The is looking bright for ‘Young Offenders’

Original comedy is more welcome than ever during these dark times, and this sitcom has certainly helped lift the spirits in recent weeks.

If you’re new to The Young Offenders party, it centres on Cork-based rogues Conor (Alex Murphy) and Jock (Chris Walley), and their mother/guardian Mairéad (Hilary Rose) as she tries to keep them on the straight and narrow.

It was created by director, producer and screenwriter Peter Foott, himself a Cork native. Having honed his skills on RTE’s Republic of Telly and hidden camera show The Fear, Peter was inspired to write a film after hearing about a cocaine haul off the coast of Cork during 2007.

His 2016 comedy film The Young Offenders went down a storm not only at the Galway Film Fleadh, where it landed Best Irish Feature Film, but also at the Los Angeles Comedy Festival. It won gongs for Best Feature Film, Best Feature Screenplay and Best Feature Direction.

Given its success on the world stage, there was little wonder a TV series was rushed into production in the spring of 2017. Three years on and it’s still going strong, as this week’s offering proves.

After Conor and Jock are almost caught by Sergeant Healy following a disastrous bike theft, Mairead tires of the duo’s immature behaviour and demands change. She books them into a ‘therapy’ session in Dublin, hoping it will imbue them with a sense of responsibility. A road trip is duly arranged, leading to bizarre encounters with a bed and breakfast owner, the therapist herself and an unsuspecting pub crowd. (If you’re a fan of Father Ted, look out for a guest appearance from Mrs Doyle herself, Pauline McLynn).

For many actors, a costume or prop is key to them getting into the role. Do The Young Offenders cast have any rituals for getting into character on set?

“A lot of it is when you leave the make-up chair and you’ve got your head shaved, the earring in and the tracksuit on – just a quick look in the mirror and Conor thinks he’s a hard man!” explains Alex Murphy.

For Hilary Rose, the footwear is an integral part of her character: “Mairéad always has these absolutely disgusting trainers – like you couldn’t buy a worse pair of trainers,” she laughs. “I actually wore the same pair of trainers for series one all through series two. And finally, when they got to series three they were like: ‘We’ve splashed out and bought you a new pair of trainers for like, 20 quid’, and they were just as disgusting. Once the trainers go on, I’m like, ‘Oh yeah, that’s Mairéad!’”

Because series two and three were shot back to back, it meant this run is getting a better slot at a time when many TV planners are struggling for new content. That and the fact its fanbase has grown over the years, so little wonder BBC bosses are keen to give it a bigger platform. Chris Walley hopes the ongoing series three will cheer a few folks up during a very odd era.

“Hopefully, if it brings some laughs to people while they’re stuck inside.”

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