Amateur drama is getting a great
boost at the moment with Sky Arts running a fine reality tv series covering the world of part time thespians. In Ennis the excellent local group is fresh from hosting the All Ireland amateur drama competition.
The Ennis Players held their 27th
Annual Supper Theatre this week in the Old Ground in Ennis, Co Clare. It was noted
here last year that the supper theatre concept was a good one. This year’s
offering didn’t buck the trend and was a delightful evening of fine local
acting and good food.
The playbill this year was a
couple of comedies. The introduction pointed out that the plays were directed
by two first time directors to the group.
The first play was Mirror Mirror
by Bruce Kane. This was a funny twist on the Sleeping Beauty fairytale directed
by Eric Healy. In this version the stepmother
played by Colette McLoughlin engages with her mirror, played by an hilarious
Tony Coffey, querying her beauty. A succession of princes appear to try and
revive her stepdaughter the Charming Daughter. The role of the narrator was excellently
and laconically played by veteran of the Ennis Players , Arthur Forde. I felt the played
lacked something in the sound stakes and probably could have benefited from
placing the narrator closer to the action.
The second play, ‘ A little
history on Elvis’ written by Jason Milligan and directed by Paul Carey was the
stronger of the two with a more cohesive ensemble. The plot concerned Elvis
hiding out in the home of an average couple somewhere in America. Mick
Loughnane was very funny as an over the top Presley and another familiar face Hugh
Gallagher played a fine part as the dad.
The Old Ground was right on cue
when the drama concluded with a fine supper.
We wish Ennis Players well with
their endeavors on the amateur circuit and await their next production.. Their website is here
Review Ennis Players Supper Theatre 2011
No comments:
Post a Comment