Plenty of drama at festival
THERE was high drama in Gorey Little Theatre recently as the 61st annual three-act South Leinster Drama Festival delighted audiences from far and wide.
Hosts Gorey Little Theatre Group performed the Irish premier of Tribes by Nina Raine. The cast included Malcolm Byrne, Debbie Gartland, Rob Souter, David Pepper, Joan Duignan and Karen Dunbar.
Other groups taking part were Schull Drama Group (Last of the Red Hot Lovers by Neil Simon); Moat Club, Naas, (Gods of Carnage’ by Yasmina Reza); Holycross/Ballycahill Drama Group, (Little Gem’ by Elaine Murphy); Bunclody/Kilmyshall Drama Group (Agnes of God’ by John Pielmeier); Kilmeen Drama Group (The Seafarer’ by Conor McPherson); Take 5 Drama Group (The Telephone Exchange’ by Niamh Gleeson); Kilrush Drama Group (Hed- da Gabler adapted by Mark O’Rowe from the play by Henrik Ibsen). and Bridge Drama (An Inspector Calls’ by JB Priestly).
Festival adjudicator Awas ilbhe Garvey Hughes.
The winners were: Open Section - The God of Carnage by Moat Club Naas (1st), An Inspector Calls by Bridge Drama (2nd) and Agnes of God by Bunclody Kilmyshall (3rd); Confined - Take 5 Waterford with the Telephone Exchange (winner), Little Gem by Holycross Ballycahill Group (runners up); Best Actor Open - Paul Tobin; Best Actress Open Kate Power; Best Supporting Actress Open - Jacqui Whelan; Best Supporting Actor - Gary Stephens; Best Actress Confined - Trisha Lowry; Best Supporting Actress Confined - Meghan Bartual-Smyth; Adjudicator Awards to Tim Connoughton and George Percival; Best Producer Open - Eugene Delaney and Best Producer Confined - Noelle Clark.