Trojan women bring home the drama gongs

FOLLOWING up on several recommendations, the North Kerry based Memory Lane Theatre entered the play The Trojan Women in the All-Ireland Drama Festival Circuit and successfully performed in festivals in Kerry, Cork and Clare.

Majella Keenan won two ‘best actor in a female role’ awards for her powerful performance as Hecuba, Queen of Troy.

Tara Downes won best supporting actor in a female role as Helen of Troy; Jack McKenna won best young actor for his portrayal of Talthybius, the Greek Herald; and the youngest member of the group, Luke Kavanagh, received the adjudicators’ special award for his role as Asthynax – the young prince of Troy.

Brendan O’Halloran received the best stage management award, in recognition of his work and stage presentation of The Trojan Women – based on the epic poem by Brendan Kennelly – and Padraig Dennehy received a best new director award.

Mr Dennehy said that Memory Lane Theatre would like to thank, most sincerely, everyone that helped and encouraged the group along the way.

“We thank the many unsung heroes on the festival circuit and voluntary committees for their tireless efforts and unwavering commitment and support of drama,” he said.

“We’re grateful to the Brendan Kennelly Literary Trust for granting us permission to perform The Trojan Women.

“Memory Lane Theatre has donated €1,200 to Medicins Sans Frontiers, Doctors without Borders, Gaza appeal. The original two-and-a-half-thousandyear-old message and sentiment of The Trojan Women relating the fate of women in regions of conflict is as relevant today as when it was first written.”