The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Amateur drama – a vital and valid art form
CROWDS from throughout the county are complimenting some great theatre this week at the Kerry Drama Festival at Castleisland’s Ivy Leaf Art Centre.
The nine-night long event got off to a flying start on Friday as festival director, Jerome Stack with adjudicator, Brendan Murray and guest Kevin O’Shea, took to the stage. Three insightful and short introductory speeches followed. The festival’s 30th anniversary didn’t go unmentioned as Jerome recalled how Cork actor, Flor Dulea RIP, held the distinction of being the only festival adjudicator to have been a ‘found-on’ during a late night raid by Gardaí on a local public house.
The 2017 adjudicator, Mr Murray’s list of achievements and credits took up much of Jerome’s speech. At the end he pondered aloud: “I don’t know if we can afford this man at all,” to loud applause and laughter.
Mr Murray said he was glad to be back in Kerry after nine years and said that he was glad to see the Arts Council giving due recognition to the amateur drama circuit in Ireland as it is an important and valid art form in Irish society today.
Jerome then introduced Kevin O’Shea who won the first festival in 1988 with Philadelphia Here I Come. Mr O’Shea outlined the difficulties of casting a play in small, rural towns and villages and revealed how he had gone to Mass three times one Sunday to spot likely characters for a play he was planning some years ago. Along with winning the first festival in 1988, Kevin repeated the feat in 2009 and then too with the Brian Freil classic.
There are still four great nights of drama left in the festival. Wednesday, March 8: Little Gem, by Elaine Murphy, performed by Holycross Drama Group; Thursday, March 9: Seafarer by Conor McPherson, performed by Kilmeen Drama Group; Friday, March 10: Living Quarters by Brian Friel, performed by Brideview Drama Group; Saturday, March 11: The Field by John B. Keane, performed by Amphitheatre Company.