Because of the Kerry Drama Festival week that’s in it I decided to rummage through the files and devote our ‘Friday Favourites’ slot to the event itself and to the people behind it. While there, I picked out a rather random selection of photographs now qualifying for vintage status.
The 27th annual Kerry Drama Festival will open at The Ivy Leaf Art Centre here in Castleisland on this Friday, March 7th and will run over nine wonderful nights of theatre to Saturday, March 15th. The event is held under the auspices of Amateur Drama Council of Ireland.
Minister Jimmy Deenihan
The official opening will be performed by Jimmy Deenihan T.D, Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. The adjudicator for the festival is the Co. Down based, Jim Wolstencroft and the director for the week’s programme is Jerome Stack of the host theatre.
A drama festival creates an arena for competitive groups and the plays they enter on any given year. There, they perform a full-length play under the gaze of an adjudicator. Each festival has two competitive sections, open and confined, and the winners in these categories will receive a nomination from the adjudicator to go forward to the All-Ireland finals. Adjudicators are independently appointed to the various festivals by the Association of Drama Adjudicators.
Social Atmosphere
Visiting drama groups must be accorded a certain level of hospitality and meals before and after their performances are provided as standard. A travel allowance is provided and a social atmosphere after the show is also a provision required of the hosts. This sociability also allows audiences to meet and chat to cast members and to discuss the night’s performance in a convivial atmosphere. It also gives the visiting groups a taste of the hospitality of the areas they find themselves in.
The programme for the 2014 busy week is as follows:
Friday 7th March: The New Electric Ballroom by Enda Walsh. Corofin Dramatic Society.
Saturday 8th March: 13 Rue de L’Amour by Mawby Green and Ed Feilbert. Brideview Drama.
Sunday 9th March: No Romance by Nancy Harris. Skibbereen Theatre Society.
Monday 10th March: The Kings of the Kilburn High Road by Jimmy Murphy. Moyne Drama Group.
Tuesday 11th March: Curse of the Starving Class by Sam Shepard. Ballyduff Drama Group.
Wednesday 12th March: The Cavalcaders by Billy Roche. Doonbeg Drama Group.
Thursday 13th March: Einstein’s Gift by Vern Theissen. Palace Players.
Friday 14th March: Blood Relations by Sharon Pollock. Insight Theatre.
Saturday 15th March: Done Deal by Mártán Ó Mongán. Dooega Drama Group.
Shows nightly at 8pm. Admission: Adults €10 with concession €8.
Season Ticket: €60, Concession: €50. Bookings on 086 1054515
