Write a comment
Newry Drama Festival has come to a close following six excellent performances at Newry's iconic town hall. The plays saw increased attendances and much optimism for the future of the festival as it heads towards its 70th season in 2024. A guest performance by Lislea Dramatic Players on Wednesday night and Newpoint Players performance on Thursday night were virtually sold out while other evenings also had increased attendance.
It was a wonderful night for the 'home team' of Newpoint Players who scooped up five awards at this years Festival including the Premier Award. The awards were presented following a performance of the final play of the week, Brian Friel's Faith Healer performed by Dundalk Players.
Samuel Beckett's Happy Days performed by Newpoint saw a cast of two perform the challenging piece which was directed by Sean Treanor. Treasa Davey played Winnie while Donal O'Hanlon played her husband Willie. Set Designer was Tom Carville and Lighting Operator Declan McConaghy. Newpoint took home the Audience Award, Best Actress, Best Director, Most Ambitious Choice and of course the Premier Award.
Faith Healer
Dundalk Players production of Brian Friel’s “Faith Healer” was the final play in Newry Drama’s Festival’ 69th season.
Adjudicator Ailbhe Garvey Hughes, in her opening remarks, said that the play was Friel’s masterpiece containing 4 monologues which are notoriously difficult. “While the technical prowess lies in its simplicity the characters are anything but straightforward.”
Mrs Garvey- Hughes continued by commenting on the setting of the stage “which needs to be crisp and unfussy -and it was.”
Moving on to the direction she said that the play was “thoughtfully directed” by Bernard Dunne. However, Frank and Grace’s dialogue (played by Fergus Mullen and Pauline Clarke) needed to be more varied in pace. Grace’s monologue was rushed in places and the music “didn’t quite fit in.” There were so many wonderful moments in her performance but “it just needed more nuances.”
Teddy’s entrance was “spot on and beautifully lit.” Played by Tim Ahern he had a voice that was “beautifully modulated and he held a master class in how effective a pause can be.” He gave a “true performance with well pointed lines and great comic timing “
The play, Mrs Garvey Hughes concluded, was visually pleasing, just occasionally dipping in energy. Because it is so difficult Faith Healer is not often seen. She noted that tonight’s audience response to Dundalk players was “wonderful, warm, appreciative and attentive.
Newry Drama Festival 2023 Results
Best Technical Production
Rosemary Drama Group - “Toast”
Best Costumes
Bart Players - “One Man Two Guvnors”
Best music and sound
Bart Players - “One Man Two Guvnors “
Best moment of Theatre
Bunclody/ Kilmyshall Drama Group - “The Night Alive”
Best Lighting
Bunclody/ Kilmyshall Drama Group - “The Night Alive”
Audience Award
Newpoint Players - “Happy Days”
Best young Actor/Actress
Lynn Gordon for Rachael Crabbe - “One Man Two Guvnors “
Best Actress in a supporting role
Stephanie Leeman for Aunt Elvie/ Miss A, Rosemary Drama Group - "Toast"
Best Actor in a supporting role
Tim Ahern for Teddy, Dundalk Players - “Faith “Healer”
Best Actress
Treasa Davey for Winnie, Newpoint Players - “Happy Days”
Best Actor
Andrew Devonshire for Francis Henshall, Bart Players - “One man Two Guvnors “
Best Director
Sean Treanor, Newpoint Players - “Happy Days”
Most ambitious Choice
Newpoint Players - “Happy Days “
Runners up
Rosemary Drama Group “Toast”
Premier Award
Newpoint Players - “Happy Days “
The 2023 Newry Drama Festival concluded with Festival chairperson Maire Donaghy thanking Ailbhe Garvey-Hughes for the talent, knowledge and expertise she brought to her adjudications which were appreciated by the companies and thoroughly enjoyed by audiences. She thanked the committee for their hard work, the main sponsors McAllister, all other sponsors, the patrons, the staff and caretakers in the Town Hall, the caterer Seamus McAteer, the companies who travelled from all over Ireland and all others associated with the success of this year’s festival. Special appreciation was offered to the guest players, Lislea Dramatic Players who performed “See How They Run” on Wednesday evening.
As the final curtain came down on the 69th Drama festival, Máire expressed her optimism for the future. “As it moves towards the 70th season many more people are expressing an interest in becoming Season ticket holders and audiences are increasing thus hopefully securing the future of Newry Drama festival in the years to come.“
With local talent taking the top prize this year the future for drama in Newry is bright indeed.
