2022 FESTIVAL
ALL DETAILS
THE CO. TIPPERARY DRAMA FESTIVAL
HOLYCROSS
Festival Director : Donal Duggan, Holycross, Co.Tipperary
Phone: 086-257 5159 Email: donal@dugganvet.ie Fax:0504-43147
Adjudicator: PETER O’DRISCOLL
2023 Festival Plays:
|
Date
|
Section
|
Group
|
Play
|
By
|
|
Fri 17th March
|
Confined
|
Harvest Moon
|
God of Carnage
|
Yasmina Reza
|
|
Sat 18th March
|
Open
|
Prosperous
|
Oleanna
|
David Mamet
|
|
Sun 19th March
|
Open
|
Hollycross/ Ballycahill
|
A Skull in Connemara
|
Martin McDonagh
|
|
Mon 20th March
|
Open
|
Brideview
|
The Father
|
Florian Zeller
|
|
Tues 21st March
|
Confined
|
Rearcross D.G.
|
The Cripple of Inishmaan
|
Martin McDonagh
|
|
Wed 22nd March
|
Open
|
Hinterland
|
The Playboy of The Western World
|
J.M.Synge
|
|
Thurs 23th March
|
Open
|
Thurles
|
The Seafarer
|
Conor McPhearson
|
|
Fri 24th March
|
Open
|
Kilmeen
|
Blithe Spirit
|
Noel Coward
|
|
Sat 25th March
|
Open
|
Lifford
|
When Elephants Collide
|
Edward Flanagan
|
Friday 17th (C) God of Carnage
Harvest Moon D.G. By Yasmina Reza
Synopsis of Play: God of Carnage was written by Yasmina Reza and was first published in 2008. It
is about two sets of parents; the son of one couple has hurt the son of the other couple at a public
park. The parents meet to discuss the matter in a civilized manner. However, as the evening goes
on, the parents become increasingly childish and the meeting devolves into chaos.
Group History: Harvest Moon Theatre Group is a new group based in Claremorris, Co Mayo,
with members drawn from all over Connaught. All of the group members have experience of the
All-Ireland circuit with other groups. This is the group’s first entry in the Confined Section of the
circuit.
Saturday 18th (O) Oleanna
Prosperous D.G. By David Mamet
Harvest Moon D.G. By Yasmina Reza
Synopsis of Play: God of Carnage was written by Yasmina Reza and was first published in 2008. It
is about two sets of parents; the son of one couple has hurt the son of the other couple at a public
park. The parents meet to discuss the matter in a civilized manner. However, as the evening goes
on, the parents become increasingly childish and the meeting devolves into chaos.
Group History: Harvest Moon Theatre Group is a new group based in Claremorris, Co Mayo,
with members drawn from all over Connaught. All of the group members have experience of the
All-Ireland circuit with other groups. This is the group’s first entry in the Confined Section of the
circuit.
Saturday 18th (O) Oleanna
Prosperous D.G. By David Mamet
Synopsis of Play: Oleanna is a 1992 two-character play by David Mamet, about the power
struggle between a university professor and one of his female students, who accuses him of sexual
harassment and, by doing so, spoils his chances of being accorded tenure. The play’s title, taken
from a folk song, refers to a 19th-century escapist vision of utopia.[1] Mamet adapted his play into
a 1994 film.
Group History: From humble beginnings, this small village in Co. Kildare, has developed a strong
tradition of theatre, it all started with a bilingual play An tAthru Mor, produced by Fr J. O’Brien,
over 100 years ago, to the present day where the group has won the RTE All Ireland Drama Finals
back to back. 2018 was an outstanding year for the group, their production of Sylvia took 1st place
at the RTE All Ireland Drama Festival and the group also secured the Abbey Theatre Award which
took them to 5 sold out shows in the Peacock theatre.
Sunday 19th (O) A Skull in Connemara
Ballycahill D.G By Martin McDonagh
struggle between a university professor and one of his female students, who accuses him of sexual
harassment and, by doing so, spoils his chances of being accorded tenure. The play’s title, taken
from a folk song, refers to a 19th-century escapist vision of utopia.[1] Mamet adapted his play into
a 1994 film.
Group History: From humble beginnings, this small village in Co. Kildare, has developed a strong
tradition of theatre, it all started with a bilingual play An tAthru Mor, produced by Fr J. O’Brien,
over 100 years ago, to the present day where the group has won the RTE All Ireland Drama Finals
back to back. 2018 was an outstanding year for the group, their production of Sylvia took 1st place
at the RTE All Ireland Drama Festival and the group also secured the Abbey Theatre Award which
took them to 5 sold out shows in the Peacock theatre.
Sunday 19th (O) A Skull in Connemara
Ballycahill D.G By Martin McDonagh
Synopsis of Play: For one week each autumn, Mick Dowd is hired to disinter the bones in certain
sections of his local cemetery, to make way for the new arrivals. As the time approaches for him to
dig up those of his own late wife, strange rumours regarding his involvement in her sudden death
seven years ago, gradually begin to resurface
Group History: Following our win on the 2019 Confined Festival Circuit, this is the group’s first
outing on the Open Festival Circuit and we are really looking forward to it!!
From our home on the banks of the River Suir in the beautiful village of Holycross the group stage
performances every winter and participate in the All Ireland Festival Circuit every spring. We have
been together for over fifty years and we still enjoying treading the boards together and performing
to our loyal audiences! We particularly enjoy performing on the Festival circuit and meeting up
with all our friends in drama.
sections of his local cemetery, to make way for the new arrivals. As the time approaches for him to
dig up those of his own late wife, strange rumours regarding his involvement in her sudden death
seven years ago, gradually begin to resurface
Group History: Following our win on the 2019 Confined Festival Circuit, this is the group’s first
outing on the Open Festival Circuit and we are really looking forward to it!!
From our home on the banks of the River Suir in the beautiful village of Holycross the group stage
performances every winter and participate in the All Ireland Festival Circuit every spring. We have
been together for over fifty years and we still enjoying treading the boards together and performing
to our loyal audiences! We particularly enjoy performing on the Festival circuit and meeting up
with all our friends in drama.
Monday 20th (O) The Father
Brideview D.G. By Florian Zellor
Brideview D.G. By Florian Zellor
Synopsis of Play: André is retired and a man of his own mind. He’s quick with a joke, especially
one with an edge, and used to dominating conversations and relationships. But things are getting
strange: His trusted watch goes missing, reappears, and is lost again. His daughter’s stories don’t
quite add up. His furniture is disappearing and there are strangers at his table. The Father is a
thrilling exploration of who we are to ourselves when our signposts disappear.
Group History: Brideview Drama was formed in the late 1980s and began competing in the early
90s, winning the confined 3Act in 2005 with Moonshine. By Jim Nolan.
They qualified for the Open All-Ireland Finals for the first time in 2018 with ‘Stolen Child’, finishing
in second place. They reached the finals again in 2019 with ‘Philadelphia, Here I Come’ finishing in
3rd place.
Tuesday 21st (C) The Cripple of Inishmaan
Rearcross D.G. By Martin McDonagh
Rearcross D.G. By Martin McDonagh
Synopsis of Play: The play is seton the island of Inishmaan in 1934. Billy Claven lives with his
adoptive aunties. He’s crippled from birth and endures ridicucle because of his physical deformaties.
He longs to get off the island and experience the wider world. He is also secretly in love with the
island’s beauty. His opportunity comes when “Man of Aran” is being filmed on the neighbouring
island of Innishmor.
Group History: Rearcross has a long tradition in Amateu Dramatics stretching back to the 1940.
The Group was active on the festival circuit in the 1960’s and 1970’s. for a number of years the
group was not active but was revived in 2008 and annual productions have been successfully staged
every year since. The group is looking forward to participating again in
The Co. Tipperary Drama Festival.
Wednesday 22nd (O) The Playboy of the Western World
Hinterland D.G. By J.M.Synge
Hinterland D.G. By J.M.Synge
Synopsis of Play: The play revolves around a young man’s bravado claims that he killed his father. For more
than a century audiences have puzzled over how this claim makes him a hero to all the eligible
young women who vie for his affections. Patrons also wondered…even as the play’s slapstick
humour had them falling off their seats.
Group History: Hinterland are a new collective of theatre makers who are based in and
around County Tipperary. This not for profit, community theatre project, is led by Robert Power,
who is originally from Carrick-On-Suir and has worked in various mediums in the arts world,
including theatre and music. It is made up of a blend of experience and youth, both in terms of
cast and production team. In the summer of 2022, the group toured their first production of The
Playboy of the Western World by John Millington Synge.
Thursday 23rd (O) The Seafarer
Thurles D.G. By Conor McPhearson
Synopsis of Play: It’s Christmas Eve, and Sharky has returned to Dublin to look after Richard,
his irascible and ageing brother, who has recently gone blind. Sharky, an alcoholic, is battling to
get through Christmas without a drink. Richard’s drinking buddy Ivan is holed up at the house
too. They are joined for a game of poker by Sharky’s old love rival, Nicki, who brings along the
mysterious Mr Lockhart. In their alcohol induced world they drink, they fight and they gamble.
But, with the arrival of this stranger from the distant past, the stakes are raised even higher, as
Sharky may be playing for his very soul.
Group History: Thurles Drama Group presents two three-act plays yearly in the Source Arts
Centre. Over a period of fifty-six years they have produced plays of every genre, and always of the
highest quality. The group has recently bought an old cinema/parish hall which has been
refurbished into their own drama hall. They are looking forward to the official opening of The Bríd
Ryan Drama Centre in 2023. The group has been competing on the three-act festival circuit over a
number of years, and have reached the All-Ireland Finals in Athlone on eight occasions.
Thurles D.G. By Conor McPhearson
Synopsis of Play: It’s Christmas Eve, and Sharky has returned to Dublin to look after Richard,
his irascible and ageing brother, who has recently gone blind. Sharky, an alcoholic, is battling to
get through Christmas without a drink. Richard’s drinking buddy Ivan is holed up at the house
too. They are joined for a game of poker by Sharky’s old love rival, Nicki, who brings along the
mysterious Mr Lockhart. In their alcohol induced world they drink, they fight and they gamble.
But, with the arrival of this stranger from the distant past, the stakes are raised even higher, as
Sharky may be playing for his very soul.
Group History: Thurles Drama Group presents two three-act plays yearly in the Source Arts
Centre. Over a period of fifty-six years they have produced plays of every genre, and always of the
highest quality. The group has recently bought an old cinema/parish hall which has been
refurbished into their own drama hall. They are looking forward to the official opening of The Bríd
Ryan Drama Centre in 2023. The group has been competing on the three-act festival circuit over a
number of years, and have reached the All-Ireland Finals in Athlone on eight occasions.
Friday 24th (O) Blithe Spirit
Kilmeen D.G. By Noel Coward
Kilmeen D.G. By Noel Coward
Synopsis of Play: This smash comedy hit of the London and Broadway stage offers up fussy,
cantankerous novelist Charles Condomine, remarried but haunted (literally) by the ghost of his
late first wife, the clever and insistent Elvira, who is called up by a visiting “happy medium”, one
Madame Arcati. As the (worldly and un-worldy) personalities clash, Charles’ current wife Ruth is
accidentally killed, “passes over”, joins Elvira and the two “blithe spirits” haunt the hapless Charles
into perpetuity.
Group History: Kilmeen Drama Group, based in Rossmore, West Cork, are one of the longest
established drama groups in the country. The group competes in both the One Act and Three Act
circuits each year as well as running a Summer Theatre programme in the months of July and
August. At National level Kilmeen were All Ireland 3 Act Champions in 2006,2011,2012 and 2013.
They also won All Ireland glory in 2011 in the One Act finals with “Disco Pigs”
cantankerous novelist Charles Condomine, remarried but haunted (literally) by the ghost of his
late first wife, the clever and insistent Elvira, who is called up by a visiting “happy medium”, one
Madame Arcati. As the (worldly and un-worldy) personalities clash, Charles’ current wife Ruth is
accidentally killed, “passes over”, joins Elvira and the two “blithe spirits” haunt the hapless Charles
into perpetuity.
Group History: Kilmeen Drama Group, based in Rossmore, West Cork, are one of the longest
established drama groups in the country. The group competes in both the One Act and Three Act
circuits each year as well as running a Summer Theatre programme in the months of July and
August. At National level Kilmeen were All Ireland 3 Act Champions in 2006,2011,2012 and 2013.
They also won All Ireland glory in 2011 in the One Act finals with “Disco Pigs”
Saturday 25th (O) When Elephants Collide
Lifford D.G. By Edward Flanagan
Lifford D.G. By Edward Flanagan
Synopsis of Play: A tale of inheritance. A family in crisis. A father who doesn’t know
which child to trust with his legacy. This fast paced play is interwoven
with sibling rivalry, jealousy and greed set in a 21st Century Ireland still anchored to 19th cent
traditions.
Group History: Lifford Players were formed in the early 1950’s by staff from Donegal County
Council and Lifford Post Office. Lifford Players are a cross-border cross-community drama
group that competes annually on the Irish and Ulster amateur drama circuits. Lifford Players have
appeared in the All-Ireland Open Drama Finals a total of 31 times, winning it on three occasions –
1982, 1985, 1987.