*Members of Shannonside Drama Group.
ONE OF THE oldest festivals on the drama circuit in the country livens up East Clare this week.
The Clare Drama Festival takes place from Thursday 19th March to Friday 27th March inclusive for what will be its seventy seventh run. The festival is one of the oldest festivals in the Amateur Drama Council of Ireland circuit having started in 1947.
Top amateur groups in both confined and open sections will compete in the All-Ireland finals which will be held in Carrickmore, Co. Tyrone and Athlone but as the preliminary circuit ends, groups will be at their best to ensure that they get one of the coveted final spaces.
Chairman Seamus Bane promised, “there will be something for everyone in the festival, which showcases the best of amateur drama in Ireland”.
Ireland South MEP and Scariff native, Michael McNamara (IND) will perform the official opening of the festival on Thursday (March 19th). This will be followed by Memory Lane Theatre Group from Lixnaw, Co. Kerry performing Eugene O’Brien’s ‘Heaven’. On Friday 20th Dooega Drama Group from Achill, Co. Mayo bring Brian Friel’s ‘Philadelphia, Here I Come’.
Saturday 21st will have Brideview Drama Group from Tallow, Co. Waterford present by Hugh Leonard’s semi-autobiographical play ‘Da’. On Sunday 22nd, Corofin Dramatic Society will bring ‘WiT’ by American playwright, Margaret Edson which won the 1999 Pulitzer Prize for drama. On Monday 23rd Sliabh Aughty Drama Group perform Bruce Graham’s ‘The Outgoing Tide’.
Thurles Drama Group come to Scariff on Tuesday 24th with another of Brian Friel’s plays, ‘Dancing at Lughnasa’. Nenagh Players perform ‘The Salvage Shop’ by Jim Nolan on Wednesday 25th.
Shannonside Drama Group from Clonlara step into the breach for Thursday 26th with ‘A Living Will’ by Jim Keane. The final night sees Kilmeen Drama Group from West Cork present ‘Ballyturk’ by Enda Walsh.
Mr. Walker Ewart A.D.A., will adjudicate the performances and gives his comments after each performance. On final night he will announce the overall results. Groups will be anxious to collect valuable points towards qualification for the All-Ireland Finals. Curtain up is at 8.00pm each night and no advance booking is necessary.
