Dillie Keane
Dillie has been a show off since childhood and her family were very happy that she found a career that paid her for it. Most famously she founded the international cabaret trio, Fascinating Aida, who played six seasons in London's West End, various runs off-Broadway New, plus San Francisco, Singapore, Kenya, New Zealand and several tours of Australia including a month at the Sydney Opera House. Fascinating Aida were nominated for three Olivier Awards and a Drama Desk Award in New York.
Last year Dillie, completed a national UK tour as The Duchess in ME AND MY GIRL but for much of her recent existence she has been touring in GRUMPY OLD WOMEN for Avalon Productions, both here and in Australia. She owes her sunny disposition offstage to being able to get rid of all her grumbles on stage, and looks forward to getting a pension from Avalon any day now.
Her other theatre performances include writing the songs for BIG NIGHT OUT AT THE LITTLE PALACE THEATRE by Sandi Toksvig which was commissioned by (and for) the Watford Palace Theatre. Sandi & Dillie appeared in it with Bonnie Langford, and are very proud of the fact that in spite of breaking all box office records, they managed to close the theatre for 18 months. She has written her own one woman shows; BACK WITH YOU toured the UK and Germany and won the Best Comedy Award at the Moers Comedy Festival in 2001. Her other one woman shows included the Perrier Award nominated Single Again and Citizen Keane. She has also appeared in The Dancing at Lughnasa, Juno & the Paycock, The Plough and the Stars, Present Laughter, various pantomimes and a tour of the UK in Tomfoolery. Recently she was nominated for Best Actress by The Stage for her appearance as Dolly in FRANK AND DOLLY by Lizzie Hopley at the Edinburgh Festival.
Dillie's television and film credits include Grumpy Old Women (BBC TWO) and little else that anyone would remember. In fact, most of them were so appalling that she has erased them from her own memory.
Last year, she was awarded a Doctorate of Letters by the University of Portsmouth as an acknowledgement of her career in the theatre and also for her continuing links with the city. She is very pleased to be a patron of the Kings Theatre, Southsea, where she grew up and didn't realise she was at school with Denise Black.
Currently, she is delighted to be working with Sandi Toksvig again - this time on a translation of the Merry Widow for the ENO.