Corofin take on the country in One-Act finals

Corofin Dramatic Society will take to the stage in Ennis at the weekend in the hope of bringing home the title of MACE All-Ireland One Act winners.
Corofin is the only group from Clare to make it through to the prestigious finals with their production of What’s for Pudding, written by David Tristram.
“We picked this play because it because it is a good English comedy and I thought if I get the five people from our group that I have in mind for the role, if I get those they will do a fair job on it. I did get the actors and actresses I wanted and they did a great job. They did all the work and I did nothing,” said director Eileen Lahiffe modestly.
Corofin Dramatic Society was founded in 1950 and has competed regularly on the three-act and one-act festival circuits since. The society was the winner of the one-act finals in 1993 with a play written by one of its members, Patricia Shannon, who was also director. The society also won the three-act finals in 2008.
“Except from competing in the One-Act festival two years ago, we have not been on the one-act festival circuit for many years. So this is a huge achievement to have reached the All-Ireland this year. It is especially exciting since we are the only Clare group to qualify and the finals will be hosted in Clare by the Ennis Players. We are also particularly proud to be taking to the stage at the wonderful venue, Glór,” outlined actress Sandra Cox.
Eileen has been involved in the society for 40 years and while she is an accomplished actress, What’s for Pudding? is her one-act directorial debut. The move backstage is certainly paying off, with the North Clare woman securing two best director awards on the five-festival circuit. She also seems to be getting the best out of her cast with Sandra Cox, who plays Mary being named best actress twice, Peter Daffy in the role of Jack claiming a best actor award and Kevin Glynn getting shortlisted in the same category. To get through to the finals, the production had to get three firsts, having taken place in a maximum of five drama festivals. Corofin managed first in the Cavan, Dunmore and Doonbeg festivals.
Despite these accolades, the group will have to impress once again at the weekend when they perform in the All-Ireland One-Act finals, taking place in Glór.
“We are hoping to get a good bit of support when we perform on Sunday. The acting is good and this is a very fast-paced comedy and is very funny. It is a good one act, I think, and it went down well at the festivals,” Eileen commented.
Friday night sees Breffni Players from Carrick-on-Shannon, Leitrim stage Brenton V Brenton, followed by Prosperous Dramatic Society’s production of The Man who Climbed the Pecan Trees and Bradán Óg from Leixlip with their play Chatroom.
Saturday night will be an all-Cork affair starting with Kilmeen Dramatic Society from West Cork performing Disco Pigs, before Take 5 stages Faded Footsteps and the city’s 3 In 1 Theatre performs The Dumb Waiter.
Corofin Dramatic Society opens the proceedings on Sunday afternoon at 2pm with What’s for Pudding? followed by Athlone Little Theatre’s production Two and Claregalway’s Compantas Lir stages The Donoghue Sisters.
On Sunday night, the South-East showcases its talents with Gorey Little Theatre performing The Wooden Pear, followed by Bray Arts production of A Visit from Miss Prothero. The winners will be announced on Sunday night.
Eileen heaped praise on other drama groups in Clare, particularly Cratloe and Kilkee drama groups, who were also on the one-act circuit this year, saying, “they did really well. They were fantastic and of a very high standard.”
For those who can’t make the One-Act finals in Ennis, Corofin Dramatic Society are planning to tread the boards with the show again a little closer to home.
“Because the hall in Corofin is not available to us, we have performed in the hall in Kilnaboy. We are hoping to return there in the next few weeks. Along with What’s for Pudding? we have two other one acts, Spreading the News by Lady Gregory, directed by Tom Keane, and Mirror, Mirror by Bruce Kane, directed by Trish Cleary. Those plays weren’t put on the festival circuit but were done for the home audience,” outlined Eileen.
For fans hoping to see more of what Corofin Dramatic Society can do, the group “recently began rehearsals for a three-act play, The Subject was Roses and that will be on the circuit soon. It was written by Frank D Gilroy and directed by John Clancy,” Eileen concluded.