Group defies icy snap to stage John B’s Hiker
The venue will be the Heritage Centre, in Scartaglin, Co Kerry, only a few miles as the crow flies from the Stack’s Mountains where Keane spent many childhood days with relatives.
The Scartaglin area was severely hit by the recent snow and frost, but the group managed to get in the necessary rehearsals that should ensure a highly entertaining opening performance tomorrow night.
There will also be performances on Saturday night and Sunday night and on the following weekend, Friday to Sunday inclusive. Curtain up at 8pm each night.
First staged in 1964, the play tells the story of a man, nicknamed the Hiker, who returns home looking for forgiveness from the family he walked out on 20 years before.
This is the group’s tenth production and the experienced cast is working under producer Nora Walsh, who is looking forward to six nights of full houses.
Dermot O’Leary fills the lead role, while Máire O’Sullivan plays Kate.
Other parts are played by Moira O’Connor, Danny O’Leary, Freddie Galvin, Sinead O’Driscoll and Vincent Salmon. Over the years, the group has come up with authentic stage sets, sourced in an area famous for its traditional music and, this year, a kitchen scene from the sixties has been assembled.
