Drama at the crossroads

Over the next few weeks the dulcet prose and cadences of the late John B Keane will ring out in community halls all over the country. After months of hard work, amateur drama groups will take to the stage to perform some of his best-known plays as well as work by many other authors.

Essential to all this is a warm, comfortable and spacious community hall and both Rathanna and Killoughternane, two small communities in south Carlow have halls that fit the bill.

Home to art and music classes, exhibitions and lots more, the community hall in Killoughternane was once a one-teacher school built by the Quakers. It’s been the community hall since the 1960s and in that time it’s been modernised and a new supper room, kitchen and green room have been added on. In the past month the car park has been extended and re-surfaced and new lights are being installed.

Taking to the stage

All in time for the local drama group to take to the stage with a performance of Sive, a John B Keane classic. Sive is an orphan, taken in by her uncle and grandmother and being married off for money. Needless to say things don’t end well for the young woman.

Local dairy farmer Frank O’Connell is a long-time member of the drama group and it’s his second time to play ‘Carthalawn’ – a ‘tinker’ who with his songs tells of the scheming that’s going on.

All nine of the cast have been in rehearsals one night a week since before Christmas. It’s been twice a week since February and in the run up to the performances it’s been six nights a week

“Calving and rehearsals coincide so it’s not the best time but the hall is right beside me and that’s handy. I can come to rehearsals straight from the yard and I don’t even have to get into costume.”

All nine of the cast have been in rehearsals one night a week since before Christmas. It’s been twice a week since February and in the run up to the performances it’s been six nights a week. Local farmer and cast member, Jim Quirke, says that what’s special about amateur drama is that it is as good as you can get without the pressure of being a professional. And if you want to get known in your community there is no better way.

Local support

Apart from the actors, many and more people are involved behind the scenes, between serving teas, doing raffles, the door and parking. Killoughterane hope to do as many as eight performances of Sive with a full house every night and proceeds going to local good causes.

“When there was no money to go anywhere a few years ago, this cost nothing. Far better being here in the hall than being behind locked gates and having no interaction with the community,” says Jim.

Amateur drama is strong around this part of Leinster with active groups in Rathanna, Kildavin, Ardattin, Kiltealy, Borris, Goresbridge, Bunclody and Killoughternane to name but some.

Rathana

A few miles away at the foot of Mount Leinster, the Rathanna drama group are also busy with rehearsals although they haven’t fixed performances dates as yet. Amateur dramatics has been alive and well in Rathana since the young farmers group put on plays in the 1950s.

The current drama group dates back to 1967 with the first productions being The Belle of Boolavogue and The Tailor’s Dummy. Sean Stapleton was part of that first production and 51 years later is also part of the cast in this latest production.

Last year, to celebrate 50 years on the go they staged For Better or Worse a comedy by Jimmy Keary who also wrote this year’s offering – Mother Knows Best. Having a fine community hall with lots of space and ancillary facilities helps no end when it comes to putting on these productions. In the case of Rathanna it’s another old school, closed in the mid 1960s only to be resurrected in 2003 with support from LEADER and the National Lottery.

These days it is home to youth drama, a newly established branch of the ICA, the Tidy Towns committee, social dancing and the Rathanna marching band. Last year it also hosted 128 senior citizens for dinner. The drama group plan to stage up to 10 productions of Mother Knows Best to full houses all in support of local causes.

It’s great craic says prompter Mary Barron, while a cast member who shall remain nameless added with a hearty laugh, “sure we only come because of the personalities of the men”.

Sive takes to the stage in Killoughternane Community Centre on 14, 16, 17 and 18 March at 8pm. Contact Jim on 087-2612194 for tickets. Rathanna drama group hope to have Mother Knows Best on stage by early April. Contact Ann on 085 1981855 for tickets.