Fair City [News, Spoilers and Discussion v2]

Who ever writes the lines for Wayne deserves an award. The character is a great addition to the show and I could not imagine that another actor would be as suitable for the role as Victor Burke is. An example that comes to mind is the classic comedy "Only Fools & Horses". It would be difficult to imagine anyone other than David Jason as Delboy or Nicholas Lyndhurst as Rodney.
I know that in soaps, some characters are replaced by different actors. There are some characters who are so well portrayed by supremely gifted actors and it is impossible to imagine another actor becoming that particular character. It is definitely a special gift.

I can picture it now..

Jo: "Ah shur lookit, it was only a shag, Dermish"

Meet the Actors: Dave O' Sullivan

Decco Bishop is part of the most notorious family in Carrigstown. Some would call him ambitious, others would say he's ruthless; most would suspect he's a criminal.

He's a young man who doesn't play by the rules and will do nearly anything to achieve his goals.

Decco's relationship with Caoimhe, like everything else, is not straight forward. While the pair are an unlikely match, it seems to be progressing nicely - at least at the moment. Things seem to have settled down for Decco but he has been threading very close, if not across, the thin blue line for a long time now. Is his luck about to run out or will he continue to be the lovable rogue?

We put your questions to Dave:

Do you enjoy playing a tough guy and what reaction do you get from the public?
Yeah I love it. Because the character is so different my real life personality. It's great to be somebody different a few weeks out of the year. You mainly get a good reaction, people love banter and I'm no different. I love having a laugh.

Decco's always breaking the rules, will the law ever catch up with him?
I hope not! He does get into a lot of trouble, but he's been good lately (as far as the Garda are aware) so that will hopefully help in his court case next year. Fingers crossed.

Who's tougher - Zumo or Decco?
Decco, easily! I think Zumo has quietened down an awful lot in the last year but he would still have that temper in him should something boil over. Decco tries to use his words to outsmart people and get what he wants. He can be manipulative iwhen getting what he wants. Just ask Dermot Fahey!

Caoimhe and Decco are an unlikely couple, will they last?
They come from opposite ends of the scale. Caoimhe comes from an upper class working family from Killkenny where as Decco is more your run-of-the-mill Joe Soap Dub just trying to get by. Plus she is so much taller than me! But it's been great working so closely with Aoibheann in the last few months so yeah, I hope they do last.

Who have you enjoyed working with most so far?
Ooooooh there wouldn't be enough room for everyones name but obviously, working so close with my family members, I'd have to say them. Having known Louie (Denzo), Paddy (Zumo) and Stephanie (Sash) since before we were in Fair City, we are close even outside work. Having said that a laugh is never far away when Maclean Burke (Damien), Victor Burke (Wayne), Tony Tormey (Paul) and Stevie O' Halloran (crew member) are around.

What actor would you like to work with more?
I've never really had the chance to work with Jim Bartley (Bela) and Eamonn Morrisey (Cass) as much as I'd like so definitely those two. Those lads can tell some tales.

If you could play any other character in the programme, who would it be?
Hmmm, tough one this. Tommy Dillon could charm the legs off a chair, so I think I would pick Tommy.

How did you get the role of Decco?
I had heard about an audition for the part through Louise Lowe and Jed Murray who were the Directors of Performance Lab in Ballymun, of which I was a member. Myself, Paddy and Lewis (the three of us were in Performance Lab) all went for the same part and we got a call a few weeks later to hear we had all gotten a part so we were delighted.

How/where did you train as an actor?
I trained in the University of Milwaukee, Wisconsin USA, under the guidance of Rebecca Holderness and Bill Watson but most of the things I learned were through Louise Lowe who got her M.D. in Trinity College.

Are you anything like Decco?
Well some people say we look alike but I don't see it! But no, I don't really have a lot in common with Decco. I think that's why I enjoy playing that role so much. Maybe the only thing we do have in common is that neither of us smoke.

If Decco had three wishes, what would he ask for?
Endless money. Immunity from the Gardaí and for John Deegan to stand in the middle of Carrigstown Road in a tutu and leotard throwing fairy dust in the air singing "I'm a little teapot".

What has been your favourite story line?
In general it was probably the Damien/Suzanne domestic violence story. Both of them gave it everything in those scenes and it really paid off on-screen so I must say bravo to them for it because it was physically draining on them both. My own would be the Bishops first feud with Mark Halpin, which ended in gunfire on Halloween a few years back. I really enjoyed that.

If could write any storyline for Decco, what would it be?
Ooooh... I would have him cunningly con Louie Gleeson out of his pub and his money and have the run of McCoys. I don't know if I could see over the counter but at least it would be my pub!

What would be your dream role?
Wow! I would love to work alongside one of the Irish greats like Brenda Fricker, Brendan Gleeson, Liam Neeson, Gabriel Byrne or Colm Meaney (although I did do a play with his daughter Brenda and he came to see it). Anything alongside any one of those would be a dream come true.

What were the best and worst non-acting jobs you've ever had?
I've had a lot of different jobs. My best would probably be a salesman for Diageo. Myself and my mate Graham were sent to sell Heineken kegs in supermarkets one time, a certain shop had sold under 60 kegs in 11 months, we sold 103 in 12 hours over a weekend. Now thats salesman-ship!

My worst (a lot of Ballymun folk will remember this) was when I worked in a shop in Ballymun. My boss had the idea of buying this big pink dinosaur outfit to try drum up business outside the shop. He only ever had one person in mind to wear it and it was so hot! I had to fill it with plastic to bulk it out so I was sweating like a bear! Never again... I hope.

Do you have any funny/juicy behind the scenes stories you can tell us?
We are always pulling pranks on each other in the dressing rooms. Even if it's a simple as a hanger chain outside your door to dressing up a mannequin in Damien's work clothes. We even filled Victor Burke's shoes and pockets with sand and dust. We are always at it but I do work with a great bunch so we're all in it together.

Thanks for your questions.

Harry Angstrom wrote: »

What's happened to the Bishop's? They seem to have disappeared off the face of the earth.

Maybe they're attending a gangsters' convention somewhere?

No doubt, they have been written out for a while. Caoimhe mentioned Decco the other night though.

Really enjoyed last nights episode. Loved the Christmas market.

headmaster wrote: »

Overheard a conversation last night and basically it contained the news, that, WAIT FOR IT,.....Jo is preggers. Now, "WHO'S YOUR DADDY?"

That's the actress who is pregnant