Coronavirus: Belfast's Broadway star at home for lockdown drama

Anthony Boyle stars in 'The Girl At The Window'

Anthony Boyle has been a hit on stage in the West End and Broadway and has recently starred in a major American TV series alongside Winona Ryder and John Turturro.

He spent lockdown back in west Belfast with his family but he was able to work too.

Boyle is the central character in one of the dramas in BBC Northern Ireland's lockdown series Splendid Isolation, to be broadcast on BBC 2 on Thursday.

He stars in 'The Girl At The Window' written by the creator of Derry Girls, Lisa McGee.

Boyle is Jimmy, grieving his recently dead father and haunted by a girl he sees at the window at the house opposite - played by Julie Lamberton.

Boyle's character Jimmy becomes fixated on a neighbouring house

However, he told BBC News NI he found it strange filming a drama while observing social distancing.

"It's very bizarre because I'm a hugger, I want to hug everyone," he laughs, "but it's one of these things you just need to overcome and adapt and we've just tried to hit the ground running".

And filming The Girl At The Window in a housing estate in Dunmurry, on the outskirts of Belfast, really did bring him close to home.

"It's always good to be back on home turf, especially working with a crew and actors who are all from Belfast."

The director of the drama, Des Kennedy, is also local and worked with Anthony Boyle on the hit West End production of JK Rowling's Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.

Boyle won a prestigious Olivier award for his performance as Scorpius.

Des Kennedy also had to adapt to directing while observing coronavirus restrictions.

"This is really different from shooting a normal TV drama as it's a really small crew because we have to adhere to social distance rules," he said.

Des Kennedy spoke about the challenges of directing a drama during lockdown

"We're not allowed to get close to each other and in theatre and film we're used to actors and crew getting very close to each other.

"So we have to be clever about how we set up shots and how we communicate with each other."

Kennedy also said that with many theatres closed and uncertainty as to when they can open, or how many people they can admit when they do, it is a really difficult time for the industry.

"I'm really worried about the industry right now as we will be the last industry to open," he said.

"People are going to be resistant to going into a dark room with 500 other people and sitting really close to them.

"Post coronavirus, hearing someone cough in the theatre will be really, really scary for people."

However, as the Splendid Isolation dramas are a partnership between BBC Northern Ireland, Belfast's Lyric theatre and the Arts Council, it does mean some of Northern Ireland's finest theatre actors and directors have been involved.

As well as Lisa McGee, the writers of the six short isolation dramas are Owen McCafferty, David Ireland, Abbie Spallen, Sarah Gordon and Stacey Gregg.

Splendid Isolation: Lockdown Drama will broadcast on BBC Two Northern Ireland at 22:00 BST on Thursday 25 June and will be available afterwards on the BBC iPlayer.

It will be repeated on BBC Four on Tuesday 30 June at 22:30 BST.