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10th Nov 2014

Spoiler Alert: Janet From Love/Hate Talks About Last Night’s Episode

Warning: This story contains spoilers

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Warning: This story contains spoilers

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Sunday night’s Love/Hate was certainly a shocker with many of our favourite characters being killed. Who knows what lies in store for next year? Will King Nidge come back from the dead, is Fran alive or dead? Who knows?

One of the show’s other favourites, Janet, suffered a shocking and brutal death too. Here’s what actress Mary Murray had to say about the episode.

“I knew Janet’s demise was imminent. My agent mentioned it to me earlier,” she said. “I didn’t know exactly where in the series this would occur as scripts hadn’t been released at that stage, so I was glad when Janet made it to the last episode at least. The description of her murder was horrific and I knew it would make an impact.

“We had several make up tests before the actual day to ensure all went according to plan. Denise Watson and Sandra Kelly the hair and make-up artists did an incredible job.

“Every now and again a cast or crew member would enter the truck and get the fright of their lives.  On one of the test days Tom Vaughan Lawlor decided to come to set with his gorgeous little boy Freddie to say hello to everyone. I turned my head away to avoid looking at him because I knew I would have terrified him if he saw me as I was.”

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“My favourite scene was halfway through season four in the bar. Janet feels that Nidge is ignoring her in front of his cronies and only wants their relationship to exist behind closed doors. She decides she’s not going to be taken for a fool and makes it her business to leave. Nidge assures her that he’s mad about her and tells her that he’ll see her later after he sorts out some business. I thoroughly enjoyed playing this scene because the writing was so beautiful. The dialogue had so much depth which meant as actors we both had a lot to play with. This particular scene is testament to Stuart Carolan’s genius as a writer. He can sum up a lifetime of memories and fears and aspirations in such a few short words.”

So did she enjoy playing the role of Janet?

“I loved playing Janet. She was introduced as greedy and hard-nosed but as time went on, we learnt that she would never have survived if she hadn’t created this persona for herself. She had a rocky upbringing, a husband in prison, a son to rear alone, a younger sister who died and a job that wouldn’t be top on your career guidance counsellor’s list of options.

“She built a protective barrier around herself and when she let her guard down and fell for Nidge she showed her caring and vulnerable side. When Debbie and Denise were found dead she felt she had a responsibility to inform the families. As she continued to witness Nidge’s lack of empathy and willingness to get what he wanted by any means necessary, she was wise enough to stay on his good side.  She wasn’t naive. She knew the magic was gone but she had an agenda – to ensure her son had a better life.”

Love/Hate - Series 5 Episode 6

“She had a warped way of thinking – imagining Nidge could be a good father figure to Aaron, but given the lifestyle she had grown accustomed to she thought this was one of her better decisions. The fact that Nidge made a habit of using her phone was unlucky. Much like the life she led. I think we can all identify with characters like Janet who just never seem to catch a break.

“For a brief period there was a spark between Janet and Nidge. They really did feel like soulmates for a while and amidst the frenzy of underworld antics they found solace in one another, but it was never going to last. Nidge was far too selfish. I think Nidge felt bad about Janet’s death. He did care for her, even if the initial spark was gone. They had an understanding.

“It’s also a huge inconvenience. He’ll need to find somebody trustworthy to run the brothel. He’ll also have the guards questioning him. No doubt they’ll come across some numbers in her phone that he doesn’t want to advertise. Then there’s her son Aaron who’s been aware of Nidge’s comings and goings. He’s bound to kick up a stink. Her death will have opened up a Pandora’s box for him, and of course most importantly, who’s Nidge going to turn to now for a quick stress relieving knee trembler?

“It was  such a privilege to get to work alongside the great Tom Vaughan Lawlor and observe his preparation and execution close up. It was also a wonderful experience playing the mother to Lewis Harris, a drama student of mine who I’ve always had such admiration for. He is a huge talent and it was great to get to share some screen time with him. Susan Loughnane and Peter O’ Meara were a real joy to get to know and work with too. It’s a real treat to perform with actors like them at the top of their game.”

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What’s next for Mary?

“I’m doing a one woman comedy at the moment called No Smoke Without Fire where I play seven different characters who meet in the smoking area of a Dublin pub soon after the introduction of the smoking ban in Ireland. It was written by my dad Paddy Murray and it’s so much fun to play. I’ll be performing this at the Civic in Tallaght next week from 18 to 22 November. The following week I’ll be at The Helix playing the Wicked Stepmother in a Cinderella with Theatreworx Productions. I’m so excited about it because I get to work again with the very talented actor/director Karl Harpur. He lives in LA these days but makes it his business to return home every Christmas to direct the panto.

“The show will run from 28th November to 11th January so it will be quite a sober Christmas for me considering we’ll be doing morning as well as evening shows non-stop! It will be full on but I know it’s going to be great craic too. And who doesn’t want to play the baddie? I’m going to relish that opportunity.

“Then in March and April I’ll be touring China with a Dermot Bolger adaptation of Ulysses by James Joyce with Tron Theatre Company who are based in Glasgow. I’m also in talks about touring No Smoke Without Fire next year, so we’ll see where that leads. And of course, you never know what other little surprises the future may hold.

“I’ll miss watching the very talented director David Caffrey at work. I was so impressed with his drive and energy and his ability to deal with hectic schedules and stressful situations. He was so professional and always made everyone feel as if they were part of a team. The 1st, 2nd and 3rd Assistant Directors Johnny, Gail, Darragh and Ado were incredible. There’s so many names I’d love to mention from so many departments who ensured the ship sailed smoothly and I’ll miss them all dearly.”

Pics: RTE