Having swept their way to the ADCI RTE All-Ireland Drama Finals in Athlone, Ger Canning and her charges are tasked with opening the festival on this Thursday night with thier mammoth production of ‘The Welkin’ and we we wish them every success in their endeavours to retain that all-elusive title they won last year with ‘Rabbit Hole’.
Local man Cillian Collins, who has performed with the Ballyduff group in the past, will welcome them to The Dean Crowe Theatre in his capacity of Artstic Director. Nine nights of the very best of amateur theatre are in store in the Co Westmeath venue in what is a very special year as it is the 70th anniversary of the ADCI (Amateur Drama Council of Ireland) founded in Athlone in 1953.
Friday night will see Newpoint Players present ‘Happy Days’ by Samuel Beckett, followed on Saturday by Dundalk Theatre Workshop with ‘Faith Healer’ by Brian Friel and on Sunday it will be the turn of Thurles Drama Group to stage ‘The Seafarer’ by Conor McPherson.
The festival continues with Dalkey Players (‘By The Bog Of Cats’ – Marina Carr); Prosperous DS (‘Oleanna’ – David Mamet), Wexford DG (‘The Father’ – Florian Zeller), Ballyshannon DS (‘A Delicate Balance’ – Edward Albee) and Butt Drama Circle (‘Darkness Echoing’ – Shaun Byrne).
Adjudicator for the nine nights is Ms Paula Dempsey who will announce the results at a gala function in The Radisson Hotel on Saturday, May 6.
