Kerry group brave the Cuckoo’s Nest

A CLEVER community take on a major international storyline is set to take amateur dramatics to a whole new level in the culture rich Sliabh Luachra heartland in Kerry.

In a major break with tradition, a local drama group has gone global for inspiration and will stage a truly unique version of the blockbuster One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest over six nights this February.

The Sliabh Luachra Drama Group chose the tense Ken Kesey drama, set in a high security American psychiatric hospital, for its eleventh production and group spokesperson Moira O’Connor-Hughes said they were anxious to try “something completely different”.

The local production storyline is quite similar to the 1975 motion picture, starring Jack Nicholson as Randle Patrick McMurphy, which scooped an five Academy Awards, including best picture.

“It tells the story of a charming rogue who fakes insanity in order to serve out a sentence in a mental institution rather than a prison,” Moira explained.

“There is a 16-strong cast and it’s one of our biggest to date, so we are delighted to welcome a number of new members.”

John Walsh will play the demanding lead role of McMurphy while other key roles will be played by Paddy McCrohan, Danny and Dermot O’Leary, Brendan Reidy, Tim Dineen, Vincent Salmon, Thade Hickey, Seán McGuire, Marie O’Mahoney and Sinéad O’Driscoll.

Newcomers making their stage debuts with the group are Lorraine Salmon, Scartaglin; Danny McClure, Killarney; Liam Colleran, Killarney and Matt Breslin, Tralee.

“We also have a really fantastic backroom team who very often aren’t seen but are an integral part of the success of the group and to them we are extremely grateful,” said Ms O’Connor- Hughes.

The group will stage the play at Scartaglin Heritage Centre on Friday, Saturday and Sunday and again on February 11, 12 and 13 with 8pm nightly shows.