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The 71st Newry Drama Festival will take place from 24 to 29 March at Newry Town Hall with six very different plays.
The festival was launched at an event yesterday 3 March in The Flagstaff Lodge, Newry. In her opening remarks, Newry Drama Festival Chairperson Kate Carragher said she was confident that this year’s festival would uphold the high standards of festivals past and would delight audiences with a range of high-quality plays from across the genres.
She thanked all those who offered financial support. The patrons, sponsors and private doners and offered her deepest gratitude to the committee. Remarking, “Each member makes their own unique contribution, but all are immensely hardworking, dedicated and committed”.
Newry's own Newpoint Players open the festival 24 March with Ghetto, a play that has already swept the boards at Newtownstewart Drama Festival taking Best overall play; Best Director,Sean Treanor; Best Actor, Lowry Hodgett; Best Supporting Actor, Anthony Fitzpatrick and Best Moment in Theatre, Leo Reynolds.
Carragher continued “future building projects involving the Town Hall and the Arts Centre have created uncertainty in terms of loss of performance space for the duration of the works, which could last for several years. Stakeholders from all the amateur groups involved in the arts in the area, are trying to secure alternative venues in the town. Hopefully, their endeavours will be successful, and Newry Drama Festival will find an alternative, temporary home as it moves through its eighth decade.”
The Plays
24 March Newpoint Players present Ghetto
Ghetto by Joshua Sobol is a play by about the experiences of the Jews of the Vilna Ghetto under Nazi occupation during World War I. The play tocuses on the Jewish theatre in the ghetto, incorporating live music, and including as characters historical figures such as Jacob Gens, the chief of the Jewish Ghetto Police and later Head of the ghetto.
25 March Bart Players present The Whiteheaded Boy
The Whiteheaded Boy by Lennox Robinson revolves around the return home from university of the Account Canghagar, De Do is her great white hope but when he fails his exams (again) the rest of the family decide enough is enough; it is time Denis is packed off to Canada.
26 March Rosemary Drama Group present Can You Ever Forgive Me
Lee Israel took New York by storm with her Hollywood biographies. Then it all crashed . Jobless, penniless, a massive vet bill for her beloved cat tipped her into crime as a forger of celebrity letters. Dorothy Parker, Noel Coward, Humphry Bogart: she faked them all and raked it in. But suspicion circled and the FBI was closing in...Outrageous, hillarious and true ... ish. Can you ever forgive her? Written by Ian McDonald.
27 March Dundalk Theatre Group present Art
Art by Yasmina Reza raises questions about art and friendship, concerns three long-time friends, Serge, Marc and Yvan. Serge indulging his penchant for modern art, buys a large, expensive, completely white painting. Mark is horrified, and their relationship suffers considerable strain as a result of their differing opinions about what constitutes art. Yvan caught in the middle of the conflict, tries to please and molify both of them.
28 March Bunclody/ Kilmyshall present The Beacon
The Beacon by Nancy Harris Beiv, a celebrated artist has moved from suburban Dublin to her holiday cottage on an Island off the coast of West Cork. But a dark shadow from the past hangs over her. When her estranged son and his new young wife arrive to stay, she is faced with some difficult questions.
29 March Balally Players present Ulster American
Ulster American by David Ireland is a contemporary black comedy that features an Oscar-winning Hollywood actor, an English west-end theatre director and an up-and-coming female playwright who meet up on the eve of rehearsals of her new, career-transforming 'Irish' play, due to premiere in London's West End. But when it turns out that they're not on the same page, the night threatens to spiral out of control.
Raffles will be held Monday and Saturday nights. Teas will be available for purchase nightly.
The adjudicator is Mr Geoff O’Keeffe. Doors 7pm nightly for 7.30pm show.
Tickets can be purchased in the Canal Court Hotel Newry on Saturday 15th March from 10am to 12pm. Season tickets and tickets for nightly performances can be purchased online at www.gr8events.ie
