Mallow native and Centre Stage School alumnus Shane O’Riordan is set to take on one of the biggest roles of his career after being announced as one of the leads in Martin Guerre at London’s Old Vic this October.
O’Riordan will play Martin Guerre alongside Alex James Hatton, with the production running from October 1 to 31.
For the Mallow performer, the role represents a remarkable full-circle moment.
Sharing the news, O’Riordan said he is “so honoured” to be leading the production, revealing that he first sang “I’m Martin Guerre” during his ArtsEd audition back in 2013.
Thirteen years later, he will be performing the song eight shows a week at the Old Vic throughout October.
“This one has been a long time coming,” O’Riordan said.
The role also marks his third Boublil and Schönberg production, following Les Misérables and Miss Saigon.
O’Riordan previously appeared in Les Misérables on the UK and Ireland tour and later at London’s Sondheim Theatre, before taking on the role of John in Miss Saigon at Sheffield Crucible in 2023.
His growing theatre credits also include Back to the Future: The Musical at London’s Adelphi Theatre, where he played 3D and covered the role of Biff Tannen, as well as Bat Boy at the London Palladium and Elf the Musical at the Dominion Theatre.
More recently, he played Peter in Lovestuck at Stratford East.
The new Martin Guerre production brings O’Riordan back to a show that has clearly held a special place in his career since his early training.
He trained in Musical Theatre at Arts Educational Schools London, graduating in 2018, and received the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation Scholarship in 2015.
His professional career began with a strong connection to Ireland, including a performance in Hairspray at Cork Opera House in 2014.
For Mallow, however, O’Riordan’s latest achievement represents another success story for a local performer who began his journey through the town’s performing arts community.
O’Riordan is a former student of Centre Stage School in Mallow, which has developed a long list of performers who have gone on to professional careers in theatre and the wider entertainment industry.
The Mallow school, established by Aideen McAuliffe in 2003, has grown into one of North Cork’s leading performing arts schools, with alumni returning from professional careers across Ireland, the UK and beyond.
O’Riordan’s own career has seen him work across major productions, workshops, concerts and recordings, building a reputation as a performer across acting, singing and dance.
His credits include the original cast recording of Back to the Future: The Musical, the Cork Proms at Cork Opera House and a BBC Radio Ulster production with the Ulster Orchestra.
Now, his attention turns to the Old Vic.
And for a performer who first sang the title song as part of an audition in 2013, the opportunity to lead Martin Guerre at one of London’s most celebrated theatres represents a remarkable moment in a career that began with a dream and has continued to grow on some of the biggest stages in the UK and Ireland.
Martin Guerre runs at the Old Vic from October 1 to 31.
