Kilmeen and Charleville vie for title
The RTÉ All-Ireland Open Drama Festival this year celebrates a 50-year association with the Dean Crowe Theatre and Arts Centre, Athlone, Co Westmeath, and the golden jubilee of John B Keane’s play, Sive.
Billy Keane will officially open the festival, which runs until May 9, tomorrow night on the stage where Listowel Drama Group won the All-Ireland with his father’s celebrated play, which captivated audiences countrywide.
The festival, founded in 1953 and run under the auspices of the Amateur Drama Council of Ireland, will feature plays from nine groups countrywide and is estimated to be worth €2 million to the Athlone economy.
Kilmeen Drama Group open the festival tomorrow night with The Kings of the Kilburn High Road by Jimmy Murphy.
Based in Rossmore in West Cork, it is the only Co Cork group to have won the top award with A Crucial Week in the Life of a Grocer’s Assistant in 2006.
The Kings of the Kilburn High Road is a touching look at a group of Irish emigrants in England as they review their past with mixed emotions.
Kilmeen has already won at five festivals on the circuit this season and came second at three others.
Tim Coffey, the play’s director, said: “It will be Kilmeen’s 15th time qualifying for Athlone.”
A team of 30 are heading to Athlone today in preparation for tomorrow night’s performance.
Meanwhile, Shoestring Theatre Company in Charleville, the other Co Cork group in the finals (May 8), has been knocking at the door of success for years. This year marks its 12th performance at the festival. While it featured prominently in the acting and technical awards over the years, the premier title has eluded the group, having come second in 2004.
Shoestring’s play choice this year is A Night in November, a comedy by Marie Jones set against the background of the Troubles in Belfast.
It is directed by Kevin O’Shea and is unusual in that one actor William Lyons is required to play all 14 parts.
The play was one of the hits of the festival circuit. It competed at seven events, won five and came second in each of the other two. William Lyons won seven best actor awards.
Kevin O’Shea said Shoestring took a big risk in entering a one-man play on the circuit and only a group with an actor of the calibre of William Lyons could pull off the gamble.
“But come off it did, and he has been acclaimed where ever he has appeared for his towering performance in the play,” said Mr O’Shea.
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