Clare crews clean up at the 65th North Cork Drama Festival
THE curtain came down on the 65th North Cork Drama Festival on last Saturday night with wins for two County Clare dramatic societies.
Corofin Dramatic Society won with their production of the ‘Rabbit Hole’ by David Lindsay-Abaire in the open section, while Mount Shannon’s Slieve Aughty Drama Group’s production of ‘ The Cripple of Innishmaan’ by Martin McDonogh, won the confined section.
The adjudicator, Tony McLeane-Fay, said the amateur movement was enjoying a very high standard throughout the country, as could be seen it in the programme for the North Cork Drama Festival over the past nine nights.
Mr. Mcleane-Fay praised the audiences who had come to watch the performances and share in the theatrical experience. He thanked them for coming out to support the groups who staged their productions at the festival.
The Vic Loving Award for best costume went to Liz Flatman for ‘ The Last of the Red Hot Lovers’ staged by Schull Drama Group.
The Father Murphy Rose Bowl for best lighting was won by Dick Bauman for ‘Closer’, performed by Curtain Call Productions Dungarvan.
The crew for the Sliabh Aughty Drama Group won the Marian Players Shield for the best set in the confined section. Pat Whelan of the Bridge Drama Goup from Castlebridge, Co. Wexford won the Frank O’Hara Trophy for the best set in the open section.
The R.M. Perpetual Trophy for the most promising young actor/actress went to Meg Marriot for her portrayal of Alice in ‘Closer’ by Curtain Call Productions Dungarvan, while the Claude Gough Memorial Trophy for an outstanding moment of theatre was won by Doonbeg Drama Group for their scene in ‘ The Night Alive.’
Dunmore Dramatic Group’s ‘ The Odd Couple’ took the Kit and Jo O’Gorman sculpture for the most entertaining production and Fidelma Meaney took the best director award for ‘Closer’ in the confined section while John Clancy won the best director award in the open section.
Martin Silke won the best supporting actor for his playing of Murray in The Odd Couple by DADS Dunmore, while the best supporting actress was Eavan Brennan of Slieve Aughty who played Izzy in Rabbit Hole.
The best actor award in the confined section went to Kenneth Blowers who played ‘ Tommy in The Night Alive’ by Doonbeg Drama Group, while Siobhan Donnellan took the best actress award for Becca in ‘Rabbit Hole’.
Best supporting actor and actress were, respectively, Martin O’Donoghue as Johneen Pateen Mike in ‘ The Cripple of Innishmaan’ and Rachel Owens as Tina in ‘ The Living Quarters’ staged by Bride View Drama Group, Tallow, Co. Waterford. In the open section the best actor award went to Paul Tobin as Goole in ‘An Inspector Calls’ and the best actress was Emer Martin as Helen Kelly in ‘Living Quarters’ from Bride View Drama Group in Tallow.
The Dunmore group were in second place in the open section with Dungarvan in third place, while in the confined, Bride View from Tallow were runners-up.