2014 Edinburgh Fringe

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In their first Edinburgh Festival engagement since their six consecutive sell-out runs (1996-2001) - Irish musical comedy trio The Nualas return to Scotland with an hour-long show of the self-penned songs, scintillating harmony, and provocative chat about current stuff that have wowed audiences across the globe.

Nuala, Nuala and Nuala (hence the name, The Nualas) met over starters at a dinner theatre workshop in Sligo. When they bumped into each other in Afghanistan a year later they knew they were destined to form an international super-group. Following seven years of touring and worldwide success, The Nualas went their separate ways. But, luckily for you, when they bumped into each other in the social welfare office in 2011, they knew they were destined to get back on the road together.

The Nualas have sold out at the Edinburgh Festival, played extended theatre seasons in London, Dublin and New York, headlined the first Singapore International Comedy Festival, appeared at the Royal Albert Hall and met Chris de Burgh in the flesh. They've also chalked up innumerable radio and TV appearances across the globe, including writing and recording several radio series for BBC Radio 4 and appearing on Ireland's Late, Late Show.

The Nualas are Anne Gildea (Brunette Nuala), Sue Collins (Blonde Nuala) and Maria Tecce (Red-head Nuala).

The Nualas re-launched in Dublin's Vicar Street on March 25th 2011, to an instantaneous standing ovation. In the subsequent three years they've toured constantly in Ireland, North and South, playing venues from The Everyman Cork, to The Royal Theatre, Waterford to The Lyric, in Belfast.

It's 13 years since they last played the festival, completely selling-out the old 'Ballroom' venue of the Assembly Rooms, 2001, with their show Goodbye, We Were The Nualas. And now they're back, with The Nualas in Hello Again, We're The Nualas.

Anne Gildea trained as an actress, under scholarship, at ALRA, London. She is an original founding member of The Nualas. She's been a stand-up, worked as sketch writer and performer on Irish telly and radio, done stints as a panellist, pundit and a critic, been a columnist for seven years with The Irish Mail on Sunday. Her first novel Deadlines & Dickheads was published by O'Brien Press in Ireland, 2006 ("An hysterically funny debut novel" Irish Tatler, "Comic writing at its best" The Irish Times, "Some of the best comic writing I've read in years" Tommy Tiernan). Anne was diagnosed with cancer in July 2011 - the treatment of which was documented in an hour long documentary Breast Cancer: No Laughing Matter, which aired RTE 2 in Spring 2012. Her second book, I've got Cancer, What's Your Excuse, a memoir, was published by Hachette Ireland in September 2013 ("Ireland's answer to David Sedaris" GCN, "A deft comedic touch and a distinct writerly skill" The Sunday Business Post, "Honest, insightful and entertaining" The Irish Independent).

Sue Collins started her acting career as a really serious actress doing profit share shows and children's theatre in her early twenties. After a particularly gruelling stint playing a witch in a touring show for toddlers she became disillusioned with 'theatre' and fell in love with comedy after a visit to The Comedy Cellar, the famous home of new Irish comedy. Sue hooked up with some comics in Dublin to set up the famous Dublin Comedy Improv where she performed alongside comedians such as Dylan Moran, Ardal O'Hanlon, Dara OBrian and Finbar Funny (a comic who never made it to England). In 1995 she teamed up with Anne Gildea and Tara Flynn to create The Nualas which went on to be a roaring success. After they disbanded in 2001 Sue met Phelim Drew (son of Ronnie Drew) and they married a year later. For the next ten years Sue pursued a solo career in stand up and writing comedy and had four children in quick succession. Finally in 2010 after much harassing from Anne her long standing writing partner she decided to re-launch The Nualas - "one of the best decisions I've ever made" -Sue-Nuala.

Maria Tecce is an Italian-American singer, actress and composer. This will be her first Edinburgh Fringe as part of The Nualas having previously performed one woman shows Viva (2009) and Strapless (2010) at the Festival ("A voice to melt butter. Sheer class... haunting" The List, "one of the highlights of Europe's smart and adventurous jazz and cabaret scene" The Times). This jazz chanteuse has shared the stage with performers as diverse as Dionne Warwicke and Ronnie Drew of The Dubliners. Maria's acting credits include 'Emelie' in Les Liaisons Dangereuses at Dublin's Gate Theatre, cult short film I Hate Musicals, Hugh Leonard's Roman Fever, and BBC television series Inspector George Gently with Martin Shaw. She's a Yank through and through, born and bred in Boston, but you'd never know, watching her tread the boards as red-head Nuala. Maria is also musical director, accompanist on piano and guitar, and nibbles-consultant for the group.