victims or face punishment is a very poor signal from Mary Lou’s office.
Scientology operates in a similar manner, crushing any efforts to release damaging internal information.
Silencing people is not how you win their support or make the party an attractive proposition to voters.
I’m shocked, shocked! that a revolutionary socialist party would attempt to shut down dissent in its ranks.
I would be grateful for information on any political party on this island or our foreign neighbours in the UK who do not regularly employ 3 line whips and issue disciplinary penalties or dismissal for party members who refuse to adhere to party policy.
Individuals join political parties whose policies best fit their own agendas.
You really must correct me if I’m wrong.
@Brendan McLaughlin: I fail to think of any party in the world who’s minister for policing cut off a clamp and was put in jail for attempted bombing.
I fail to think of any party in the world that are as disorganised and have a constant list of mess ups and horrendous 1980s economic policy
I fail to think of any party in this country so connected to terrorism, violence, kangaroo courts, bombings, kneecappings, sex crimes covering up, armchair republican coward losers who wear bandanas.
The country and our men of history cringe for these absolute cowards and losers who follow this dirt party
@Brendan McLaughlin: delusional
@Chris Finn: but…..leo…..spin department…..FF are FG
@Chris Finn: “Our men of history cringe for these absolute cowards” are you for real. Have you forgotten the Old IRA members, FG and FF, were they not responsible for murdering and bombings and god knows what else. The IRA of 20 years ago was no different than the old IRA. Both had blood on their hands, go and learn your history.
@Tom&Gerry: I know my history. While all parties are bad none of those parties have a minister for policing put in jail for attempted bombing of people lol. Like what constitutes as vile for you.
I think we’re all in agreement that that minister is an absolute loser of the highest order
Darragh Brophy has yet another SF story on “bullying”. One could accuse Darragh of having an agenda or dare I say “bullying”.
@Cormac: So is it the journal’s fault for the billing and harassment FECKERS
@Cormac: Yes SF are the true victims here.
@Cormac: I know, it’s all so unfair.
@Ben McArthur: some of their ex members are any ways bullied out of the party with threats of punishment if they open their mouths
To be fair, is it any different from any other major political parties.
@John Fergus: To be fair, what other major political party has seen 10% of its elected officials resign due to allegations bullying etc in recent months?
It must be tough for the new young councillors going up against men who once planted bombs. Surely it’s ingrained in the old school Sinn feiners to do things “differently”. These gn run Sinn fein and can’t be disciplined.
Ye all should see some of the stuff these Cultists have got up to in Kilkenny/Carlow in the last year or so.
Issuing ‘Death Threats’ to people who left their Cult – And what did these ex-cult members do to deserve this ? Just spoke out on social media about their treatment inside the Cult.
Cultists threatening to Burn-Out defenceless women.. And approaching small business owners looking for ‘Donations’ , with a menacing undertone of “If you don’t donate, then you will get no protection ” ??
Just some of the Cultists activities in Kilkenny and Carlow ..
Ah The Cult at it again.
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