'It'll Be All White on The Night' - Dundalk Theatre Group Present 'Art' at Drama Festival

: Sheila Mitchell/ Newry Drama Festival; Category: Arts, TV and Entertainment; Published: 28 March 2025

Serge (Tom Muckian), Marc (Sean Whelan) and Yvan (Tony Markey) in Dundalk Theatre Group's 'Art'

Night four of Newry Drama Festival and Adjudicator Geoff O’Keeffe had a 'blank canvas' to work with as he gave the festival audience his opinion of Dundalk Theatre Group's production of 'Art'

O'Keefe opened by remarking that it was World Theatre Day and what better way to celebrate it than being at the theatre!

This play, Mr O’Keeffe, told us, was a winner of multiple awards. Having opened in Paris in 1994, it was performed in London’s West End in 1996, ran for six years with star studded casts and won the Olivier award before moving to Broadway and winning a Tony award for best new play. It’s a sharp and witty examination of the roles of male friendship, with resentments surfacing through disagreement over the merits of a contemporary piece of art. While questioning the value of art, the play is more about a test of love and friendship.

The company is challenged to bring us into a “ suggestive, neutral space” which serves a number of locations. The director must bring 3 distinct characters to the stage “with excellent placing, vocal and physical energy to make the play sing”. Mr O’Keeffe said that the presentation of this play responds very well, the neutral setting is captured with the arrangement of seating and dustcloths.

One of the strengths of this production, Mr O’Keeffe remarked, was that we didn’t get to see the painting until the end… placing it front of stage facing the performers, meant we could observe them looking at it, capturing their responses … it was a “ clever setting responding to the needs of the play”. The lighting design also complimented this with well considered lighting, highlighting actors when in monologue and then bringing us back into the dialogue sequences. “ it was executed very seamlessly”.

The sound was well chosen, keeping the energy in the room as we transitioned through short scene changes. The music had “drive in it and kept us there”.

Mr O’Keeffe thought that the costume was appropriate, giving a sense of three different characters. One of the strengths of this production was the way the director worked with the actors to bring us distinctly different individuals. The way he built rapport with them was very well judged. The monologues were so well crafted. Mr O’Keeffe felt that the “ actors were alive in the scene, I believed that the actors were hearing the lines for the very first time” Mr O’Keeffe emphasised that this was something he had spoken of this week, the importance of everything being alive on the stage to make the play sing. This bound so much of the comedy in the piece, Mr O’Keeffe remarked, the visible reactions to the paintings without words spoke volumes. We understood their reactions.

Comic lines were punched very strongly. Marc’s “ That day I should have punched him” was really well shaped. Ivan’s huge monologue delivered so well, maintained really good energy and yet we heard every word. The positive audience response showed obvious appreciation. It was super work. Mr O’Keeffe suggested to the director that some of the movement on stage could be shifted, sometimes it was quite linear to the front of the stage with one actor “playing tennis” between two others. However there was a lot be admired. Mr O’Keeffe felt that the actor who played Serge, did very well with a strong sense of self. There were a couple of occasions when energy dipped at the end of lines but otherwise a very fine performance. Marc’s performance was physically and vocally assured, very centred work. Ivan brought a “ lightness of touch “ to the role, “ played comedy so effectively and his face told so many stories”, a considered and enjoyable performance.

Overall Mr O’Keeffe felt that Dundalk Theatre Group brought a strong presentation . All design elements were well conceived and executed. The three characters were really well developed and brought us through the play with clarity and at times great humour. Sometimes the movement patterns were repetitious, “however there was nonetheless so much in this show that hit the mark”.

Pictured at the opening night of Newry Drama Festival.

Declan McConaghy, Sound and Lighting at Newpoint Players production of Ghetto at Newry Drama Festival. Photograph: Columba O'Hare/ Newry.ie

Newpoint Players production of Ghetto at Newry Drama Festival. Photograph: Columba O'Hare/ Newry.ie

Lowry Hodgett as Gens and Mickey Brannigan as Weisskopf in the Newpoint Players production of Ghetto at Newry Drama Festival. Photograph: Columba O'Hare/ Newry.ie