ALSO PLAYING

‘It’s a lovely story,’ said a woman in front of me at the end of Minding Frankie (Viking Clontarf & touring, More like a fairy story really, because this first truncated dramatisation of a Maeve Binchy novel has significant difficulties solved with fairy-godmother ease. The dying Stella tells alcoholic bachelor Noel that her unborn child is his daughter, and requests that he should become an actual father to little Frankie when she’s born. Social worker Moira wants to have Frankie adopted by a loving family, but Noel insists on rearing the child. Considering Noel’s situation there are some obvious reasons why he’s unsuitable. There are major logistical and legal problems about child protection, and caring for a newborn child, but this is cosy Binchyland, where problems are solved as soon as they surface. Soon there’s a horde of generous people lining up to help Noel. Why, you wonder, do we need crèches and child-minding? Social worker Moira, with her own family problems, is almost portrayed as a villain. This is social drama with a decidedly soft centre, the emphasis being mostly on the humorous aspects. Those outstanding character actors Steve Blount and Clare Barrett, pictured, take on all the roles, and deliver the goods to perfection. Binchy fans should love it. The show is touring to Draíocht, Navan, Tallaght, Portlaoise, Bray, Dún Laoghaire, Newbridge, Waterford and Longford.