Chris Sandford is playing Clov in Impact Theatre Company's Beckett season
If you think you're busy in the run up to Christmas, spare a thought for Chris Sandford. Chris is playing the tricky role of Clov in the Impact Theatre Company's staging of Beckett's Endgame next week before moving on to directing another play, Magnum Hopeless, at the Limerick venue in mid-December. His wife Emily runs her own business, Cocoa Bean Chocolates, which by is approaching its busiest time of the year. Chris looks after their 17-month-old baby Lola and "while she sleeps" also freelances for a number of publications in the UK. "Things are a bit heavy at the minute," he says.
The couple arrived in Limerick about three years ago from England having spotted a niche in the market for a chocolate-making venture. The arrival of Lola in to their lives forced them to assess childcare options and in the end they agreed that Chris would stay at home. "My wife needed to get back to her business and we couldn't afford a creche full time, so it made sense for us. When I am out with the buggy I see lots of men doing the same. I don't think people are so hung up on it anymore. Ultimately she is getting the best care at home and I am just delighted to be able to spend so much time with her."
Endgame is the last play in Impact's Beckett season, which has been running since November 7th. "It's a massively ambitious schedule for everyone involved, really full-on. But we are very pleased with the reaction so far. Everyone is helping each other out, so even when you are not acting, you're still doing what you can at the venue."
His involvement with Impact was the result of a chance meeting at his local in Limerick. "I did some acting in college, and in Manchester, so I was delighted when I ran in to the Impact guys. It feels like a really worthwhile thing to be doing."
• Endgame is at Impact Theatre Company, 18 The Crescent, O'Connell Street, Limerick from November 28th to December 2nd. www.impact-theatre.com.